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a certain kingdom, in a certain State, there once lived a rich peasant, and he had much money and bread; he used to lend money on interest to the poor husbandmen of his village. And, if he gave corn, then it had to be returned in full in the summer; and in addition to that, for every three pecks the debtor had to work two days on the lord's field.

And one day it happened that there was a festival in the Church, and the peasants began brewing beer for the feast. But in this village there was a peasant who was so poor that there was no poorer to be found. And there he sat in the evening with his wife on the eve of the festival in his little hut. He was thinking: What shall I do? All the good folk are now gadding about making merry, and we have not a crust of bread m our house. I might have gone to the rich man and asked him for a loan; but he would not trust me. Now what shall I do, I so woebegone!" And he thought and thought, and he left the bench and stood in front of the icon, and sighed a heavy sigh. "Lord," he said, have forgiveness on my sins, for I cannot buy any oil with which to fill the lamp in front of Thy icon for Thy feast."

And after a little while, an old man came into the hut.

"Hail, master," he said. "Hail, old man! Can I stay the night here?"

"If you will. Stay the night if you like. But, Gossip, I have not a crust of bread in my house, and I cannot feed you."