Once, a man of great renown passed through a small town where a righteous man lived. Many people gathered in the street to watch the parade, and The Righteous Man pushed through the crowd to see The Man of Great Renown surrounded by his followers.
“Come to my house,” The Righteous Man said to The Man of Great Renown. “Your name is great and your words are wise, and I have waited all my life to see you. Stay at my home and we will have a feast in your honor.”
Seeing that it was evening and that The Righteous Man’s heart was true, The Man of Great Renown agreed. The Righteous Man led The Man of Great Renown to his house, brought him inside, and followed just behind. The followers stayed outside.
“Welcome to my home,” said The Righteous Man. “All I have is yours, and all I do today I do for you.”
The Man of Great Renown thanked him and said, “Let my men supply the bread and let my women supply the wine.” And seeing that his men and women were outside, he called them in and told them to bring the bread and wine. But The Righteous Man had made fresh loaves and stored fine wine for such an occasion, so he brought out those instead, and the men and women stayed in the kitchen.
At the table were two chairs. “Take the seat of honor,” said The Righteous Man to The Man of Great Renown, and The Righteous Man sat across from him.
The Man of Great Renown thanked him and said, “Let my attendants sit with us.” And seeing that his attendants were in the kitchen, he called them in and told them to sit at the table. But The Righteous Man had no more chairs, so he told the attendants to stand against the walls, and they remained silent while The Righteous Man talked with The Man of Great Renown.
When night fell, The Righteous Man said to The Man of Great Renown, “Take my bed.” And The Righteous Man laid on a mat at the foot of the bed.
The Man of Great Renown thanked him and said, “Let my companions say the prayers.” And seeing that his companions were standing against the walls in the dining room, he called them to the bedroom door and told them to say their country’s prayers. But The Righteous Man knew a beautiful prayer, and he told The Man of Great Renown it would be a blessing to him, so the companions stayed in the hall while The Righteous Man burned incense and sang the lines.
In the morning, The Righteous Man said to The Man of Great Renown, “Your very presence has been a gift to me.” And he kissed the hand of The Man of Great Renown.
The Man of Great Renown said, “Let my countrymen bid you farewell.” And seeing that his countrymen were in the hall, he called them and assembled them in a chorus line and told them to say goodbye in the way of their ancestors. But The Righteous Man was filled with great sorrow that The Man of Great Renown was leaving, so he ran to the end of the line and embraced him in tears.
When at last The Righteous Man pulled away, he saw that The Man of Great Renown was angry. “Why are you angry?” he said.
“Because you have shown that you are not a righteous man,” said The Man of Great Renown.
The Man wiped his tears and said, “But I have invited you into my home; I have offered you my best bread and wine; I have given you the seat of honor; I let you sleep in my own bed; I sang for you my most blessed prayer and now I have kissed your hand. What more righteousness can I do?”
“You wanted to give me honor,” said The Man of Great Renown, “but instead you have insulted me because you neglected my friends.”
The Man was sad.
And The Man of Great Renown rode away with his followers, heading to a house that would welcome them all.
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