In a town named Vladimir there was a young merchant named Ivan Aksionov. He had a few shops to his name and a comfortable home to himself. 

He was young and dreamt of riches beyond his imagination, he was married to a beautiful wife and they had beautiful children of their own. 

One day, before he departed to sell his merchandise away from home, his wife came running to him warning him not to go. She told him that at night she dreamt that if he left his hair would turn grey and that she had an awful feeling deep inside her eating her up. 

Aksionov laughed it off and told her the dream was a sign of good luck, and that he would come home with riches beyond her imagination. Even though she did not feel comfortable she couldn’t force him to stay, he then kissed her and left. 

The trip was long and treacherous, he rode for several hours until he reached an inn. There he met a fellow merchant that was travelling in the same direction as him. They became acquainted and drank tea together at the inn, before heading to sleep in their adjoining bedrooms. 

The night was peaceful and long, Aksionov was exhausted from the long day of travel and slumber overtook him.

The next day, he rose early with the pink dawn, packed his belongings and left to further his journey.

Less than a mile into his journey he was stopped by what seemed to be an officer, this officer began questioning where he was, where he was headed, who he had met and more.

Aksionov was confused and clueless, then the officer asked him if he knew about the death of the fellow merchant at the inn. His throat was slit and blood filled the room, the killer had not been found yet and therefore he needed to search Aksionov. 

Aksionov, now surprised and confused, allowed the officer to search his belongings, knowing well that he was safe. But when he heard a gasp from the officer, he turned to face in horror a bloody knife that had managed to make its way in his baggages. 

Overwhelmed and shocked, he did not know what to say, making him look all the more guilty. The officer did not need a second opinion and ordered his men to tie him up and take him away.

On the ride to his sentence, Aksionov couldn’t help but question everything that had happened, and most importantly, why it had happened to such an innocent and young man. He kept his mouth shut, and put trust in God that the issue would be resolved. 

Upon arriving and waiting for his trial, his wife was finally allowed to see him after relentless begging. When she saw him she was upset he did not listen to her, but also was taunting him by asking him if he did it. Aksionov could not believe she believed he killed the innocent merchant, and when she left, he felt even more upset. 

When it was announced he was guilty for the crime he did not commit, the young merchant was helpless and gave up his life to god. He believed that for whatever reason this misfortune arose, god’s choices had reason behind them.

He was sent off far away to prison, there he grew old and grey, just like his wife had said. His beard became long and thin, and his bones started falling apart. Even though this was not the life he had intended to fulfill, he had gained the respect of the officers and other inmates, he was nicknamed the ‘grandfather’. 

One day a new inmate arrived. He began becoming familiar with the others and started to ask old Aksionov some questions. Aksionov began to be suspicious of this new face, he felt like something was off and when he asked about the event he was involved with it seemed like he finally found the real killer.

Being the man he was, he kept his mouth closed and kept honest to God’s will. He ignored the new inmate for the next few days and kept away from him.

One night, he stumbled on the new man digging a whole to escape. He told him that if he kept his mouth shut nothing would happen and he could escape too. Aksionov told him he had no reason to, his wife was dead and his children had long forgotten him. He told him he wouldn’t say anything and left him to his demises. 

The next day an officer went around questioning everyone about the hole, when it came to Aksionov he knew this man was pure and honest so he trusted him. Aksionov would repeat that it was not his place to say and that god had chosen it to be that way.

When the officer finally gave up, the new inmate came rushing to him pleading for forgiveness. He felt guilty and wrong for what he did and had never planned it to end up that way. The old man kept quiet and listened to the man’s pleas, he even was willing to confess and let Aksionov walk free again. He was crying and begging him for forgiveness as it repenting a sin. 

But when Aksionov was finally freed from his unfair sentence, they found him dead.