The Mischief Behind the Bush: The Imp and the Crust
We remain humble and kind when we are content with what we have. But when we seek more than we need, we may lose ourselves. Be happy with what you have. Wanting too much can change you.
I want to tell you a beautiful story from Leo Tolstoy about an imp, the devil’s messenger and a humble farmer.
Once upon a time, a poor farmer woke up early to plough his field. He carried a small piece of bread for his breakfast. After setting up his plough, he wrapped the bread in his coat and placed it under a bush. Then he began to work.
After a while, he stopped when the horse was tired, and the farmer felt hungry. He let his horse graze and went to get his bread. But when he lifted his coat, the bread was gone! He searched everywhere but couldn’t find it.
Unknown to him, an imp had stolen the bread. The imp hid behind the bush, hoping to hear the farmer curse and get angry. But the farmer just sighed and said, “It can’t be helped. Maybe someone needed it more than I did. May it do them good.”
The imp was disappointed. He had failed to make the farmer sin. So he went to his master, the Devil, and told him what had happened. The Devil was furious. “If peasants start being kind like this, we are doomed! Go back and fix this. If you don’t make him sin in three years, I’ll punish you!”
The imp was scared. He returned to Earth, thinking hard. Then he had an idea. He disguised himself as a worker and got a job with the farmer.
In the first year, the imp advised the farmer to plant corn in a wet field. That year was dry, and while other farmers’ crops died, the farmer’s corn grew tall and strong. He had more grain than he needed.
The next year, the imp told the farmer to plant on a hill. That year was stormy, and other crops rotted, but the farmer’s corn grew beautifully. Now, he had even more grain.
Then, the imp showed the farmer how to turn the extra grain into a strong drink. The farmer made the drink and started drinking it himself. He also gave it to his friends.
The imp proudly went back to the Devil. “I have fixed my mistake!” he said. The Devil decided to see for himself.
When they arrived, the farmer was hosting a party, serving drinks to rich neighbours. His wife accidentally spilt some drink, and the farmer got angry. “What are you doing? That’s not just water! You’re wasting a good drink!”
The imp nudged the Devil. “See? This is the same man who didn’t mind losing his only crust of bread.”
Later, a poor worker came by, tired and thirsty. But the farmer didn’t offer him a drink. “I can’t give drinks to everyone who walks in,” he muttered.
The Devil was pleased. But the imp said, “Wait, there’s more.”
As the guests drank more, they started speaking sweet, false words to each other. After another round, they grew angry and began arguing. Soon, they fought, punching and yelling. The farmer joined in and got beaten, too.
The Devil laughed. “This is perfect!”
But the imp said, “Wait for one more round.”
After the third drink, the guests acted like animals. They staggered, shouted nonsense, and fell in the mud. The farmer tried to see them off but fell face-first into a puddle, grunting like a pig.
The Devil was delighted. “You did well! But tell me, how did you make this drink? Did you add fox’s blood to make them sly, wolf’s blood to make them fierce, and swine’s blood to make them act like pigs?”
The imp replied, “No. I just made sure the farmer had more grain than he needed. The beastly nature is already inside people. It stays hidden as long as they only have enough for their needs. But when they have too much, they seek pleasure. I showed him drinking, and the rest followed.”
The Devil praised the imp and gave him a high position.
Contentment keeps us humble and kind. But when we have more than we need and seek pleasures without limits, we may lose our goodness and become someone we never wanted to be.
