to embroider the purple and fine linen for the priests' vestments.
Never before had such exquisite embroidery been done as that which
Mary's fingers so delicately stitched, for her work was aided by angel
hands. Sleeping or waking, the blessed angels never left her.

When it was time that the maiden should be married, so many suitors
came to seek her that it was difficult to know which to choose. To
decide the matter they were all told to bring their staves or wands and
leave them in the temple all night, that God might show by a sign who
was the most worthy to be the guardian of the pure young maid.

Now among the suitors was a poor carpenter of Nazareth called Joseph,
who was much older and much poorer than any of the other suitors. They
thought it was foolish of him to bring his staff, nevertheless it was
placed in the temple with the others.

But when the morning came and the priest went into the temple, behold,
Joseph's staff had budded into leaves and flowers, and from among the
blossoms there flew out a dove as white as snow.

So it was known that Joseph was to take charge of the young maid, and
all the rest of the suitors seized their staves and broke them across
their knees in rage and disappointment.

Then the story goes on to the birth of our Saviour as it is told to you
in the Bible.

It was this story which Ghirlandaio painted on the walls of the chapel,
as well as the history of John the Baptist. Then, as Giovanni directed,
he painted the arms of the Tournabuoni on various shields all over the
chapel, and only in the tabernacle of the sacrament on the high altar
he painted a tiny coat of arms of the Ricci family.

The chapel was finished at last and every one flocked to see it, but
first of all came the Ricci, the owners of the chapel.

They looked high and low, but nowhere could they see the arms of their
family. Instead, on all sides, they saw the arms of the Tournabuoni. In
a great rage they hurried to the Council and demanded that Giovanni
Tournabuoni should be punished. But when the facts were explained, and
it was shown that the Ricci arms had indeed been placed in the most
honourable part, they were obliged to be content, though they vowed
vengeance against the Tournabuoni. Neither did Ghirlandaio get his
extra two hundred gold pieces, for although Giovanni was delighted with
the frescoes he never paid the price he had promised.

To the end of his days Ghirlandaio loved nothing so much as t