A pious hermit had made it a rule never to refuse anyone anything that was asked for in God’s name. Once a young man came to him and asked him in God’s name to accompany him on a day march during his journey.
“Why do you ask such a thing from me,” asked the hermit, “since I am already old and frail?”
“It means a lot to me,” replied the young man, “as I heard that you fulfill every request that is presented to you in God’s name.”
When the hermit declared his willingness the stranger said that he should make himself ready quickly as they had a long way to travel. The hermit was soon ready and they began their journey.
After a long march they came late in the afternoon to a farm where two old married people lived. The two travellers were taken in graciously; the couple even gave up their bed for their guests. In the morning the young man woke the hermit and said he should get up because another march lay before them and he did not want to remain in the wretched hut any longer.
After they had gone a short distance they found the cow that gave the couple they had just left their whole living. “This is the farmer’s cow,” said the young man. “I’ll kill it!” He pulled a hammer from his belt and ran after — — — “From there we’ll go to the widow, who took us in so kindly. I took the drink jar from her by God’s will, since she was so partial to the jar that she neglected prayer and pious manner, which she can again now attend to.
From there, we traveled to the two brothers. On that day I caused you much concern and complaint on the march. That, too, was God’s will that was in this way proven to you and for which you will later be rewarded. I gave the brothers the jar, as God willed, because they find their happiness in the joys of this world while heaven’s blessings are lost to them.
“Finally, we came to the good farmer who sent his son with us as guide. I pushed him into the abyss because if he remained alive he would have become a thief and murderer. But now he is in the kingdom of heaven, for which he can thank his pious father who will also be rewarded for the test that was put upon him. — Because I have caused you much hardship, I will now move you back to your hideaway so that you are without complaint. But no man is granted the understanding of the secrets of God’s decisions.”
With that, the hermit returned home with the angel’s help. He died at an old age, and with that this story ends.