It is known that at certain times of the year monks must strictly observe fasting. On such days, the monastic charter prohibits them from eating meat and any other fatty foods. True, when monks are on the road or are engaged in almsgiving, then, as an exception, they are not forbidden to eat everything that fate sends down.
Once on the road on their monastic business, two monks wandered off the road to take a rest and have a snack at an inn, where chance brought them together with a passing merchant.
The owner of the inn was so poor that he could offer nothing to the guests except a pitiful, skinny chicken no larger than a pigeon. When the chicken was ready, the owner took it off the spit and served it on the table whole, hoping that the diners would share it equally among themselves.
Looking at the fried chicken and immediately realizing that it was barely enough for one eater, the cunning merchant said, turning to the monks:
“It seems to me, holy brethren, that now is the height of Lent. Isn't it? I don't want you to break the law because of me. So be it, I’ll take the sin upon myself and deliver you from the chicken.
The monks had no choice but to agree with the scoundrel. They did not go into detail and explain to the merchant that some concessions were possible for wandering monks.
Kupchina devoured a whole chicken with great pleasure and gnawed all the bones, while his two dining companions had to be content with a slice of bread and a piece of cheese.
After the meal, all three set off. The monks walked because of poverty, and the merchant because of his stinginess. They waved a lot until they found themselves in front of a wide river that blocked their path.
According to the custom of old times, the tallest and youngest of the monks, who was barefoot, put the fat merchant on his back and carried him ford across the river.
But, having reached the middle of the ford, the monk suddenly remembered the strict regulations of the monastery charter and stopped in bewilderment. Bending under the weight of the burden, he raised his head up and asked the merchant, who was sitting comfortably on his back with his shoes and a travel bag in his hands:
- Tell me, my dear! Don't you have any money on you?
- What a stupid question! - he marveled. “It’s time for you, brother, to know that no self-respecting merchant would ever go on a long journey without money.”
- I'm very sorry! - said the monk. “But our charter forbids us to carry money on us.”
And with these words he threw the merchant into the water. Soaked to the skin, all red with shame and annoyance, the roguish merchant was forced to agree that he got it right from the monks for the earlier trick with the chicken.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru