’I’lljustlookinandseewhatisthere，’thoughthe，andhegavethedoorapush。Thesealsgaveway，thedooropened，andthegodsonenteringsawahallmoreloftyandbeautifulthanalltheothers，andinthemidstofitathrone。Hewanderedaboutthehallforawhile，andthenmountedthestepsandseatedhimselfuponthethrone。Ashesattherehenoticedasceptreleaningagainstthethrone，andtookitinhishand。Hardlyhadhedonesowhenthefourwallsofthehallsuddenlydisappeared。Thegodsonlookedaround，andsawthewholeworld，andallthatmenweredoinginit。
　　Helookedinfront，andsawtheseawithshipssailingonit。Helookedtotheright，andsawwherestrangeheathenpeoplelived。Helookedtotheleft，andsawwheremenwhowereChristians，butnotRussians，lived。Helookedround，andonthefourthside，hesawRussianpeople，likehimself。
　　’Iwilllook，’saidhe，’andseewhatishappeningathome，andwhethertheharvestisgood。’
　　Helookedtowardshisfather’sfieldsandsawthesheavesstandinginstooks。Hebegancountingthemtoseewhethertherewasmuchcorn，whenhenoticedapeasantdrivinginacart。Itwasnight，andthegodsonthoughtitwashisfathercomingtocartthecornbynight。ButashelookedherecognizedVasí；lyKoudryashó；f，thethief，drivingintothefieldandbeginningtoloadthesheavesontohiscart。Thismadethegodsonangry，andhecalledout:
　　’Father，thesheavesarebeingstolenfromourfield！’
　　Hisfather，whowasoutwiththehorsesinthenight-pasture，wokeup。
　　’Idreamtthesheaveswerebeingstolen，’saidhe。’Iwilljustridedownandsee。’
　　Sohegotonahorseandrodeouttothefield。FindingVasí；lythere，hecalledtogetherotherpeasantstohelphim，andVasí；lywasbeaten，bound，andtakentoprison。
　　Thenthegodsonlookedatthetown，wherehisgodmotherlived。Hesawthatshewasnowmarriedtoatradesman。Shelayasleep，andherhusbandroseandwenttohismistress。Thegodsonshoutedtoher:
　　’Getup，getup，yourhusbandhastakentoevilways。’
　　Thegodmotherjumpedupanddressed，andfindingoutwhereherhusbandwas，sheshamedandbeathismistress，anddrovehimaway。
　　Thenthegodsonlookedforhismother，andsawherlyingasleepinhercottage。Andathiefcreptintothecottageandbegantobreakopenthechestinwhichshekeptherthings。Themotherawokeandscreamed，andtherobberseizinganaxe，swungitoverhisheadtokillher。
　　Thegodsoncouldnotrefrainfromhurlingthesceptreattherobber。
　　Itstruckhimuponthetemple，andkilledhimonthespot。
　　Assoonasthegodsonhadkilledtherobber，thewallsclosedandthehallbecamejustasithadbeenbefore。
　　Thenthedooropenedandthegodfatherentered，andcominguptohisgodsonhetookhimbythehandandledhimdownfromthethrone。
　　’Youhavenotobeyedmycommand，’saidhe。’Youdidonewrongthing，whenyouopenedtheforbiddendoor；another，whenyoumountedthethroneandtookmysceptreintoyourhands；andyouhavenowdoneathirdwrong，whichhasmuchincreasedtheevilintheworld。Hadyousathereanhourlonger，youwouldhaveruinedhalfmankind。’
　　Thenthegodfatherledhisgodsonbacktothethrone，andtookthesceptreinhishand；andagainthewallsfellasunderandallthingsbecamevisible。Andthegodfathersaid:
　　’Seewhatyouhavedonetoyourfather。Vasí；lyhasnowbeenayearinprison，andhascomeouthavinglearnteverykindofwickedness，andhasbecomequiteincorrigible。See，hehasstolentwoofyourfather’shorses，andheisnowsettingfiretohisbarn。Allthisyouhavebroughtuponyourfather。’
　　Thegodsonsawhisfather’sbarnbreakingintoflames，buthisgodfathershutoffthesightfromhim，andtoldhimtolookanotherway。
　　’Hereisyourgodmother’shusband，’hesaid。’Itisayearsincehelefthiswife，andnowhegoesafterotherwomen。Hisformermistresshassunktostilllowerdepths。Sorrowhasdrivenhiswifetodrink。That’swhatyouhavedonetoyourgodmother。’
　　Thegodfathershutoffthisalso，andshowedthegodsonhisfather’shouse。Therehesawhismotherweepingforhersins，repenting，andsaying:
　　’Itwouldhavebeenbetterhadtherobberkilledmethatnight。Ishouldnothavesinnedsoheavily。’
　　’That，’saidthegodfather，’iswhatyouhavedonetoyourmother。’
