People have long said that there is a wonderful abandoned well in a forest. If you throw a coin at it, then after a while it will show a person the most secret thing that lives his soul. Some people believed in this well, while others laughed, claiming that these were all human inventions! Once people came to the well; they really wanted to know how the soul of each of them lived. And with them came a lot of curious people to see how their business would end. One man threw a coin into the well and looked: the reflection of a scary and ugly woman appeared in the water. I even jumped away from the well in fright! Another man threw a coin and waited: a large copper coin floated up in the well and that’s it... He was surprised and walked away. Another curious person threw a coin into the well: a suitcase appears in the well, covered in blood and dirty, very dirty! This man didn’t want to look anymore and ran away. Another man approached the well, threw in a coin and waited. The water in the well calmed down, and he only saw his face in the water - and nothing more. We all got together: we thought and thought, but came up with nothing. At this time, an old man, gray-haired and gray-haired, comes up to them and asks: “What are you thinking about, good people?” They told him this way and that: it’s not clear why each of them saw such a reflection? “And this is very simple to understand. - The old man said. “The one who saw a terrible woman means he is a prodigal soul.” Whoever sees a copper coin has a greedy soul for money. Anyone who sees a suitcase covered in blood robs people and drinks their blood. And whoever sees his own face has an honest soul.” The rest of the people listened to what the old man had to say and said: “Then we won’t throw coins into the well, what else will he show us? You can embarrass yourself!” So the well remained abandoned to this day. Source: Simeon of Athos Ascent to Heaven
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru