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 brethren, when ye are working in a certain place it is not strength to depart therefrom because of the labour; and as for myself, I wrap myself up in my cloak and I go to the place where labour is, and labour becometh unto me a pleasure.”

236. Paesius, the brother of Abbâ Poemen, had an affection for the people who were outside his monastery, and Abbâ Poemen did not wish this to be, and he rose up and fled to Abbâ Ammon, and said unto him, “My brother Paesius hath made a promise of love to certain folk, and I am not pleased thereat.” Abbâ Ammon said unto him, “Poemen, thou art still alive. Go, and sit in thy cell, and meditate in thy mind, saying, ‘Behold, there is a year for thee in the grave.’ ”

237. There were two monks who lived in one place, and an old man came to them, and wishing to put them to the test, he took a stick, and began to beat to pieces the garden herbs of one of them; and when one monk saw him doing this, he hid himself. And when only one root was left, the other brother said unto him, “Father, if it please thee, leave me this root that I may boil it and we may eat together.” Then the old man made excuses to that brother, and said unto him, “The Spirit of God hath rested upon thee, O my brother.”

238. THEY say that Abbâ John, the disciple of Abbâ Paulê, possessed great obedience. Now in the place where they used to live there was a sepulchre, wherein dwelt a savage panther, and Abbâ Paulê saw in it a few little heaps of goods, and he said unto John, “Go to the sepulchre and bring me some of the things from there”; and John said unto him, “My father, what shall I do with the panther?” And the old man laughed and said unto him, “If he cometh against thee, tie him up and bring him here”; so John went there at eventide, and the panther came against him, and when he went to lay hold of him the animal fled from him. Then John pursued him, saying, “My father told me to fetter thee,” and he seized him, and bound him with cords. Meanwhile the old man was very much troubled about John, and he was sitting waiting for him anxiously; and behold, he came dragging along the panther which was tied with ropes, and the old man saw and marvelled. Then the brother said unto him, “Father, behold, I have taken prisoner the panther according as thou didst command, and I have brought him here”; and the old man, wishing to remove from him the occasion for boasting,