The Power

Long time ago there lived a young healer in a small town. His name was Dobroslav. Friends and relatives called him Dobrinya for short. Dobrinya had an open heart. He gravitated loved people with all his soul. He learned to read and write, received training from an old doctor who lived nearby. Now Dobrinya was taking his first independent steps in the struggle for health and lives of his fellow-townsmen.

One of his close friends was a merchant Radogor who sold goods of local craftsmen in the capital. Once Dobrinya cured the merchant from the strong poisoning. Since then their friendship began. At that time merchants stood high in people’s esteem. People realized how difficult it was for merchants to win their bread. Times were dangerous and merchants started their journey without knowing whether they would return safe and sound and whether they would manage to protect their goods from highway robbers. The time came for Radogor to prepare for the next journey. He called on Dobrinya before the departure.

My dear friend, I will never forget that you saved my life.

Tell me, please, what shall I bring you from the capital city? I will find everything you want.

Bless you - Dobrinya tried to refuse, but realizing merchant’s inflexibility, he yield. - There is nothing I need for myself. Better bring a new icon for our church made by capital master. People will be grateful to you.

Have no doubt about it, my friend! - Radogor exclaimed. - I give the merchant’s word of honor: there will be a new icon in our church!

Whether in a long period of time or in a short one - the time flew by. Radogor was to come back. The young healer was waiting for his friend and making guesses about the icon. But his expectations were never to be realized.

Forgive me, please. - The merchant said looking at the floor. - Very good bargain I had. And that’s it. Your icon will be there any time. I will bring it next time. I don’t go back on my word, just - the next time!

But you promised it yourself, Radogor, - Dobrinya was confused. - Has the thirst for money overshadowed your feeling of gratitude? And what about your fair merchant’s word? How will you face people? You gave your word of honor, didn’t you?

Radogor’s features darkened. He kept silent for some time and it was clear that there was a violent struggle in his heart. He obviously wanted to say something but he could not find an excuse. At last he got up and went out of the chamber in silence, staring with unseeing eyes somewhere through his friend.

Since then Radogor stopped his trade. Probably he considered himself unworthy of merchant’s title as he broke his word. He avoided to meet with Dobrinya. Dobrinya suffered no less than Radogor. But what did I tell him? - Dobrinya thought. - Only the truth. The truth he did not dare to tell himself. I realized that the lie was agonizing for him, when he yielded to that insidious temptation! He did not understand that it was not me, who told him the truth, but his consciousness. But it seems that I have chosen wrong words, if I offended him. Radogor, forgive me, please, if you can!

... Tales are soon to be told and even sooner winged time flies. Dobrinya matured, grey hair appeared in his beard. He helped many people for those years, he saved many people from ferocious death. Once a court physician suddenly died, who had served the grand duke - sovereign of the town where our hero lived. The grand duke ordered everyone who knew something about healing to come to his court. Dobrinya did not want to go where. He had no doubts that his friend Svetozar was worthy of such honor more than others. There was not anybody equal to Svetozar in the art of healing. But Dobrinya did not dare to disobey the order. However the choice of the sovereign fell on Dobrinya. The grand duke did not like to speak a lot.

Take your stuff and instruments, I will wait for you in my tower-room!

The only glare of Svetozar was enough for Dobrinya. His glare singed him like the fire. There were bitterness, resentment, reproach and anguish of the rejected master mixed in it. The decision grew immediately.

Forgive me, the grand duke, - Dobrinya said with a bow, but here is my friend, Svetozar. He is cleverer and more experienced than me. He will do better in your service.

The grand duke eyes flashed with fire.

How dare you haggle with me! I am the grand duke and in this town that’s only me alone who has the right to judge who is better and who is worse.

Don’t be angry with me, the grand duke! - Dobrinya’s look hardened liker a chilled blade. - Svetozar together with me grasped the art of healing, but since then he outstripped me in many respects. And no living being is permitted to judge a man - there is God and the Superior Court for this purpose.

It took a while for the grand duke to recover from the outburst of passion he got seized with.

Get out of here, the two of you! Hey, guard! Give them twenty lashes and turn them out of town, so that they would never set foot here anymore!

Dobrinya looked at the grand duke’s eyes that turned white with fury. In those eyes he distinguished that the grand duke’s denial of the good healer would turn out to be fatal for him in the nearest future. He restrained the bitter sigh coming from the depth of his heart, but he could not change anything.

When Svetozar regained his consciousness, Dobrinya applied medicinal leaves to his wounded body. Trees and grass bent over them as if in desire to relieve the pain hurting their bodies and hearts. When Svetozar saw the familiar face over him, he twitched as if it was a snake.

Leave me alone, - he croaked, - You are not a man, you are the devil incarnate. Even your care brings only pain and suffering. Go away, you are not a friend of mine anymore!

Dobrinya said nothing in reply. And what could he answer? Recount how he dragged his insensible body up to the forest edge deriving strength only from fortitude? Or recount how he cleaned and dressed Svetozar’s wounds? Let God be with you, Svetozar. Live as you think fit; it may happen that your life will be better without me.

Dobrinya turned away from him and went where his feet would take him. While walking he thought: What is my fortune? I love people so much - I am ready to lay down my life for anyone. But no matter how hard I endeavor, my love brings people only misfortunes. Radogor was the first one and then it continued. Perhaps, the lot given to me by God is to lance with the sharp knife of my love those boils, people keep in their hearts. Maybe that’s why God charged me with such an instrument on account of I can be responsible for its use. Let the blade not get blunted and the loving hand not falter, turning it against the evil and vice hidden so deep that people themselves cannot discern them.

Dobrinya continued his way, met different people. The tension of something invisible and incomprehensible around him was so powerful that a shell, a man retreated into in attempt to hide his vices and shortcomings, cracked like a nut. When people put off their long-term chains, their inner essence straightened - it was set free and was majestic in its cruelty. The man got horrified staying alone with himself. His own inner essence the man did not know and even could not imagine. And Dobrinya took in his powerful heart violent blows of the men’s pitiful shells, that could not stand the struggle with their own consciousness. The inner power of the hero got stronger and stronger with every passing day and every passing year. It stroke dragons of human pride, envy, greed and ignorance.