Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/145

Rh my former heartlessness towards thee, nor the harshness with which I have treated thee.'

"And the other's face shewed joy, and he answered and said: 'I hold thee for a true friend, and I remember that little love which thou hadst toward me. Fear not, nor be in anywise dismayed. For I will run to the king beforehand and entreat him for thee, that he deliver thee not into the hands of thine enemies. Be of good courage, my friend, and grieve not.'

"Then the other repented and said: 'Woe to me; what have I done? I will first weep over and lament my folly, for that I had such a tender love for my unworthy favourites, yet never thought my friend worthy of the love which he deserved.

Jovasaph said: "Expound me this parable."

Baralam said: "The first friend is this world's riches, which full often work great harm. For man falls into the snare because of his wealth and possessions. And then when there comes his dying day, he is not otherwise profited thereby, except to have therefrom a linen shroud. But in the second friend are figured familiar friends, relations, and comrades. In that season, they too overlook affection shewn them in the past, and give no aid in the last day of life; but only follow and escort one as far as the tomb; after which they return to their several cities. But the third friend, who was set at naught, is the symbol of faith and good works; and these we know, as believing in them only, though we do not carry them out in our conduct. Yet this is that which can go before us; and when we quit this world, we win through them a vision of God."

Jovasaph said: "Blessings on thee from the Lord thy God, O wise man; for thou hast made my heart glad. And now as touching my sire, may God do unto him according to his good pleasure. But I espouse the words of thy teaching. Receive my heart; for I believe in thy true God, whom thou servest and proclaimest."

Baralam said: "If thou thus doest, thou art like to a wise youth, who was of a very great house and son of a noble father, whom his father desired to marry to a prince's daughter, who was passing fair. And forasmuch as the youth desired not to marry her to whom his father had betrothed him, he fled afar into a strange land. And there he saw a poor man, with white hair, who had an only-born daughter, who as she worked with her hands with her lips praised God perpetually. And when the youth saw this he enquired of the damsel: 'What is thy work, O woman? For I see thee to be poor, since by the labour of thy hands thou suppliest thy necessary wants, and thankest God with upright heart, as if thou wast rich.'

"But the damsel made answer and said: 'I thank God for my poverty, in order that I may be deserving of riches. But I rejoice yet more, for that in myself I behold a creature that is wholly and entirely an image of God;