the three hermits summary
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A bishop and several pilgrims are travelling on a fishing boat from Archangel to the Solovétsk Monastery. During the voyage, the bishop overhears a discussion about a remote island, nearby their course, where three old hermits live a spartan existence focused on seeking "salvation for their souls." Inquiring about the hermits, the bishop finds that several of the fishermen claim to have seen the hermits once.
The bishop then informs the captain that he wishes to visit the island. The captain seeks to dissuade him by saying, "the old men are not worth your pains. I have heard say that they are foolish old fellows, who understand nothing, and never speak a word." The bishop insists and the captain steers the ship toward the island. The bishop subsequently sets off in a rowboat to visit. He is met ashore by the three hermits.
The bishop informs the hermits that he has heard of them and of their search for salvation. He inquires how they are seeking salvation and serving God, but the hermits say they do not know how, only that they pray, simply: "Three are ye, three are we, have mercy upon us." Subsequently, the bishop acknowledges that they have a little knowledge but are ignorant of the true meaning of the doctrine and how to pray properly. He tells them that he will teach them "not a way of my own, but the way in which God in the Holy Scriptures has commanded all men to pray to Him" and proceeds to explain the doctrines of the incarnation and the Trinity. He attempts to teach them the Lord's Prayer, the "Our Father", but the simple hermits blunder and cannot remember the words. This compels the bishop to repeat the lesson late into the night. After he is satisfied that they have memorized the prayer, the Bishop departs from the island leaving the hermits with a firm instruction to pray as he has taught them. The bishop then returns to the fisherman's vessel anchored offshore in the rowboat and continues his voyage.
While on board, the bishop notices that their vessel is being followed. At first he thinks a boat is behind them but he soon realizes that the three hermits are running across the surface of the water "as though it were dry land." The hermits catch up to the vessel as the captain stops the boat, and inform the bishop, "We have forgotten your teaching, servant of God. As long as we kept repeating it we remembered, but when we stopped saying it for a time, a word dropped out, and now it has all gone to pieces. We can remember nothing of it. Teach us again." The bishop is humbled and replies to the hermits, "Your own prayer will reach the Lord, men of God. It is not for me to teach you. Pray for us sinners." After this the hermits turn around and walked back to their island.
'The three hermits' summary:
A bishop travels on a fishing boat from Archangel to the Solovastek Monastery. On his way he overhears the other pilgrims talking about three hermits who live a spartan existence in an island close by, with only the thought of seeking salvation for their souls. The bishop asks the captain to steer the boat towards the island. The captain does so, and the bishop gets down and rows a boat towards the island where the hermits are staying.
The hermits meet him and the Bishop enquires as to how they seek salvation. The hermits say that they do not know in particular except that they pray, “Three are ye, tree are we, have mercy upon us." The Bishop then admits that they are ignorant and teaches them how to pray according to the Holy Scriptures.
After teaching them all night he leaves. While leaving by boat he realizes that the three hermits are following their boat. He at first thought they were following them by boat but quickly realizes that they were just running across the waters. They rush to him and say that they have forgotten the words of the prayer and to teach them again.
The Bishop is humbled at their faith and tells them that their own prayer will take them to God as they are God’s own men. He, in addition, asks them to pray for all the sinners like him. The story tells us that pure faith in God is the only thing that matters.