Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/252

236 became hungry, and asked his friend for another piece of bread.

"Very well, on condition that you let me knock out your other eye!"

"But if you do that, brother, I shall be blind!"

"Well, what matters, you are an honest, truthful man, you ought not to mind!"

"Well, if it must be so, it must! One cannot put up with hunger; if you are not afraid of committing the sin, knock out my eye and be happy."

The wretch did so, and giving his unfortunate companion a still smaller piece of bread than the first, left him in the middle of the deserted country-road, and said,—

"Go, find your way by yourself. I am not going to lead a blind man about!"

After having eaten his piece of bread, the blind man felt his way along.

"Perhaps," thought he, "I may manage to find my way to the next village."

But he soon lost his way, and did not know where to go. He stopped, and throwing himself on his knees, began to pray to the saints to help him.

"Do not forsake me, miserable sinner that I am!" he cried.

He prayed and prayed for a long time, and then heard a voice quite close to him saying,—

"Turn to your right, good man, and you will come to a forest where you will hear the murmur of a fountain; feel your way to it, bathe your eyes in the clear water, and your eyesight will be restored.