Inthemorninghetookleaveofthewomanandwentonhisway。Afterwalkingagoodwhile，hecametotheedgeofaforest。
　　Therehesawsomepeasantswhoweremakingwheel-rimsofbentwood。
　　Comingnearer，thegodsonsawthatthemenweregoingroundandround，butcouldnotbendthewood。
　　Hestoodandlookedon，andnoticedthattheblock，towhichthepieceofwoodwasfastened，wasnotfixed，butasthemenmovedrounditwentroundtoo。Thenthegodsonsaid:
　　’Whatareyoudoing，friends？’
　　’Why，don’tyousee，wearemakingwheelrims。Wehavetwicesteamedthewood，andarequitetiredout，butthewoodwillnotbend。’
　　’Youshouldfixtheblock，friends，’saidthegodson，’orelseitgoesroundwhenyoudo。’
　　Thepeasantstookhisadviceandfixedtheblock，andthentheworkwentonmerrily。
　　Thegodsonspentthenightwiththem，andthenwenton。Hewalkedalldayandallnight，andjustbeforedawnhecameuponsomedroversencampedforthenight，andlaydownbesidethem。Hesawthattheyhadgotalltheircattlesettled，andweretryingtolightafire。Theyhadtakendrytwigsandlightedthem，butbeforethetwigshadtimetoburnup，theysmotheredthemwithdampbrushwood。Thebrushwoodhissedandthefiresmoulderedandwentout。Thenthedroversbroughtmoredrywood，litit，andagainputonthebrushwood——andagainthefirewentout。Theystruggledwithitforalongtime，butcouldnotgetthefiretoburn。Thenthegodsonsaid:
　　’Donotbeinsuchahurrytoputonthebrushwood。Letthedrywoodburnupproperlybeforeyouputanyon。Whenthefireiswellalightyoucanputonasmuchasyouplease。’
　　Thedroversfollowedhisadvice。Theyletthefireburnupfiercelybeforeaddingthebrushwood，whichthenflaredupsothattheysoonhadaroaringfire。
　　Thegodsonremainedwiththemforawhile，andthencontinuedhisway。
　　Hewenton，wonderingwhatthethreethingshehadseenmightmean；buthecouldnotfathomthem。
　　Thegodsonwalkedthewholeofthatday，andintheeveningcametoanotherforest。Therehefoundahermit’scell，atwhichheknocked。
　　’Whoisthere？’askedavoicefromwithin。
　　’Agreatsinner，’repliedthegodson。Imustatoneforanother’ssinsaswellasformyown。
　　Thehermithearingthiscameout。
　　’Whatsinsarethosethatyouhavetobearforanother？’
　　Thegodsontoldhimeverything:abouthisgodfather；abouttheshe-bearwiththecubs；aboutthethroneinthesealedroom；aboutthecommandshisgodfatherhadgivenhim，aswellasaboutthepeasantshehadseentramplingdownthecorn，andthecalfthatranoutwhenitsmistresscalledit。
　　’Ihaveseenthatonecannotdestroyevilbyevil，’saidhe，’butI
　　cannotunderstandhowitistobedestroyed。Teachmehowitcanbedone。
　　’Tellme，’repliedthehermit，’whatelseyouhaveseenonyourway。’
　　Thegodsontoldhimaboutthewomanwashingthetable，andthemenmakingcart-wheels，andthedroversfightingtheirfire。
　　Thehermitlistenedtoitall，andthenwentbacktohiscellandbroughtoutanoldjaggedaxe。
　　’Comewithme，’saidhe。
　　Whentheyhadgonesomeway，thehermitpointedtoatree。
　　’Cutitdown，’hesaid。
　　Thegodsonfelledthetree。
　　’Nowchopitintothree，’saidthehermit。
　　Thegodsonchoppedthetreeintothreepieces。Thenthehermitwentbacktohiscell，andbroughtoutsomeblazingsticks。
　　’Burnthosethreelogs，’saidhe。
　　Sothegodsonmadeafire，andburntthethreelogstillonlythreecharredstumpsremained。
　　’Nowplantthemhalfintheground，likethis。’
　　Thegodsondidso。
　　’Youseethatriveratthefootofthehill。Bringwaterfromthereinyourmouth，andwaterthesestumps。Waterthisstump，asyoutaughtthewoman:thisoneasyoutaughtthewheel-wrights:andthisone，asyoutaughtthedrovers。Whenallthreehavetakenrootandfromthesecharredstumpsapple-treeshavesprungyouwillknowhowtodestroyevilinmen，andwillhaveatonedforallyoursins。’
