he answered and said, “I will neither taste nor touch it, lest I make to offend my brother, that is to say, myself. For it is written that ‘man liveth not by bread alone’ ” (St. Matthew 4:4). Then he fasted another week also, and he slept a little, and an angel came unto him in a dream, and said unto him, “Rise up, and take as much as thou canst, and eat [it].” Then he rose up, and looked round about him, and he saw a fountain of water, and roots, which were exceedingly to be desired, were growing round it; and when he had drunk [some] water, and had eaten [some] green herbs, he said, “There is nothing so sweet and pleasant as this anywhere.” Now he found in that country a little cave, and he dwelt therein for a few days without any food, and when he began to feel an hungered, he knelt down, and prayed, and straightway he found his food placed by his side, that is to say, hot bread, and olives, and fruits of various kinds.
And from time to time he used to visit the brethren who lived near him in the desert, and he admonished them frequently. On one occasion he was very anxious to go to his own desert, and to carry there such things as were necessary for him of the blessings (i.e., gifts) which the brethren had given him, and as he was going along the way he saw some goats feeding and he said unto them, “In the Name of Jesus Christ, let one of you carry this load”; and straightway one of them came, and he placed his hands upon [its back], and bowed himself, and sat upon it, and he arrived at his cave in one day.
On another occasion the blessed man spread out his bread in the sun, and the wild animals came according to their custom to the fountain of water [where it was], and any animal which approached the bread died.
And on another occasion he went to certain monks on the first day of the week, and he saw that they were ceasing to perform the service of the Holy Mysteries, and he blamed them, saying, “Why do ye not perform your service?” And they said unto him, “Because no priest hath come unto us from over the river”; and he said unto them, “I will go after him, and call him.” Then they made answer unto him, saying, “It is impossible for any man to cross over the river, both on account of its depth, and because of the crocodiles which destroy human beings”; but he went a little distance and came to the place where the river was usually crossed, and he seated himself fearlessly upon the back of a crocodile, and passed over [to the other side]. And having gone and found the priest, he entreated him not to neglect the brethren, and when the priest saw that Apellen was dressed in old and ragged garments, he marvelled at his humility, and at the
