Once a farmer lived in valley through which ran a beautiful river. But one year
there was much too much rain, and too much snow in the mountains. In the spring,
the river rose and threatened to flood out the farmer.
By the time the water had reached below the windows of his farmhouse, a neighbor
rowed by in a boat and asked if he needed rescue. "By no means," answered
the farmer, "I have complete faith in God. And God shall rescue me."
The rising floodwater forced the farmer upstairs into the second floor of his
house. A federal officer in a motorboat came up, asking the farmer if he wanted help.
"No, no," answered the farmer, "I have faith in God. And surely God
shall rescue me. Quite soon, I imagine."
Finally, the water rose so high the farmer had to clamber onto the roof of his
house. The Sheriff's helicopter flew over, then turned and hovered overhead, telling
the farmer the river was still rising and they had come to rescue him. "No,
no, no!" answered the farmer. "I have faith in God. And God will rescue
me very soon. Go help someone who really needs it!"
Very soon thereafter, then, the farmer found himself, very wet and dripping, standing
in front of Saint Peter at Heaven's Pearly Gates. "What happened?" he spluttered.
"What am I doing here? I had faith in God. Why didn't God rescue me?"
"What in Heaven's name did you want?" St Peter said. "We sent a
rowboat, and then a motorboat, andthen a helicopter!"
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Source: The Farmer and the Flood: Folktale: Rev. Nancy Black