It was raining. A chilly wet wind was blowing, and something was drumming against the roof. Then the wind started throwing handfuls of rain into windows, knocking with tree branches, and groaning with an entrance door. The Man was gloomy and anxious. He was unsatisfied with the weather and his Destiny... Doubts gnawed his soul whether he chose the right Way. Someone knocked at the door humbly. The knock that could hardly be heard blended into the noise of the wind, and the man didn’t hear it. Then someone started scratching the door.
That sound on the back of the knock and howl of the wind became clearer: someone was really scratching the door! The host was not completely sure that someone came to him, but he opened the entrance door. At the doorstep there was a humble night guest. She was so thin that it seemed a slight gust of wind would break her in two. Delicate and gentle, the guest was hesitantly hovering in front of the door. “Who are you?!” exclaimed the host in surprise, thinking of how this gentle creature could be out in such a weather. “I am Thought of your doubt,” she answered. “I’ve just been born. Let me in please. I’m tiny and won’t take much space. I’ll behave quietly and won’t bother you.”
“All right,” the host decided, “Let her get warm and tomorrow she’ll leave. Only till tomorrow!” The next day the weather improved! The sun came out. On the back of the blue sky rare golden birch leaves were shining in sun rays. Nature gave the last happy warm autumn days before frosts.
The host didn’t even remember about his night guest. The latter was humble and shy; besides, she was too small to be noticed. What corner was she lying low, who knew?! Since then much time had gone by….
One day, the host came back home and found out a crowd of noisy and impudent guests, which behaved forwardly and didn’t pay any attention to him as if there was nobody at all! Among his new guests the host saw discontent, dissoluteness, laziness, betrayal, lies, and lust...
“I can’t believe it!!!” exclaimed the Man in confusion, but his voice blended into clatter and chatter produced by his new guests. Since that time his life had become simply unbearable, but it was impossible to send the guests out, for they settled at his home well and truly!
“No, that will never do!” the man decided. One day, being deep in thought his old friend – gentle and helpless guest flashed like a lightning before him and disappeared... “Yes! Yes! Yes! That certain unhappy and miserable one, who asked to get warm in that autumn nasty night!”
The Man realized everything! He rushed after the doubt, seized his Thought by the waist thin like a reed, having no fear to break it. “Was that you?! Was that you who brought all that mob to my home?!” asked the Man severely. “I couldn’t say no to them! Sorry! They are my closest relatives!
As soon as they found out that I was born, they came to get acquainted with me. They liked your place, so they all stayed… How could I say no to my relatives? I’ll send them away right now.
No, before they leave, please let them stay for a little while. I feel happy and joy spending time with them!” answered Thought of his doubt. “No way! That won’t happen again!!!” said the man, seized his doubt by the collar and kicked out of the door. What a miracle!
Having seen what happened with his relative, all the unasked guests rushed towards the exit in such a hurry that were about to knock the host off his feet! All of a sudden, the
Man’s home was cleared up, and he breathed a sigh of relief and felt happy. Afterwards, he started washing the windows to let the blue sky and sun rays of the cool autumn sun in.
Translated by Tatiana Maslennikova.
Àâòîð ôîòî Òàì Òàì (Òàìàðà Àíòèïèíà).