　　Havingsaidthis，thehermitreturnedtohiscell。Thegodsonponderedforalongtime，butcouldnotunderstandwhatthehermitmeant。Neverthelesshesettoworktodoashehadbeentold。
　　Thegodsonwentdowntotheriver，filledhismouthwithwater，andreturning，emptieditontooneofthecharredstumps。Thishedidagainandagain，andwateredallthree-stumps。Whenhewashungryandquitetiredout，hewenttothecelltoasktheoldhermitforsomefood。Heopenedthedoor，andthereuponabenchhesawtheoldmanlyingdead。Thegodsonlookedroundforfood，andhefoundsomedriedbreadandatealittleofit。Thenhetookaspadeandsettoworktodigthehermit’sgrave。Duringthenighthecarriedwaterandwateredthestumps，andinthedayhedugthegrave。Hehadhardlyfinishedthegraveandwasabouttoburythecorpse，whensomepeoplefromthevillagecame，bringingfoodfortheoldman。
　　Thepeopleheardthattheoldhermitwasdead，andthathehadgiventhegodsonhisblessing，andlefthiminhisplace。Sotheyburiedtheoldman，gavethebreadtheyhadbroughttothegodson，andpromisingtobringhimsomemore，theywentaway。
　　Thegodsonremainedintheoldman’splace。Therehelived，eatingthefoodpeoplebroughthim，anddoingashehadbeentold:
　　carryingwaterfromtheriverinhismouthandwateringthecharredstumps。
　　Helivedthusforayear，andmanypeoplevisitedhim。Hisfamespreadabroad，asaholymanwholivedintheforestandbroughtwaterfromthebottomofahillinhismouthtowatercharredstumpsforthesalvationofhissoul。Peopleflockedtoseehim。Richmerchantsdroveupbringinghimpresents，buthekeptonlythebarestnecessariesforhimself，andgavetherestawaytothepoor。
　　Andsothegodsonlived:carryingwaterinhismouthandwateringthestumpshalftheday，andrestingandreceivingpeopletheotherhalf。Andhebegantothinkthatthiswasthewayhehadbeentoldtolive，inordertodestroyevilandatoneforhissins。
　　Hespenttwoyearsinthismanner，notomittingforasingledaytowaterthestumps。Butstillnotoneofthemsprouted。
　　Oneday，ashesatinhiscell，heheardamanridepast，singingashewent。Thegodsoncameouttoseewhatsortofamanitwas。Hesawastrongyoungfellow，welldressed，andmountedonahandsome，well-saddledhorse。
　　Thegodsonstoppedhim，andaskedhimwhohewas，andwherehewasgoing。
　　’Iamarobber，’themananswered，drawingrein。’Irideaboutthehighwayskillingpeople；andthemoreIkill，themerrierarethesongsIsing。’
　　Thegodsonwashorror-struck，andthought:
　　’Howcantheevilbedestroyedinsuchamanasthis？Itiseasytospeaktothosewhocometomeoftheirownaccordandconfesstheirsins。Butthisoneboastsoftheevilhedoes。’
　　Sohesaidnothing，andturnedaway，thinking:’WhatamItodonow？
　　Thisrobbermaytaketoridingabouthere，andhewillfrightenawaythepeople。Theywillleaveoffcomingtome。Itwillbealosstothem，andIshallnotknowhowtolive。’
　　Sothegodsonturnedback，andsaidtotherobber:
　　’Peoplecometomehere，nottoboastoftheirsins，buttorepent，andtoprayforforgiveness。Repentofyoursins，ifyoufearGod；
　　butifthereisnorepentanceinyourheart，thengoawayandnevercomehereagain。Donottroubleme，anddonotfrightenpeopleawayfromme。Ifyoudonothearken，Godwillpunishyou。’
　　Therobberlaughed:
　　’IamnotafraidofGod，andIwillnotlistentoyou。Youarenotmymaster，’saidhe。’Youlivebyyourpiety，andIbymyrobbery。
　　Weallmustlive。Youmayteachtheoldwomenwhocometoyou，butyouhavenothingtoteachme。AndbecauseyouhaveremindedmeofGod，Iwillkilltwomorementomorrow。Iwouldkillyou，butIdonotwanttosoilmyhandsjustnow。Seethatinfutureyoukeepoutofmyway！’
　　Havingutteredthisthreat，therobberrodeaway。Hedidnotcomeagain，andthegodsonlivedinpeace，asbefore，foreightmoreyears。