he stayed forty days. With bowed head and
sad eyes when he was alone, he knelt and prayed that God would tell him
what he had done to deserve this disgrace.

And as he prayed God sent an angel to comfort him.

The angel placed his hand upon the bowed head of the poor old man, and
told him to be of good cheer and to return home at once to his wife.

'For God will even now send thee a child,' said the angel.

So with a thankful heart which never doubted the angel's word, Joachim
turned his face homewards.

Meanwhile, at home, Anna had been sorrowing alone. That same day she
had gone into the garden, and, as she wandered among the flowers, she
wept bitterly and prayed that God would send her comfort. Then there
appeared to her also an angel, who told her that God had heard her
prayer and would send her the child she longed for.

'Go now,' the angel added, 'and meet thy husband Joachim, who is even
now returning to thee, and thou shall find him at the entrance to the
Golden Gate.'

So the husband and wife did as the angel bade them, and met together at
the Golden Gate. And the Angel of Promise hovered above them, and laid
a hand in blessing upon both their heads.

There was no need for speech. As Joachim and Anna looked into each
other's eyes and read there the solemn joy of the angel's message,
their hearts were filled with peace and comfort.

And before long the angel's promise was fulfilled, and a little
daughter was born to Anna and Joachim. In their joy and thankfulness
they said she should not be as other children, but should serve in the
temple as little Samuel had done. The name they gave the child was
Mary, not knowing even then that she was to be the mother of our Lord.

The little maid was but three years old when her parents took her to
present her in the temple. She was such a little child that they almost
feared she might be frightened to go up the steps to the great temple
and meet the high priest alone. So they asked if she might go in
company with the other children who were also on their way to the
temple. But when the little band arrived at the temple steps, Mary
stepped forward and began to climb up, step by step, alone, while the
other children and her parents watched wondering from below. Straight
up to the temple gates she climbed, and stood with little head bent low
to receive the blessing of the great high priest.

So the child was left there to be taught to serve God and to learn how