A Little Rope

Macarius the Great came to Antony on the mountain. When he knocked on the door, Antony went out and said, "Who are you?"

He said, "I am Macarius."

Antony went in and shut the door, and left Macarius outside. Afterwards, when he saw how patiently he waited, he opened the door to him and welcomed him saying, "I have heard of you, and for a long time I have wanted to see you." He was hospitable and refreshed him, for Macarius was tired with his hard work.

In the evening, Antony put out a few palm leaves for himself. Macarius said to him, "Give me some, so that I may work at them."

Antony said, "I only have these." So he made a pile of what he had, and they sat late, talking to the good of their souls, and made a plaited rope, and the rope hung out of the window in the cave. At dawn, Antony went out and saw the plait Macarius had made, and he marveled and kissed his hand, saying, "There is great virtue in those plaits."

~~Fractal, Rope, by Sven Geier