It was the year 1757, during the Seven Years War between Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, and other European Powers. A certain cavalry officer was commissioned to look for food for the soldiers’ horses. He carried out this search in one of the provinces occupied by the troops.

He came to a valley where he had expected to find abundance of corn. But he was disappointed to see that the whole country was barren and uncultivated land as far as the eye could see. He was about to return to the camp, when he saw a hut almost hidden in a dense thicket not far from the path he was riding down.

Going up to the door, he knocked. It was opened by a hermit, whose hair and beard were white as the driven snow. Seeing that this old man was clearly a religious, the officer thus addressed him:

"My Father, could you point out to me any place in the neighborhood where I might be able to find provisions for our horses?"

The old man informed him that at some distance there was a field of barley. He offered to accompany the officer and his men, and point it out to them.

They traveled about a mile’s distance through the valley. Then at last they came to a field with a magnificent crop.

"Ah!" the officer exclaimed, "This must be the place. What a splendid crop!"

"No, sir," replied the hermit, "the field to which I am leading you is still at a little distance. But we shall soon now reach it."

About half a mile further on they came to another field. This too had a crop of ripe corn. But it was not as high quality as in the field they passed. Here the hermit stopped, and pointing to it, said:

"This is the field I told you about."

The men dismounted and cut down the ripe crop. Then, binding it in large bundles, placed the corn upon their horses, and returned by the path they had come.

Their return journey brought them near the nicer field. As they passed it, the officer rebuked the hermit:

"My Father, you have made us take a useless journey in bringing us so far, when here, much nearer to your house, is a field of barley even more abundant than the one you brought us to."

"Yes, sir," replied the old man, "the barley in this field is certainly better than that which you have taken. But then, this field belongs to someone else, whereas the field you have harvested belongs to me."

Hearing this, the officer was impressed by the selfless honesty of the hermit. The old man could have preserved his own corn by leading the troops to the nicer field, without a word of who it belonged to. The soldiers likely wouldn't have cared. But God did, and for that reason, so did the hermit.

It had been too long since the officer had been reminded of the need to put God first. But he was good at heart. Seeing this good man's example, the officer respectfully removed his hat, and gratefully bowed towards the humble hermit.