Atondido Stories
The Story of a Man Whom the Devil Befriended
There were once two men, a shoemaker and a farmer, who had
been close friends in youth. The shoemaker married and had
many children to whom the farmer stood godfather. For this rea-
son the two men called each other "Godfather." When they met it
was "Godfather, this," and "Godfather, that." The shoemaker was
an industrious little man and yet with so many mouths to fill he
remained poor. The farmer on the other hand soon grew rich for
he had no children to eat into his savings.
Years went by and money and possessions began to change
the farmer's disposition. The more he accumulated, the more he
wanted, until people were whispering behind his back that he
was miserly and avaricious. His wife was like him. She, too,
saved and skimped although, as I have told you, they had nei-
ther chick nor child to provide for.
The richer the farmer grew, the less he cared for his poor
friend and his poor friend's children. Now when they called him
"Godfather," he frowned impatiently, and whenever he saw
any of them he pretended to be very busy for fear they should
ask him a favor.
One day when he had slaughtered beef, the poor shoemaker
came to him and said:
"My dear Godfather, you have just made a killing. Won't you
please give me a little piece of meat? My wife and children are
hungry."
"No!" roared the rich man. "Why should I feed your family?
You ought to save as I do and then you wouldn't have to ask fa-
vors of any one."
Humiliated by the refusal, the shoemaker went home and
told his wife what his friend had said.
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