The Three Comrades | Page 2

raised on fancy foods and they do
not agree with him. It would be good for him to wash in cold water, but
he is afraid to get wet. You must not worry about him being a Lord
Gemer because it is a question of his health."
"Oh, that!" said the Bacha, wrinkling his forehead, "I am able to handle
such a little brat"--and he was. The first few days Ondrejko did not dare
resist this big man in anything, and now he would not even dream of it.
The boys did not know a more noble man in the whole world than
Bacha Filina. He didn't bother much the whole day what they did, but
in the evening before the sheep were gathered, he sat with them in
God's beautiful nature before the cabin, and there they could, even had,
to tell him everything. They sat near him, one on the one side, the other

on the other, and Fido laid his great hairy head on the knees of his
master and looked on so wisely, that it seemed he, too, would want to
tell all that happened during the day. He was still a young, lively fellow.
You could see by his nose and ears he was not trained very much; his
fur was often quite tangled because he started quarrels with the older
dogs, Whitie and Playwell.
The first time Bacha found the two boys sleeping together on the hay
he frowned and they were afraid of what was going to happen--but
nothing at all happened; he only ordered Ondrejko to spread his sheet
on the hay and cover himself with a blanket; so they both covered
themselves and slept very well in the fragrant hay.

CHAPTER TWO
It was on a Sunday afternoon. The quiet of the holiday was noticeable
even on the mountains where, hand in hand, the little comrades walked.
They were nicely washed and arrayed in Sunday clothing, because
Bacha Filina would not suffer anybody to desecrate Sunday. Everyone
who could, had to go to the next town to church, though it was almost
two hours' walk. He himself seldom went; he was not able to take long
walks. Once a timber fell on his foot in the woods and from that time
on he had pains in it, but since he did not go down to church, he read in
his large old Bible. Today he had gone to church and the boys went to
meet him. They missed him very much. He ordered them to memorize
the reading of the Gospel for the day and each had to recite separately.
Suddenly Petrik became silent; he drew his comrade aside and pointed
with a silent nod of the head toward a cut-down tree lying in the woods.
There sat Bacha Filina with his head resting in the palms of his hands
as if something were pressing him down to the black ground.
"Let us go up to the Bacha," advised Petrik; "he seems to be sad."
"Truly very sad," worried Ondrejko. "Perhaps the sadness will pass
from him when we come to him."

The crackling of dry branches under the bare feet of the boys roused
Bacha. He looked around. The children stood a short distance off.
Should they go to him--or not?
"Where are you going?" he called to them. They came running. "Only
to meet you, Bacha."
"Well, why did you come to meet me?" His usually rough voice
seemed to sound different. "We were lonesome without you," haltingly
admitted Ondrejko, and presently they sat on the moss carpet at the feet
of Bacha.
"And why, Bacha, were you sitting here so sadly?" Petrik looked
surprisedly at Ondrejko, that he dared to ask. Would not Bacha be
angry?
"Did you think that I was sad?" Bacha stroked the golden hair
surrounding the pale face of the child, which in the sunshine looked
like a halo on a saint.
"And were you not?" The blue eyes of the boy, like two lovely blue
flowers, gazed into the black eagle-like eyes of the man.
"Well, child, I was sad, and you have done well that you came to meet
me. While I rest a while, recite to me the Gospel that you have
learned."
Both boys, one after the other, recited the parable of the rich man and
Lazarus.
"May I ask you, Bacha, to tell me why the rich man did not help
Lazarus?" Petrik dared to ask.
"Why? Because his heart was like a stone. The dogs were better than he.
Remember that, children, and never do any harm to birds or animals;
they are better than we. Now let us go."
Bacha took Ondrejko by the hand and giving his book to Petrik they

walked through the woods toward home. High