Once upon a time a pious man died and left very beautiful books behind, which the heirs sold to strange people. And the pious people grieved very much when they saw that the children had sold their father's books to strangers.

Now in that town there lived a great scholar, and he said to them: "Do not grieve that these books are going into strange hands, I will explain to you the reason. It is a punishment because he would not lend any of his books, for he used to say: 'I am an old man, the writing of the manuscript might get faded and I shall not be able to read it. Moreover, they destroy my books. Therefore I will not lend them'."

One must not do so; for as a punishment for refusing to lend his books, they got into strange hands.

End.

Praise to God Almighty