Chapter XVII: Of A Certain Naked Old Man Who Fed With The Beasts
AND a certain brother came to the monks who lived in that spot wherein there were twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees, where Moses and the people [of Israel] encamped when they went forth from Egypt, and that brother told them the following story, saying:—I once had it in my mind to go into the inner desert and see if there was any man living therein, and I went a journey of four days and four nights, and found a certain cave; and having approached it I looked inside it and saw a man sitting therein, and I knocked at the door according to the custom of the monks, so that he might come out to me, and I might salute him, but he never moved, for he was dead. Now I did not hesitate or draw back, but I went in and laid my hand upon his shoulders, and he crumbled into dust and became nothing at all; and in wonderment I came out of that place and journeyed on again in the desert.
And I saw another cave by the side of which were traces of men, and I plucked up courage, and drew nigh to it, and though I knocked no man answered me; then I went inside and found no man, and I rose up [and came] outside, and said within myself, “The holy man will soon come here.” Now when it was the season of evening, I saw a number of beasts, which are called “buffaloes,” and the servant of God was in their midst, naked; and his hair had been made into a covering for his shame. And when he saw me he stood up in prayer, for he thought that I was a spirit, and he was greatly vexed by an evil spirit, as he subsequently told me; and I understood this matter, and said unto him, “I am a man, O holy one. Look at my footprints, and touch me, for I am flesh and blood.” And after he had prayed, and I had answered “Amen,” he looked at me and took heart, and brought me into his cave, and asked me, “Why didst thou come here?” Then I said unto him, “That I might be blessed by the servants of God have I come into this desert, and He hath not deprived me of my desire”; and I also asked him, “How didst thou come here? and how dost thou live?” And he began to speak unto me thus:—I was once in a monastery, where my work was [to weave] linen, and the thought came to me that I would leave it and dwell by myself, and [my mind said], “Thou wilt be able to live in seclusion, and to entertain strangers with the results of thy labour, and thy wages will be more than
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