Loaves & Fishes 27

In the town of Vladimir lived a
young merchant named Ivan
Dmitrich Aksionov. He was a
handsome, blond, curly-headed
fellow who loved fun and singing.
One summer morning, as
Aksionov was preparing to attend
a fair and telling his family
goodbye, his wife said to him,
“Ivan Dmitrich, don’t go; I had a
bad dream about you last night.”
Aksionov laughed. “You’re
afraid I’ll get drunk in town.”
His wife replied: “I don’t
know what I’m afraid of; all I
know is I dreamed when you
came back from town and took
off your cap, your hair was all
gray.”
Aksionov laughed again.
“That’s a lucky sign,” he said.
He kissed her goodbye, his driver
started the horses, and they
drove away.
Half-way to town, Aksionov
met another merchant he knew,
and they picked the same inn to
stay for the night. After drinking
a little tea, they went to bed in
adjoining rooms.
The next morning, Aksionov
paid his bill and left early with
his driver. He had gone about
God Sees the Truth,
But Waits
twenty-five miles when a fast
carriage overtook him, carrying
a government officer and two
soldiers, and signaled him to
stop. The officer began firing
questions at him: “What’s your
name, and where are you from?
Where did you stay last night?
Were you alone or with someone
else? Did you see the other merchant
this morning? Why did
you leave the inn before dawn?”
The officer began firing
questions at Aksionov.
Puzzled, Aksionov told the
officer everything he could remember
about the night before.
“Why are you questioning me
like I’m some kind of thief?” he
Loaves & Fishes • Issue 27 | 43