The Barn

Leaving before dark, Yazep walked around all the neighbors, but was refused everywhere. Everyone regretted his burnt barn, but before the harvest they could not carve out a day to help build a new one. Returning home by the forest road, Yazep gloomily thought what he would tell his pregnant wife. And that you will have to keep the harvest in the house, and live in a hut yourself. The wasted day was ending, and Yazep met the sunset still on the way. Passing the grove, he heard voices. Those who spoke did not light a fire, robbers, not otherwise. Yazep got closer - two men argued about the nature of evil, sitting on a fallen tree. The younger one argued that since there is the Holy Trinity, then the devil is also triune. Damn father, damn son and sulfur spirit. The elder stood on the fact that the devil's number was two, for his hoof was forked and he had two horns. Yazep went out to them and bowed. - Good evening, I am Yazep from the Moss. I apologize for interrupting your scientific conversation. But I reasoned this way - since men have time to philosophize, then they have no business. I would gladly hire you to build a barn. The former burned down last night. The elder nodded gravely. - Hello, you too, Yazep from Mosses. My name is Martin, and this is Clement. Your offer is very welcome, we will take the usual fee. - Hands, - Clement said, and spitting on his palm, held it out for a handshake. Together we moved along the road. Martin lit his pipe and resumed his argument with the Client. He said that the cross is unpleasant to the devil, therefore one should look for it not at the crossroads, but at the fork. It is known that the pitchfork is the most instrument of the unclean. - Then the devil should be afraid of the fish, because it was the fish that was originally a symbol of Christianity, - his opponent objected. - One of you is definitely a devil, - put in Yazep. - You are very perceptive, master of Mosses, - Martin nodded approvingly, exhaling a fetid cloud. - Very much, - Clement echoed, - but which of us is the devil? It is inherent in man to choose the lesser evil, but this is an illusion, because the choice in favor of evil has already been made. All the way to the Mosses, Clement and Martin argued who of them two was the devil, but each remained unconvinced.