going forth [from the building], he saw him, and said unto him, ‘Why weepest thou, O man?’ The father of the youth said unto him, ‘I am of the family of Abbâ Poemen. A trial hath come upon this youth, but we are afraid to take him to him, for he refuseth to see us, and now, if he learneth that I am here, he will send and drive me away; but when I knew that ye were coming here, I ventured to come also.’ And he cast the youth down on the ground at his feet, and wept, saying, ‘If thou wilt, have mercy on me, and take this youth inside, and pray over him’; and the old man took him and carried him in with him to Abbâ Poemen. Now the old man acted wisely in the matter, and he did not take the youth at once to Abbâ Poemen, but beginning with the last of the brethren who was there, he brought the youth to each and every one of them, saying, ‘Make the sign of the Cross upon this youth’; and having brought him alike to all the brethren and to all the old men who were there, finally he brought him to Abbâ Poemen, but the blessed man refused to touch him. Thereupon a contention arose, and they all entreated him, saying, ‘Father, do thou even as we all have done’; then Abbâ Poemen sighed, and he rose up and prayed, and said, ‘O God, heal that which Thou hast fashioned so that it may not be destroyed by the Enemy,’ and he finished his prayer, and made the sign of the Cross over him, and straightway the face of the youth was made straight, and he was healed. And Abbâ Poemen gave him to his father made whole, so he took him and departed with rejoicing.”
621. They used to say that the face of Abbâ Pambô was like lightning, even as Moses received the glory of the likeness of Adam, and that his face shone, and that he was like a king who sitteth upon his throne; and thus was it also with Abbâ Silvanus and with Abbâ Sisoes.
622. They used to say about one of the old men that as he was in the light during the day, so also was he [in the light] in his cell by night, and that he used to work with his hands and read in the night time just as he did during the day.
623. One of the old men sent his disciple to draw water, now the well was a very long way off from their cell, and that brother forgot to take the rope with him; and being distressed [thereat] he bowed himself in prayer, and he prayed and cried out, saying, “O well, my father [saith], ‘Fill this vessel for me with water, and without delay’ ”; and the water came up, and the brother filled [the vessel], and as soon as he had done so the water descended to its place.
624. On one occasion Abbâ Moses came to the well to draw
