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[Illustration]
SHEPHERD BOY ON THE HILLS NEAR BETHLEHEM

Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.

This attractive picture of the shepherd lad shows that the work of
the shepherd still goes on in Judea as it did in the days of the
shepherd boy, David. A writer gives this picture of the shepherd
life at the present day: "Sometimes we enjoyed our noonday rest
beside one of those Judean wells, to which two or three shepherds
come down with their flocks. The flocks mixed with each other, and
we wondered how each shepherd would get his own again. But after the
watering and the playing were over, the shepherds one by one went up
different sides of the valley, and each called out his peculiar
call; and the sheep of each drew out of the crowd, to their own
shepherd, and the flocks passed away as orderly as they came. 'The
Shepherd of the Sheep, . . . when he putteth forth his own sheep, he
goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his
voice. And a stranger will they not follow,' 'I am the Good
Shepherd, and know my sheep and am known of mine.' These words our
Lord spake in Judea."
[End illustration]

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How the hot sun beats down in the summer! How dry all the ground
looks! That is a desert. The little donkeys find it hard to travel on
the long, stony desert roads. They must carry water to drink, or they
would die of thirst. But if they carry water, they cannot carry much
else.

Did you ever see a camel? They have long legs and broad feet, that can
walk over the sand without sinking in. What long necks and queer
humped backs they have! They are not beautiful animals. I am sorry to
say that they are not very good tempered either, but are often very
cross and stubborn. Sometimes they reach out that long neck and try to
bite. Sometimes they refuse to go if they think they are loaded too
heavily. But often they are very patient. They carry heavy loads and
travel long distances. They can go a long time without drinking, where
a horse or an ass would die of thirst. They are made for a desert
country. Men call them "the ship of the desert." They were often used
for long journeys in Bible times, as they are still in the same
countries. Here is a story which tells how a servant of Abraham made a
long journey on camels, and how the camels were given drink at the
close of the journey.

"And the servant took ten camels of the camels