An old hermit lived in a deep forest. He loved silence, solitude and was friends with the wood lark. One day, two squires from a neighboring castle came to him and asked him to help their sick master, who, despite the efforts of famous doctors, was getting worse every hour.
Accompanied by his lark friend, the old man immediately set off to fetch the squires, and was soon led into the castle.
Four doctors gathered at the patient’s bedside. They carried on a leisurely conversation among themselves, shaking their heads every now and then with concern.
“There’s nothing we can do to help,” one of them, who looked like the most important one, said quietly.
And the hermit, stopping at the threshold, did not take his eyes off his feathered friend. The lark made several circles under the ceiling, and then, flying up to the high windowsill, sat down and began to gaze intently at the patient.
- He will get better! - the old man said affirmatively, watching the bird.
“How dare this lout and ignoramus poke his nose into other people’s affairs!” - the indignant doctors exclaimed at once.
Meanwhile, the dying man opened his eyes and, seeing a bird sitting on the windowsill in front of him, tried to smile. His cheeks gradually began to turn pink, his strength returned, and, to everyone’s surprise, the owner of the castle said in a weak voice:
- I feel a little better.
Several days passed. Having finally recovered from a serious illness, the noble knight came to the hermit in the forest, wanting to thank his healer.
“Don’t thank me,” the old man told him. - It was the bird that healed you. The lark is very sensitive to any illness. If he looks to the side, finding himself near the patient, there is little hope for recovery, and it is already difficult to help in any way. If he does not take his eyes off the patient, then he will certainly be able to overcome the disease. With her kind, sympathetic gaze, the little bird brings healing.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru