A story given by an angel

The sun rose and looked through the open window into the room. Its rays ran over Alyosha's face and woke him up. The cold water from the well with which he washed chased away the remnants of the dream. Grandmother Neonila walked along the path to the gate, hurrying to mass. Having crossed the grandson, the grandmother said: "Alyosha, I went to the service in the church, and you stay with your Guardian Angel."

Grandmother went to church, and Alyosha suddenly realized that he hadn’t asked his grandmother where is this Angel, who should stay with him. Looking around and seeing that there was no one nearby, he thought that Angel probably wanted to play hide and seek with him, and went to look for him. Passing the washstand, Alyosha noticed that a large black beetle was floundering in the water and could not get out. "How did you get here?" - thought Alyosha, substituting a wide chip like a bridge for the beetle. Having climbed onto it, the beetle shook off the water, spread its wings and, humming gratefully, flew to the forest. Alyosha waved after him and went on. Passing by the currant bushes, Alyosha heard a plaintive meow. A neighbor's kitten Barsik was sitting under a bush. “Small, lost, probably, and did not find the way home, - thought Alyosha. "How did you sit alone all night in the dark?" He took the kitten in his arms and ran to the neighbor's house. Entering the courtyard, Alyosha saw a bowl of milk on the porch and sat Barsik next to it. "Eat, Barsik!" - Alyosha stroked the kitten, he purred gratefully ...

But where is the Angel? Approaching the gate of his house, Alyosha saw two small birds that curled and chirped at the roots of a large tree. There was a chick that had fallen out of the nest. Birds-parents with alarming chirping rushed over their child, not knowing how to help him. Alyosha looked up and thought: “What a tall tree! Perhaps this task will be more difficult than pulling a beetle out of the water and taking home a neighbor's kitten. " Having crossed himself, he put the chick in his bosom and with the words "Lord, bless!" carefully climbed up. It was difficult to climb, the chick fought in its bosom from time to time and pinched Alyosha with its beak. Here is the nest. Another moment, and the chick sits in its place, and the happy parents circle around the nest with joyful chirping.

- What are you doing in the tree? - suddenly hears Alyosha and sees that under a tree is a grandmother.
- Grandmother! Here the chick fell out! - Alyosha quickly got down from the tree and ran to his grandmother. - But where is the Angel with whom you left me?
Grandmother smiled and sat down on a bench near the gate. “Sit down, Alyosha. Listen ... the Monk Agathon lived long ago. He lived in seclusion and came to the city only to sell his handicrafts and buy bread. Once, having come to the city, he saw in the square a sick man, abandoned by all. Feeling deep compassion for him, he hired a hut with money from the sale of handicrafts and began to look after the patient until he recovered. And then, rejoicing in the good he had done, he returned to his desert ... So, Alyosha, - said the grandmother, hugging her grandson and kissing him on the forehead, - compassion for the suffering and the desire to help the weak makes a person like an Angel.

Nikolay YEPISHEV