The Tale of the Woodsman by Nikolai Leskov. Short summary

5 seconds

There was a severe and prolonged drought in the Cypriot countryside. People were praying for rain, but it still wasn’t coming. A bishop hears a voice from heaven telling him how to make it rain.

1 minute

In ancient times, there was a severe and prolonged drought in the Cypriot countryside. All the fruits and grains had died and the people were in danger of starvation. The people prayed and asked for rain, but it never came.

A voice from heaven tells the bishop to go to the city gate in the morning and hold the first person to come through it. The traveler must pray, and then it will rain.

The next morning the bishop and the people went to the gate. After an agonizing wait, they see an elderly wayfarer. He was carrying a heavy bundle of dry brushwood. The bishop stops the woodcutter and asks him to pray for rain. The old man replies that he is not worthy to pray in the presence of the bishop. Nevertheless, he is persuaded and begins to pray. At the same moment the rain of grace fell.