The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

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PROFITABLE SAYINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN RECLUSES. 49
CXCVIII. One of the brethren asked Abba Sisoes,
saying, "What wouldst thou do, O father, for I have
"fallen?" Sisoes said to him, "Rise up," and the brother
said unto him, "I have fallen many times and risen up
"[after them]. How long shall I continue to fall and
"rise up?" The old man said unto him, "Until death
"shall overtake thee in one of them, I mean either in
"rising up or in falling'."
CXCIX. One of the brethren went into the world
and married a woman, and when his master heard
thereof he prayed and entreated God, saying, "O Lord,
"permit not Thy servant to be dragged through the
"mire of the world;" and when the betrothed man and
his bride went in to sleep together, he gave up the ghost
and was not united unto her.
CC. One of the brethren was perfect to such a degree
that even wild animals became his friends, and
he used to nourish their young ^ Now a certain father
r^^Oou^ ,ctj rd^oz. .rt^irwo TSarSta .rt'.TMO rCcnirdA
vri'orApi' A>aX ,__ooa.iA«.i (fol. 175^, No. 587).
'
In Palladius the text runs:—auricocUJo rtapd Ardz. r€»tr^
rC'-iW oA T2J3r^ .dni^.l pdap^ .Tas^r*' KllSO .otaA 'tssrS'o
T93r^ .A>\°>1 .sodxQ irina .am riur^ .ciA i^K* ."p&a
ood>o .OCTD rs6jr(