Satan's Idle Stories 06. Help me, Satan, to Compose a True Story!

06. Help me, Satan, to Compose a True Story!

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Once a sage came to me for advice. The face of the Scripture expert showed embarrassment - it was unusual for a white-bearded man to talk to Satan, or maybe he thought it was shameful to visit me. But I do not force anyone! And if a man has come, I am glad to see him: he must believe in my ingenuity. I am always ready to help. 

 

 - Listen, Satan, - the wise man began, - I have a business to do with you, that's why I came here.

 

 - Speak, sage," I answered and prepared to listen to the clever speech.

 

 - I wouldn't ask you, but you are very good at inventions! You, angels, are created for that, you know all the tricks and tricks, you will deceive the devil himself...

 

 - Don't forget yourself, wise man! - I resolutely interrupted the visitor, - you are in Heaven, please choose your expressions!

 

 - Sorry, Satan. I'll get to the point.

 

 - That's better.

 

 - I live in a small town by the river. The people are mostly poor, but there is one rich man. I'll talk about him later. Now listen to what I have to say about one of our bitter poor. He's the most righteous Jew in town. He especially honors the Sabbath. He takes everything he earns during the week to the market on Friday morning. There the fishermen are waiting for him with the biggest fish. The barefoot buyer chooses the best of the best, no matter how much it costs, and joyfully carries the purchase home. The wife will prepare the Sabbath meal, the husband will pray and say the blessing. He will give his last penny to honor the holy Sabbath. A fine example he sets for the people of the town, isn't that right, Satan?

 

 

 - The truth is in your mouth, sage. This is worthy of imitation.

 

 - Imitation is what I want to talk to you about. We all keep the Sabbath. All the poor and the only wealthy man. But apart from the righteous man mentioned above, no one shows passionate zeal. And I want to light a holy fire in the souls of all Jews, so that they will look up to a God-fearing co-religionist. Then the inhabitants of the place will gradually move to Paradise, and the Savior will come sooner, seeing the enthusiasm of all the people!

 

 - Your wish is commendable, sage, and how can I help you?

 

 - I need a teachable and inspiring story that will grow out of our little town, and people will believe in it and follow its good example. So I've come to you for help. Help me, Satan, to compose a true story!

 

 - I will gladly serve a good cause. Take into account, however, that the story may seem surprising even to its teller.

 

 - We are simple people, we are not surprised by anything.

 

 - All right. First, let's think of an incentive. Let it be a rain of gold, which will fall on the poor man as a reward for his efforts.

 

- Gold? Where would you get it in a poor town?

 

 - You said yourself, my dear, that there is a rich man living in your town!

 

 - Mammon is in his hands! How will the gold end up with others?

 

 - We'll call in the help of a fortune-teller. Let him tell your rich man a terrible fate. He will be frightened and do something foolish. We will make up a suitable story, and his gold will go to the poor man!

 

 - You know, my friend Satan, that we Jews reject all sorcerers. A wealthy man will not believe a soothsayer. A donkey that knows the way is worth more than an idle fortune-teller. 

 

 - What is the meaning of the words "my friend Satan"? No familiarity, I remind you, you are in Heaven!

 

 - Oh, I forgot, sorry!

 

 - I forgive you. We'll turn your rich man into a non-Jew, that's all. Now you figure out how to get the wealth into the hands of the poor.

 

 - I've got the whole story in my head. I'm going to preach it to our Jews. They'll believe it, they'll be impressed, they'll be drawn to a righteous life. Would you like to hear it, Satan?

 

 - I'd love to! How quickly you've made up a story! Sage!

 

***

 

 - Listen, however. "There was a poor man in a town, - the wise man began, - "but he was always happy and content with what he had. More than anything else in the world, he loved the Sabbath and thanked God for this generous gift. On Friday morning he would buy the most expensive and best fish in the market. In honor of the holy Sabbath, he did not hesitate to spend all his meager weekly earnings. His neighbors were stingy people. They kept the Sabbath day, but only for show, and bargained for cheaper fish.

