Onenightthegodsonwateredhisstumps，and，afterreturningtohiscell，hesatdowntorest，andwatchedthefootpath，wonderingifsomeonewouldsooncome。Butnoonecameatallthatday。Hesatalonetillevening，feelinglonelyanddull，andhethoughtabouthispastlife。Horememberedhowtherobberhadreproachedhimforlivingbyhispiety；andhereflectedonhiswayoflife。
　　’Iamnotlivingasthehermitcommandedmeto，’thoughthe。’Thehermitlaidapenanceuponme，andIhavemadebothalivingandfameoutofit；andhavebeensotemptedbyit，thatnowIfeeldullwhenpeopledonotcometome；andwhentheydocome，I
　　onlyrejoicebecausetheypraisemyholiness。Thatisnothowoneshouldlive。Ihavebeenledastraybyloveofpraise。Ihavenotatonedformypastsins，buthaveaddedfreshones。Iwillgotoanotherpartoftheforestwherepeoplewillnotfindme；andIwilllivesoastoatoneformyoldsinsandcommitnofreshones。’
　　Havingcometothisconclusionthegodsonfilledabagwithdriedbreadand，takingaspade，leftthecellandstartedforaravineheknewofinalonelyspot，wherehecoulddighimselfacaveandhidefromthepeople。
　　Ashewasgoingalongwithhisbagandhisspadehesawtherobberridingtowardshim。Thegodsonwasfrightened，andstartedtorunaway，buttherobberovertookhim。
　　’Whereareyougoing？’askedtherobber。
　　Thegodsontoldhimhewishedtogetawayfromthepeopleandlivesomewherewherenoonewouldcometohim。Thissurprisedtherobber。
　　’Whatwillyouliveon，ifpeopledonotcometoseeyou？’askedhe。
　　Thegodsonhadnoteventhoughtofthis，buttherobber’squestionremindedhimthatfoodwouldbenecessary。
　　’OnwhatGodpleasestogiveme，’hereplied。
　　Therobbersaidnothing，androdeaway。
　　’WhydidInotsayanythingtohimabouthiswayoflife？’thoughtthegodson。’Hemightrepentnow。To-dayheseemsinagentlermood，andhasnotthreatenedtokillme。’Andheshoutedtotherobber:
　　’Youhavestilltorepentofyoursins。YoucannotescapefromGod。’
　　Therobberturnedhishorse，anddrawingaknifefromhisgirdlethreatenedthehermitwithit。Thelatterwasalarmed，andranawayfurtherintotheforest。
　　Therobberdidnotfollowhim，butonlyshouted:
　　’TwiceIhaveletyouoff，oldman，butnexttimeyoucomeinmywayIwillkillyou！’
　　Havingsaidthis，herodeaway。Intheeveningwhenthegodsonwenttowaterhisstumps——oneofthemwassprouting！Alittleappletreewasgrowingoutofit。
　　Afterhidinghimselffromeverybody，thegodsonlivedallalone。Whenhissupplyofbreadwasexhausted，hethought:’NowImustgoandlookforsomerootstoeat。’Hehadnotgonefar，however，beforehesawabagofdriedbreadhangingonabranch。Hetookitdown，andaslongasitlastedheliveduponthat。
　　Whenhehadeatenitall，hefoundanotherbagfulonthesamebranch。
　　Sohelivedon，hisonlytroublebeinghisfearoftherobber。
　　Wheneverheheardtherobberpassinghehidthinking:
　　’HemaykillmebeforeIhavehadtimetoatoneformysins。’
　　Inthiswayhelivedfortenmoreyears。Theoneapple-treecontinuedtogrow，buttheothertwostumpsremainedexactlyastheywere。
　　Onemorningthegodsonroseearlyandwenttohiswork。Bythetimehehadthoroughlymoistenedthegroundroundthestumps，hewastiredoutandsatdowntorest。Ashesattherehethoughttohimself:
　　’Ihavesinned，andhavebecomeafraidofdeath。ItmaybeGod’swillthatIshouldredeemmysinsbydeath。’
　　Hardlyhadthisthoughtcrossedhismindwhenheheardtherobberridingup，swearingatsomething。Whenthegodsonheardthis，hethought:
　　’NoevilandnogoodcanbefallmefromanyonebutfromGod。’
