“The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away. Holy is His will!”
As the sacred wayfarers pursued their journey, there came rolling towards them a barrel full of money. Then the Lord addressed it, saying:
“Roll, O barrel, into the farmyard of the rich moujik!”
Again the Apostles vainly remonstrated. The barrel went its way, and the rich moujik found it, and stowed it away, grumbling the while:
“The Lord might as well have sent twice as much!”
The sun rose higher, and the Apostles began to thirst. Then said the Lord:
“Follow that road, and ye will find a well; there drink your fill.”
They went along that road and found the well. But they could not drink thereat, for its water was foul and impure, and swarming with snakes and frogs and toads. So they returned to where the Lord awaited them, described what they had seen, and resumed their journey. After a time they were sent in search of another well. And this time they found a place wherein was water pure and cool, and around grew wondrous trees, whereon heavenly birds sat singing. And when they had slaked their thirst, they returned unto the Lord, who said:
“Wherefore did ye tarry so long?”
“We only stayed while we were drinking,” replied the Apostles. “We did not spend above three minutes there in all.”