ABSTRACT
A certain peasant had been sick for a long time, and no healer, nor sorcerer, nor sorceress could cure him. Already near death and no longer hoping for human help, he turned with his prayers to God, asking His mercy and the intercession of the Holy saints and moreover he gave a vow to go and pray to the Kievan saints, if God should send him recovery. His ardent prayer was heard by God and he quickly became well. And then, fulfilling the vow he had made, he set off for Kiev. On the way he overtook a pilgrim, decrepit and exhausted. They greeted each other and then began talking. It turned out that the pilgrim was also going to Kiev, so they went together. So after about half a day the pilgrim said to the peasant, "Let's rest here in this meadow." They chose a suitable place and sat down, and then the pilgrim drew out of his bag a communion loaf (prosfora). He broke it and gave one half to the peasant, while he put the other half back in his bag, tied it up, placed it beneath his head, lay down, and soon fell asleep. The peasant very much liked the prosfora. When the pilgrim had fallen asleep, he, without thinking very long, pulled the bag out from under the head of the sleeping man, took out the remaining half of the prosfora, and ate it, and then he put the bag back under his head. After a certain time the pilgrim woke up and they went on their way. Having gone a little distance, the pilgrim thought to eat something and he untied his bag in order to get the prosfora. When he could not find it, he asked the peasant whether he had taken the remaining half of the prosfora. The peasant was ashamed to admit it and he began denying it and swearing that he hadn't taken his prosfora. The pilgrim said nothing to him about it and they went on further. It was already dark when they came into a village and asked for a place to stay the night. They went throughout the entire village, but no one would let them in to sleep.
