Elijah Disguised as an Old Man Teaches Rabbi Eleazar to Read

Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Shimon was appointed a public officer in charge of forced labor. One time Elijah, remembered for good, came to him in the form of an old man. He said to him: prepare an animal for me. He said to him: what do you have to load? He said to him: this worn-out bag of mine, this cloak of mine, and a mount. He said: look at this old man! I could pick him up and carry him to the end of the world, and he says, prepare an animal for me. What did he do? He set him on his back and carried him up mountains and down crags, across fields of thorns and fields of brambles. At the end the old man began to make himself heavy upon him. He said to him: old man, old man, make yourself light, or else I will throw you off. He said to him: do you wish to rest a little? He said: yes. What did he do? He brought him into a field and seated him beneath a tree and gave him food and drink. And when he had eaten and drunk, the old man said to him: all this rushing about, where does it get you? Would it not be better for you to take up the craft of your fathers? He said to him: and can you teach me? He said to him: yes. And some say Elijah, remembered for good, spent thirteen years teaching him until he could recite Scripture. And when he could recite Scripture, they said he could no longer carry even his cloak. The household of Rabban Gamliel had a certain servant of the house who used to carry forty se'ah to the baker. The old man said to him: such fine strength is in you, yet you do not devote it to Scripture? And when he could recite Scripture, they said he could no longer carry even one se'ah. And some say even his apron, if another did not lift it off him, he could not carry by himself.