<A story told by Abba Cosmas the Eunuch, who lived in the laura of Pharan, about happened to himself once, when he was doubtful about the meaning of a passage from the Gospel.>
… Since I could not find the explanation, however long I meditated on this saying, I came out of my cell in that some hour of high noon, feeling that I ought to go to Abba Theophilus in the Laura of the Towers, and ask him. When I was in the desert, near the Reed-bush (Calamon) I saw a gigantic dragon descending from the mountain to the Reed-bush; and it was so big, when It moved, its body curved to make a kind of dome. And suddenly I found myself under this dome, but I passed through unarmed. So I understood that the devil wanted to hinder my zeal (of knowledge), but the prayers of the old man (Abba Theophilus) had helped me. So I went on and referred to Abba Theophilus the passage of the Scripture (that had puzzled me) …
(tr. Leah di Segni)