The Godson by Lev Tolstoy (1886)
The Godson (1886)
'Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil.' Matthew. v. 38, 39.
'Vengeance is mine; I will repay.' Romans. xii. 19.
A SON WAS BORN to a poor peasant. He was glad and went to his neighbour to ask him to stand godfather to the boy. The neighbour refused — he did not like standing godfather to a poor man's child. The peasant asked another neighbour, but he too refused, and after that the poor father went to every house in the village, but found no one willing to be godfather to his son. So he set off to another village, and on the way he met a man who stopped and said:
'Good-day, my good man; where are you off to?'
'God has given me a child,' said the peasant, 'to rejoice my eyes in youth, to comfort my old age, and to pray for my soul after death. But I am poor, and no one in our village will stand godfather to him, so I am now on my way to seek a godfather for him elsewhere.'
'Let me be godfather,' said the stranger.
The peasant was glad, and thanked him, but added: 'And whom shall I ask to be godmother?'
'Go to the town,' replied the stranger, 'and, in the square, you will see a stone house with shop-windows in the front. At the entrance you will find the tradesman to whom it belongs. Ask him to let his daughter stand godmother to your child.'
The peasant hesitated.
'How can I ask a rich tradesman?' said he. 'He will despise me, and will not let his daughter come.'
'Don't trouble about that. Go and ask. Get everything ready by to-morrow morning, and I will come to the christening.'
The poor peasant returned home, and then drove to the town to find the tradesman. He had hardly taken his horse into the yard, when the tradesman himself came out.
'What do you want?' said he.
'Why, sir,' said the peasant, 'you see God has given me a son to rejoice my eyes in youth, to comfort my old age, and to pray for my soul after death. Be so kind as to let your daughter stand godmother to him.
'And when is the christening?' said the tradesman.
'To-morrow morning.'
'Very well. Go in peace. She shall be with you at Mass to-morrow morning.'
The next day the godmother came, and the godfather also, and the infant was baptized. Immediately after the christening the godfather went away. They did not know who he was, and never saw him again.
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