There was a lonely and unhappy man. He prayed to God saying:
“O Lord, please send me a pretty woman: I’m very lonely, and I need a friend!”
God asked the man:
“Why not a cross?”
The man was angry:
“A cross? Do I look like a man who’s tired of his life?! I want a pretty woman!”
So he received a pretty woman but he soon became even unhappier than he used to be: that woman was a pain in his heart. He prayed to God again:
“O Lord give me a sword!”
He was planning to kill that woman and get rid of her. He was dreaming of the good old times.
God asked the man again:
“Why not a cross? Don’t you think it’s time to get a cross?”
The man was in a fury:
“Don’t you see that this woman is worse than any cross? Please give me a sword!”
The sword appeared. The man attempted to kill the woman but he was caught and sentenced to crucifixion. He was praying to God on the cross, and loudly exclaimed:
“I’m sorry, O Lord! I didn’t listen to you when you offered me the cross. If I’d listened to you, I’d have avoided all that unnecessary hassle.”
Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds
