The thief was sleeping under a white thorn bush, and he dreamed that the devil was standing in front of him. The thief woke up, looked around and saw: the one he dreamed of was already standing in front of him in reality. And the devil said to him:
“Dear friend, your loyalty is boundless, and I know that it is not in vain that I am favorable to you: both your ways and your deeds are worthy of my mercy. And if you continue to be like this, my help will not be refused to you: just call on my name, and you will go everywhere safely.
The thief became completely insolent from such speeches, began to rob even more unbridled, and since he did not forget about his master, he was successful in everything. But finally he was caught, stood trial and was convicted. They took him in stocks to execution, which awaits every thief. When they dragged him cruelly and rudely, he again cried out to the devil, for only in the devil was all his hope. The summoned man appeared before him and said:
- I’m here, don’t doubt it!
So they came to the place of execution, and again the thief called out to his master; and the lord of all those who are executed again says:
“Be patient: patience overcomes everything.” They had already tied a rope around his throat, and
for the third time he appealed to his defender with these words:
- A true friend is recognized in trouble: you see where I am and what’s wrong with me, give me help in the name of that white thorn bush that was the witness and guarantee of our union.
And the devil responds to this:
“Until now, you fought calmly, with our help; and now it would be nice to see what it will be like for you to fight without me?
We often witness how a deceiver deceives a deceiver and deceit gives way to deceit, and the one who relies on the devil is deceived most of all.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru