While thinking thus the Hermit stretched himself upon his bed and sweet sleep fell upon his eyelids. He awoke at daybreak, said his morning prayer, and then became aware of a little Mouse, which looked confidingly at him and glided toward him into the cave.
Then said the Hermit, “Praise and glory to Thee, O God, that I again look upon one of Thy creatures!”
Little by little there grew up between the Mouse and the Hermit such a warm friendship that the two were perfectly inseparable. The hoary Hermit derived the greatest joy from this friendship, and he constantly besought God to transform the little Mouse into a young girl, to be a daughter to him.
His prayer was answered; the little Mouse became a fair young girl, and the old man felt at last that his life would not have been spent in vain, since it was vouchsafed to him to instruct this creature of God in the good and right way.
So passed away the Hermit’s life in peace and piety until the young girl had attained the full bloom of maidenhood. Then thought the Hermit:
“I am already full of days; I have lived always to the glory of God, and the end of my life draws near. It would be a sin if this beautiful creature of God, who knows nothing of the world, should be left to grow old and wither away in this solitary vale. It would be better that she should marry.”
Impelled by this thought, he called the maiden to him and said, “My little daughter, you are now grown up and old enough to be married. You ought also to see the world, for this place where we live is not the whole world. The world is large, and there are in it many beautiful creatures of God whom you have never seen.”
The maiden answered, “I thank you, my father; may your will be done in each and every thing. Only let me make one request, that you will find me a husband to my liking, and, before all things, let him be that creature of God which is stronger than any other in the world.”
The Hermit consented and set off upon his quest. In the course of his journey he met the Moon, and greeted him with, “God be with thee, thou holy Moon, strongest of all God’s creatures! I have a daughter; take her for thy wife!”
The Moon answered, “What foolish talk is this? I the strongest of God’s creatures! I shine in the night, but as soon as the Sun overtakes me he robs me of my light. Address yourself to the Sun; he is stronger than I.”