humblest of my brethren is richer than thyself? For they that have wealth are not rich, but are slaves of their wealth; since with daily and restless toil they endeavour to augment their possessions.
"Know then, O prince, that by reason of such things ye are not rich, but slaves and men in need of riches. But we have forgotten all carking cares concerning food and raiment; because God cares for us, as we are taught in the psalm which says: 'Pour out unto the Lord thy cares, and he will feed thee.' So we are freed from the flesh and from all slavery to this world, and are made rich by our concern for Christ. But if out of thy possessions I were now to give unto my brethern, disturbing blasts would arise and fill our peaceful sails, and I should become unto them a messenger of evil. But God forbid that this should come to pass."
And Baralam arose and began to repeat unto Jovasaph the Nicene Creed, and baptised him in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in the water of the garden, and in the same moment there came upon him the Holy Spirit. And he brought the divine offering and communicated unto him the flesh and blood of the Son of God. And he said to him: "Henceforth keep all the commandments of God by good works; since faith without works is dead, even as works without faith are in vain."
With such precepts and teaching the old man (Baralam) instructed and informed the son of the king, and then went his way unto the monastery wherein he dwelt.
But a certain one of Jovasaph's slaves, Zard by name, said to him: "Thou knowest my lord and prince, how much the fear of the king, thy sire, weighs on us, and how he set me as above all the other servants, most intimate and trustworthy, to remain always with thee. And behold, I see this stranger entering in unto thee and continually conversing with thee, and I fear that he is teaching thee the heresy of the Christians. Now, if thy sire hear this, he will straightway take away my life and cruelly destroy mc. So then give orders that he be prevented from coming in unto thee. If not, I shall inform the king thy sire of everything."
Jovasaph said: "Before thou doest anything, I ask of thee, O Zard, to comply with this wish of mine. Sit thou down outside the curtain and listen to the words of the teaching of this man, which lie imparts to mc. And then I will tell thee what I think in my heart."
And the other did so; and on the morrow when Baralam came in before the king's son, he again said : "Welcome to thee, O holy father. Teach me still further out of thy beautiful wisdom, that I may be still more firmly stablished in thy commands."
Baralam said: "Many a time have I told thee about God and his commands. [It is befitting then for thee to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thine understanding, and to keep all his commandments, and to bear in mind his behests, and to believe that he alone is creator of all creatures. Remember also that which I told thee concerning the first man, who kept not