　　Heshutthisoffalso，andpointeddownwards；andthegodsonsawtwowardersholdingtherobberinfrontofaprison-house。
　　Andthegodfathersaid:
　　’Thismanhadmurderedtenmen。Heshouldhaveexpiatedhissinshimself，butbykillinghimyouhavetakenhissinsonyourself。
　　Nowyoumustanswerforallhissins。Thatiswhatyouhavedonetoyourself。Theshe-bearpushedthelogasideonce，anddisturbedhercubs；shepusheditagain，andkilledheryearling；shepusheditathirdtime，andwaskilledherself。Youhavedonethesame。NowIgiveyouthirtyyearstogointotheworldandatonefortherobber’ssins。Ifyoudonotatoneforthem，youwillhavetotakehisplace。’
　　’HowamItoatoneforhissins？’askedthegodson。
　　Andthegodfatheranswered:
　　’Whenyouhaveridtheworldofasmuchevilasyouhavebroughtintoit，youwillhaveatonedbothforyourownsinsandforthoseoftherobber。’
　　’HowcanIdestroyevilintheworld？’thegodsonasked。
　　’Goout，’repliedthegodfather，’andwalkstraighttowardstherisingsun。Afteratimeyouwillcometoafieldwithsomemeninit。
　　Noticewhattheyaredoing，andteachthemwhatyouknow。Thengoonandnotewhatyousee。Onthefourthdayyouwillcometoaforest。Inthemidstoftheforestisacellandinthecelllivesahermit。Tellhimallthathashappened。Hewillteachyouwhattodo。Whenyouhavedoneallhetellsyou，youwillhaveatonedforyourownandtherobber’ssins。’
　　And，havingsaidthis，thegodfatherledhisgodsonoutofthegate。
　　Thegodsonwenthisway，andashewenthethought:HowamItodestroyevilintheworld？Evilisdestroyedbybanishingevilmen，keepingtheminprison，orputtingthemtodeath。HowthenamItodestroyevilwithouttakingthesinsofothersuponmyself？’
　　Thegodsonponderedoveritforalongtime，butcouldcometonoconclusion。
　　Hewentonuntilhecametoafieldwherecornwasgrowingthickandgoodandreadyforthereapers。Thegodsonsawthatalittlecalfhadgotinamongthecorn。Somemenwhowereathandsawit，andmountingtheirhorsestheychaseditbackwardsandforwardsthroughthecorn。Eachtimethecalfwasabouttocomeoutofthecornsomeonerodeupandthecalfgotfrightenedandturnedbackagain，andtheyallgallopedafterit，tramplingdownthecorn。Ontheroadstoodawomancrying。
　　’Theywillchasemycalftodeath，’shesaid。
　　Andthegodsonsaidtothepeasants:
　　’Whatareyoudoing？Comeoutofthecornfieldallofyou，andletthewomancallhercalf。’
　　Themendidso；andthewomancametotheedgeofthecornfieldandcalledtothecalf。’Comealongbrowney，comealong，’saidshe。Thecalfprickedupitsears，listenedawhile，andthenrantowardsthewomanofitsownaccord，andhiditsheadinherskirts，almostknockingherover。Themenweregladthewomanwasglad，andsowasthelittlecalf。
　　Thegodsonwenton，andhethought:
　　’NowIseethatevilspreadsevil。Themorepeopletrytodriveawayevil，themoretheevilgrows。Evil，itseems，cannotbedestroyedbyevil；butinwhatwayitcanbedestroyed，Idonotknow。
　　Thecalfobeyeditsmistressandsoallwentwell；butifithadnotobeyedher，howcouldwehavegotitoutofthefield？’
　　Thegodsonponderedagain，butcametonoconclusion，andcontinuedhisway。
　　Hewentonuntilhecametoavillage。Atthefurthestendhestoppedandaskedleavetostaythenight。Thewomanofthehousewastherealone，house-cleaning，andshelethimin。Thegodsonentered，andtakinghisseatuponthebrickovenhewatchedwhatthewomanwasdoing。Hesawherfinishscrubbingtheroomandbeginscrubbingthetable。Havingdonethis，shebeganwipingthetablewithadirtycloth。Shewipeditfromsidetoside——butitdidnotcomeclean。Thesoiledclothleftstreaksofdirt。Thenshewipedittheotherway。Thefirststreaksdisappeared，butotherscameintheirplace。Thenshewipeditfromoneendtotheother，butagainthesamethinghappened。Thesoiledclothmessedthetable；
　　whenonestreakwaswipedoffanotherwaslefton。Thegodsonwatchedforawhileinsilence，andthensaid:
　　’Whatareyoudoing，mistress？’
　　’Don’tyouseeI’mcleaningupfortheholiday。OnlyIcan’tmanagethistable，itwon’tcomeclean。I’mquitetiredout。’
　　’Youshouldrinseyourcloth，’saidthegodson，’beforeyouwipethetablewithit。’
　　Thewomandidso，andsoonhadthetableclean。
　　’Thankyoufortellingme，’saidshe。