I think this story was by Kipling -- it's set in India, during the British Empire.

Maybe a few dozen pages in length.

The plot --

• An Indian man had had a successful career, as a ruler or a high adviser/administrator, maybe had a medal, was semi-famous
• Retired, left home, set out to become a holy man or hermit (which the author says is traditional in Indian society in the 3rd phase of life)
• Leaves the city unnoticed/unrecognised (contrasted with his previous fame)
• Eventually finds an abandoned spot -- with a room, a little temple or something -- at the top of a hill in the country-side
• The local villagers bring him alms food and he stays there, becomes their local holy man
• The local animals become unafraid of him and visit
• One night he's awoken by a lot of animals arriving
• He somehow knows there's an earthquake and they all (i.e. he and the animals) race off down the hill-side
• They pass through the village, which is lower down the hill, wake everyone up, all the villagers leave the village too, gather on the other side of the valley
• The hillside falls down, obliterating the village (but the villagers are safe)
• The man then dies (of old age, basically) and the villagers resume their life