The hermit listened to the king, but answered nothing. He just spat on his hand and
recommenced digging. "You are tired," said the king, "let me take the spade and work awhile for you."
"Thanks!" said the hermit, and, giving the spade to the king, he sat down on the ground
When he had dug two beds, the king stopped and repeated his questions. The hermit agam gave no answer, but rose, stretched out his hand for the spade, and said:
"Now rest awhile and let me work a bit."
But the king did not give him the spade, and continued to dig. One hour passed, and another. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the king at last stuck the spade into the ground, and said:
me so, and I will return home." "I came to you, wise man, for an answer to my questions. If you can give me none, el
"Here comes someone running," said the hermit. "Let us see who it is."
The king turned round and saw a bearded man come running out of the wood. The me held his hands pressed against his stomach, and blood was flowing from under them. Wher reached the king, he fell fainting on the ground, moaning feebly. The king and the hem unfastened the man's clothing. There was a large wound in his stomach. The king washed a best he could, and bandaged it with his handkerchief and with a towel the hermit had. But Mood would not stop flowing, and the king again and again removed the bandage soaked with sam blood, and washed and re-bandaged the wound. When at last the blood ceased flowing. die man revived and asked for something to drink. The king brought fresh water and gave it to med the wounded man into the hut and laid him on the bed. Lying on the bed, the man closed seyes and was quiet, but the king was so tired from his walk and from the work he had done at he crouched down on the threshold, and also fell asleep so soundly that he slept all Arough the short summer night. Meanwhile the sun had set, and it had become cool. So the king, with the hermit's help,
When he awoke in the morning, it was long before he could remember where he was, or who was the strange bearded man lying on the bed and gazing intently at him with shining eyes. "Forgive me!" said the bearded man in a weak voice, when he saw that the king was
zwake and was looking at him.
"I do not know you, and have nothing to forgive you for," said the king "You do not know me, but I know you. I am that enemy of yours who swore to revenge
himself on you, because you executed his brother and seized his property. I knew you had gone lone to see the hermit, and I resolved to kill you on your way back. But the day passed and you did not return. So I came out from my ambush to find you, and came upon your bodyguard, and they recognized me, and wounded me. I escaped from them, but should have bled to death had you not dressed my wound. I wished to kill you, and you have saved my life. Now, if I live, and if you wish iLl will serve you as your most faithful slave, and will bid my sons do the same. Forgive me!"
The king was very glad to have made peace with his enemy so easily, and to have gained him for a friend, and he not only forgave him, but said he would send his servants and his own physician to attend him, and promised to restore his property.
Having taken leave of the wounded man, the king went out into the porch and looked around for the hermit. Before going away he wished once more to beg an answer to the questions he had put. The hermit was outside, on his knees, sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before.
wise man." The king approached him and said, "For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions,
"You have already been answered!" said the hermit, still crouching on his thin legs, and looking up at the king, who stood before him.
"How answered? What do you mean?" asked the king. "Do you not see?" replied the hermit. "If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday, and
had not dug these beds for me, but had gone your way, that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not having stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds, and I was the most important man, and to do me good was your most important business. Afterwards, when that man ran to us, the most important time was when you were attending to him, for if you had not bound up his wounds he would have died hithout having made peace with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for your most important now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary person is the one with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with anyone else: and the most important affair is to do that person good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life."