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Δευτέρα 26 Ιουλίου 2021

The man who lived in a cave



1500-year-old Angel Oak tree in South Carolina

 

 

 

 

The man who lived in a cave

 

Some years ago, one hot summer day whilst on holiday in Crete, I visited with friends a small Church, high up on the top of a mountain. Near to the Church was a man who lived in a cave. On visiting him he showed us around his “house.” His bed was a smoothed rock shelf and another flat rock for a table. Above the “table” was an oil lamp and Holy Icons of the Saviour and the Mother of God.

 

Outside, he had two or three goats, a few chickens, a small plot of land with a clear stream of water running through it. I recall that the bees at the time were drinking from the stream.

 

“Don’t you miss out on things? one of our company enquired of the man.

 

“No, I have everything I need, I have milk and honey, I have eggs and freshwater to wash and drink and I can always exchange a few eggs for bread in the village.”

 

“What about the scorpions, aren’t you afraid of the scorpions?” one of our party asked.

 

“ There are scorpions,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders, “but I don’t bother them and they don’t bother me!”

 

 

 

                                                                                                             ++++++++++++++++++

 

A shabbily dressed man walked into a publisher’s office in Moscow. He took from his greatcoat a rather tattered manuscript and enquired whether it could be published? The publisher glanced dismissively at the manuscript and seeing the man’s dishevelled appearance said that he had no time to read it.

 

“Really? “said the man “I must have been misinformed, I am told that people like to read what I write.”

 

“ Indeed” said the publisher, his curiosity being aroused by this response “….and so who are you? What is your name?”

 

“My name?” as he collected his papers and stuffed them back into his overcoat, “my name is Leo Tolstoy.”

 

The publisher felt rather foolish and started begging for the privilege to publish. The eccentric genius quietly withdrew making his exit from the publishing office.

 

 

 

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