 

 - A rich non-Jew settled among the poor Jews," continued the narrator, "and he mocked the righteous man, saying, 'You see, I do not spend wildly, but live a good life. The laborer did not listen to the empty speeches and persisted in buying the best fish. By your advise, Satan, I inserted a fortune-teller into the story, who predicted to the non-Jew that, first, he would lose his wealth, and second, it would go to a poor man.

 

 - As you had foreseen, Satan, the non-Jew did something foolish: he took the fortune-teller's prediction at face value, sold his possessions, bought a huge diamond, sewed it into the lining of his hat, got on a ship, and sailed away from the cursed place. 

 

 - The wind came up and tore the hat off the hapless fugitive's head. Thus the first prediction of the sorcerer came true - the former rich man lost his wealth. The biggest fish in the river tore the sunken hat with the teeth and swallowed the gem. The fishermen caught the predator with a net, and the righteous man used his last money to buy it for the Sabbath meal. His wife cut up the fish and found the gem in its belly, which was sold at the end of the Sabbath at a high price. Thus the second prediction of the sorcerer came true - the poor man took possession of the wealthy man's fortune.

 

 - I congratulate you, wise man, on your wonderful story! - I exclaimed.

 

 - Thank you. Do you think, Satan, that it would be helpful if I added at the end of our true story how the prophet Elijah himself came to our hero and told him that the wealth he had gained was a reward for righteousness?

 

 - Oh, what a wonderful thought has occurred to you! It will serve your spiritual purpose well. I wanted to propose something similar myself, but you beat me to it.

 

 - Thank you again, Satan. I'm off to my place. I intend to tell the story we've composed to each and every one. I expect that our people will now truly rejoice in the Sabbath and honor it with all their hearts, not for show!

 

 - Bon voyage!

 

***

 

A year passed, and an old acquaintance came to me. The sage's face was sad, and his eyes did not burn with his former enthusiasm. I offered him a seat at the table and put a glass of water in front of him. The visitor thanked me and sat down on the edge of the bench. He was silent and stared at me, waiting for a question.

 

 - What are you sad about, wise man? - I asked him, and at once I realized that everything was going as I had planned. 

 

 - Our story has failed, Satan!

 

 - Really? - I was pretending to be surprised, - Speak quickly!

 

 - I told the story to each one separately and to all together. And it had the opposite effect to what I had hoped for.

 

 - Speak more clearly, wise man!

 

 - I'll try. The poor man has stopped buying the most expensive fish. Now he's satisfied with small fish. He saves his money. He made new clothes for his wife and children. He keeps the Sabbath, but without the same enthusiasm.

 

 - I can guess his train of thought. He recognized himself in your parable. He sacrificed his wealth in this world for a good life in Heaven. But from your story, dear sage, it appeared that he received recompense on earth, and in money. The poor man thought that the reward for hardship is still spiritless, so it is better not to spend money in vain, and to get his own and not someone else's!

 

 - The rich Jew had changed," the sage continued, "he had stopped teasing the poor man. He would choose the most expensive fish at the market, and he would not let fortune-tellers enter his house.

 

 - It's all clear to me. The rich man realized that your tale was alluding to him. He realized his mistake: not the hungry man, but he, the rich man, should have the best fish. Every man must honor the Sabbath in proportion to the weight of his purse, and this is the only way to find a good place in the future world. And on Earth, the impudent must be prevented from luxuries he does not deserve.

 

 - The other inhabitants of the place did not accept our true story," confessed the wise man sadly, "they did not follow the example of their pious neighbor. Their desire to fulfill the commandments has decreased rather than increased.

 

 - It is easy to understand them. When they heard your tale, they realized that the only way to gain wealth as a reward for righteousness was by means of a miracle. Isn't it better to work harder than to trust in a miracle?

 

 - I noticed that you call the story we made up together "mine". Why?

 

 - I don't know, really. It just so happens.

 

 - Not out of modesty, I'm afraid. It seems to me that you have led me into the wilds on purpose. Did you want to make fun of me?

 

 - Now, now, wise man, be quiet. You're getting too excited. There's a glass in front of you, drink! It's water from the paradise river Gihon. It's healing, soothing and comforting.