And the Apostles were astonished and said: “Lord, why do you bid him snatch the poor widow’s cow? She received you so kindly and fed us, and she was so happy in the expectation of the calf, for then the cow would have had milk, which is food for every home.”
“That is how it must be,” the Saviour replied. And they went on.
The wolf ran and snatched up the poor widow’s cow, and when the old woman saw this she said contentedly: “The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away. Hallowed be His will!”
So Christ and the Apostles went on, and they met a keg with money in it on the way. The Saviour said: “Keg, go and roll to the rich peasant’s door.”
And again the Apostles were astonished.
“Lord, it would have been better had you bidden the keg roll to the poor widow’s door, for the rich man has so much.”
“That is how it must be,” the Saviour said. And they went on.
And the keg with the money in it rolled straight to the rich peasant’s door, and the peasant took and hid the money and was still discontented. “Surely the Lord might have sent me more,” he mused.
Christ and the Apostles went on their way and travelled still further. At midday the sun was very hot, and the Apostles wanted to drink.
“Lord,” they said, “we should like to drink.”