　　Andhewenttomeettherobber。Hesawtherobberwasnotalone，butbehindhimonthesaddlesatanotherman，gagged，andboundhandandfoot。Themanwasdoingnothing，buttherobberwasabusinghimviolently。Thegodsonwentupandstoodinfrontofthehorse。
　　’Whereareyoutakingthisman？’heasked。
　　’Intotheforest，’repliedtherobber。’Heisamerchant’sson，andwillnottellmewherehisfather’smoneyishidden。Iamgoingtofloghimtillhetellsme。’
　　Andtherobberspurredonhishorse，butthegodsoncaughtholdofhisbridle，andwouldnotlethimpass。
　　’Letthismango！’hesaid。
　　Therobbergrewangry，andraisedhisarmtostrike。
　　’WouldyoulikeatasteofwhatIamgoingtogivethisman？HaveI
　　notpromisedtokillyou？Letgo！’
　　Thegodsonwasnotafraid。
　　’Youshallnotgo，’saidhe。’Idonotfearyou。IfearnoonebutGod，andHewillsthatIshouldnotletyoupass。Setthismanfree！’
　　Therobberfrowned，andsnatchingouthisknife，cuttheropeswithwhichthemerchant’ssonwasbound，andsethimfree。
　　’Getawaybothofyou，’hesaid，’andbewarehouryoucrossmypathagain。’
　　Themerchant’ssonjumpeddownandranaway。Therobberwasabouttorideon，butthegodsonstoppedhimagain，andagainspoketohimaboutgivinguphisevillife。Therobberheardhimtotheendinsilence，andthenrodeawaywithoutaword。
　　Thenextmorningthegodsonwenttowaterhisstumpsandlo！thesecondstumpwassprouting。Asecondyoungapple-treehadbeguntogrow。
　　Anothertenyearshadgoneby。Thegodsonwassittingquietlyoneday，desiringnothing，fearingnothing，andwithaheartfullofjoy。
　　’WhatblessingsGodshowersonmen！’thoughthe。’Yethowneedlesslytheytormentthemselves。Whatpreventsthemfromlivinghappily？’
　　Andrememberingalltheevilinmen，andthetroublestheybringuponthemselves，hisheartfilledwithpity。
　　’ItiswrongofmetoliveasIdo，’hesaidtohimself。’ImustgoandteachotherswhatIhavemyselflearnt。’
　　Hardlyhadhethoughtthis，whenheheardtherobberapproaching。Helethimpass，thinking:
　　’Itisnogoodtalkingtohim，hewillnotunderstand。’
　　Thatwashisfirstthought，buthochangedhismindandwentoutintotheroad。Hesawthattherobberwasgloomy，andwasridingwithdowncasteyes。Thegodsonlookedathim，pitiedhim，andrunninguptohimlaidhishanduponhisknee。
　　’Brother，dear，’saidhe，’havesomepityonyourownsoul！InyoulivesthespiritofGod。Yousuffer，andtormentothers，andlayupmoreandmoresufferingforthefuture。YetGodlovesyou，andhaspreparedsuchblessingsforyou。Donotruinyourselfutterly。
　　Changeyourlife！’
　　Therobberfrownedandturnedaway。
　　’Leavemealone！’saidhe。
　　Butthegodsonheldtherobberstillfaster，andbegantoweep。
　　Thentherobberliftedhiseyesandlookedatthegodson。Helookedathimforalongtime，andalightingfromhishorse，fellonhiskneesatthegodson’sfeet。
　　’Youhaveovercomeme，oldman，’saidhe。’FortwentyyearsIhaveresistedyou，butnowyouhaveconqueredme。Dowhatyouwillwithme，forIhavenomorepowerovermyself。Whenyoufirsttriedtopersuademe，itonlyangeredmemore。OnlywhenyouhidyourselffrommendidIbegintoconsideryourwords:forI
　　sawthenthatyouaskednothingofthemforyourself。SincethatdayIhavebroughtfoodforyou，hangingituponthetree。’
　　Thenthegodsonrememberedthatthewomangothertablecleanonlyaftershehadrinsedhercloth。Inthesameway，itwasonlywhenheceasedcaringabouthimself，andcleansedhisownheart，thathewasabletocleansetheheartsofothers。
　　Therobberwenton。
　　’WhenIsawthatyoudidnotfeardeath，myheartturned。’
　　Thenthegodsonrememberedthatthewheel-wrightscouldnotbendtherimsuntiltheyhadfixedtheirblock。So，nottillhehadcastawaythefearofdeathandmadehislifefastinGod，couldhesubduethisman’sunrulyheart。