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Joseph began to dream strange dreams, which he always told to them.

As they sat around in the fields watching the sheep, the boy would
come running to them, full of excitement, as he begged them to listen
to a wonderful dream he had had.

"Hear, I pray thee, this dream that I have dreamed!" he cried, sitting
down amongst them. "We were binding sheaves in a field, and lo! my
sheaf arose and also stood upright, and, behold, your sheaves stood
round about and bowed to my sheaf!"

Another time his dream was about the stars; the sun and moon and
eleven stars, he said, had all bowed down before him. This was really
more than his brothers could bear. Did he really think he was going to
rule over them? Were they to bow down before this boasting boy in his
fine coat?

Even his father did not quite approve of these dreams. But Joseph had
not really meant to boast. It was the wonder of the dreams that made
him repeat them. If he was proud of his coat of many colours, it was
only because it was a gift from his father. He was a straightforward
good-natured boy, clever and brave, and ready to take his turn in
watching the flocks or helping his brothers with their work in the
fields.

But it grew day by day more difficult to keep the peace at home, and
the only quiet times were when the elder brothers went farther afield
to find new pasture for their flocks.

It was at one of these times, when the brothers had been gone for some
time, that Jacob called Joseph to him, and bade him go and find his
brothers, and bring back news if they were safe and well.

Joseph was now a lad of about seventeen, and this would be the first
journey he had taken by himself, so he was eager to show that he was
to be trusted, and he set out most cheerfully.

After some days he arrived at Shechem, where his father had told him
he would find his brothers. But he could find no signs of them there.
Unwilling to go home without news, Joseph wandered about until he met
a man who directed him to a place farther on where his brothers might
be, and at last he caught sight of their tents in a field far ahead.
How lucky he was to find them, he thought to himself, as he hurried
forward eager to meet them.

It was a clear day, and the shepherds' keen eyes could see far along
the winding road that stretched out across the low hills towards
Shechem. Long before Joseph came within hail, his brothers saw his
figure in the distance hastening towards them. Per