English Original
There was once a hermit who lived in a forest at the foot of a mountain. He spent his days in prayer and good works. Every evening, to the glory of God, he carried two pails of water up the mountain. Many beasts drank from it, and many plants were refreshed, for a strong wind continually dried the heights. Because he was so pious, an angel of God, visible to his eyes, accompanied him, counted his steps, and brought him food when his work was done.
When the hermit was very old, he once saw from afar a poor sinner being taken to the gallows. He carelessly said to himself, "There, that one is getting his deserts!" That evening, the angel did not appear and brought him no food. The hermit was terrified. He searched his heart, trying to think how he had sinned, but could not discover it. He neither ate nor drank, threw himself on the ground, and prayed day and night.
One day, as he wept bitterly in the forest, he heard a little bird singing beautifully. He was troubled and said, "How joyously you sing; the Lord is not angry with you. Ah, if you could but tell me how I have offended Him, that I might do penance, then my heart would be glad again." The bird spoke: "You have done injustice by condemning a poor sinner led to the gallows. For that, the Lord is angry. He alone sits in judgement. However, if you do penance and repent, He will forgive you."
Then the angel stood beside him with a dry branch and said, "Carry this dry branch until three green twigs sprout from it. At night, lay it under your head. Beg your bread from door to door, and do not stay more than one night in the same house. That is your penance."
The hermit took the wood and returned to the world he had not seen for so long. He ate and drank only what was given at the doors, but many petitions were ignored, and many doors remained shut, so he often went without a crumb of bread.
Once, after begging from morning till night with no success and no shelter, he went into a forest and found a cave where an old woman lived. He asked to stay the night. She refused, fearing her three wicked, wild sons who were robbers. "If they find you," she said, "they would kill us both." The hermit persuaded her, and she compassionately agreed. He lay down beneath the stairs, placing the wood under his head. The woman asked why, and he told her his story of sin and penance. She wept and cried, "If the Lord thus punishes one single word, how will it fare with my sons when they appear before Him in judgement?"
At midnight, the robbers came home, blustering and storming. They made a fire, saw the man under the stairs, and fell into a rage. "Who is this man?" they cried to their mother. "Have we not forbidden anyone to be taken in?" The mother said, "Let him be. He is a poor sinner expiating his crime." The robbers asked, "What has he done?" "Old man," they cried, "tell us your sins." The old man raised himself and told them his story. The robbers were so powerfully touched that they were shocked by their own lives. They reflected and began with hearty repentance to do penance.
After converting the three sinners, the hermit lay down to sleep again under the stairs. In the morning, they found him dead. From the dry wood under his head, three green twigs had grown on high. Thus, the Lord had once more received him into His favour.
中文翻译
从前，有一位隐士住在山脚下的森林里。他终日祈祷，行善积德。每天晚上，为了上帝的荣耀，他都会提着两桶水上山。许多野兽来此饮水，许多植物得以滋润，因为高地上狂风不断，吹干了空气和土地。由于他非常虔诚，一位上帝的天使（他能亲眼看见）陪伴着他，数着他的脚步，并在工作完成后给他带来食物。
当隐士年事已高时，有一次他远远看到一个可怜的罪人被押往绞刑架。他漫不经心地自言自语道：“看，那人罪有应得！”那天晚上，天使没有出现，也没有给他带来食物。隐士吓坏了。他审视内心，努力思考自己犯了什么罪，却想不出来。他不吃不喝，扑倒在地，日夜祈祷。
一天，当他在森林里痛哭时，他听到一只小鸟在优美地歌唱。他更加苦恼，说道：“你唱得多么欢快；主没有生你的气。啊，如果你能告诉我，我是如何冒犯了祂，好让我赎罪，那么我的心也会再次快乐起来。”小鸟开口说：“你谴责了一个被带往绞刑架的可怜罪人，这是不公义的。为此，主对你发怒。唯有祂才能审判。然而，如果你悔过并赎罪，祂会宽恕你。”
接着，天使手持一根枯枝站在他身边，说：“带着这根枯枝，直到三根绿枝从中发芽。晚上，把它枕在头下。挨家挨户乞讨面包，不要在同一户人家停留超过一夜。这就是你的赎罪。”
隐士拿着木头，回到了他久违的尘世。他只吃乞讨来的食物，但许多请求无人理睬，许多门对他紧闭，因此他常常连一点面包屑都得不到。
有一次，他从早到晚乞讨，一无所获，也无人收留过夜，他走进一片森林，最后发现了一个有人居住的洞穴，里面住着一位老妇人。他请求留宿一夜。老妇人拒绝了，因为她害怕她那三个邪恶、野蛮的强盗儿子。“如果他们发现你，”她说，“他们会杀了我们俩。”隐士说服了她，她心生怜悯，同意了。他躺在楼梯下，把木头枕在头下。老妇人问起缘由，他便将自己的罪过和赎罪之事告诉了她。她哭了起来，喊道：“如果主因为一句话就这样惩罚人，那我的儿子们站在祂面前接受审判时，会是什么下场啊？”
午夜时分，强盗们回到家，吵吵嚷嚷，大发雷霆。他们生起火，看到楼梯下躺着一个人，顿时勃然大怒。“这人是谁？”他们对母亲喊道，“我们不是禁止任何人进来吗？”母亲说：“随他去吧。他是个正在赎罪的可怜罪人。”强盗们问：“他做了什么？”“老人家，”他们喊道，“告诉我们你的罪过。”老人坐起身，讲述了自己的故事。强盗们深受触动，对自己以往的生活感到震惊。他们反省后，开始真心悔过，进行赎罪。
在感化了这三个罪人之后，隐士再次躺在楼梯下睡觉。早晨，他们发现他已经死了。从他头下的枯木上，长出了三根高高的绿枝。就这样，主再次接纳了他，施予恩宠。