They said about abba John, the disciple of abba Paul that he was very obedient. There were tombs in a place and there lived a hyena.
The elder saw in that place dung and told to abba John to go and collect them.
He answered:
`What to do, abba, with the hyena ?`
The elder jokingly said:
`If it comes against you, tie it and bring it here.`
So the monk went there in the evening. The hyena came against him. Following the word of his elder the disciple went to catch it. The hyena ran away.
He ran after it and said:
`Wait, my abba told me to tie you.`
And catching it tied it.
The elder was upset and was sitting waiting for him. Then he saw him coming with the hyena tied.
Seeing that, the elder marveled. Wanting to humble him he said:
`You, fool. You brought me a mad dog?`
Then the elder untied the hyena and let it go away.`
Source: Egyptian Patericon – Abba John.
