Once upon a time there was a young and kind-hearted emperor. Very often he used to travel all over the country accompanied by only one servant. Everytime he met a poor man, the emperor gave him alms and helped him with what he could.
Once going on his way the emperor saw in a desert place a dead monk. Sending his servant ahead the emperor took off his coat and covered the dead. Then he resumed his journey as he had a long way to travel.
But while he was traveling it happened that he fell off his horse and hurt his leg badly. Arriving home the emperor called the best doctors from the palace but everything was in vain. The leg was swollen and the doctors said that if they did not cut it it would putrefy and the emperor would die. So they decided to cut his leg on the next day in the morning to save his life.
That night the emperor couldn`t sleep. He asked a servant to light up his candle and remained alone looking at the icons and thinking about his sad fate. In that moment the window opened and in the room entered a bright monk.
`Why are you so upset, emperor? asked the monk.
`How not to be upset when tomorrow they shoukd cut my leg? He answered.
Then the monk touched his leg and his leg became healthy again.
`Stand up and walk` said the monk.
`I can`t it is broken` answered the emperor.
But when the monk took him by the hand the emperor stood up and was able to walk as before.
`Tell me who are you?` asked the emperor surprised.
`Don`t you recognize me Isn`t this your coat you covered me with yesterday? God saw your trouble and sent me to cure you because you made a good deed.
The next day the emperor was healthy to the great surprise of the doctors. He told them what had happened and all of them praised God Who helps those who are kind hearted.
Excerpt from the Small Patericon retold and illustrated for children by father Savatie Bastovoi, Cathisma Publishing, 2008
