what we have gone through it is no wonder. This legend of a
young King of the Jews has been a real fatality to us. Whoever started
it can never answer for all the woes it brings."

"Let us leave that to the Lord, Joseph, and do what it is ours to do."

When Joseph was alone with her he said: "It seems to me, Mary, that you
believe our Jesus is destined for great things. But you must remember
that a basket-maker's hut is not exactly the right place for that. He
would have a better chance at Pharaoh's court--like Moses. And we know
that the King of Egypt is no friend of Herod. No, that is not his
line; he really wishes well to the child, and no one can better
understand that than ourselves. Did he not say that our darling should
be treated like the children of the nobles?"

In the end she decided to do what was best for the child. He was past
ten years old, and if he wished to go from the mud hut to the palace,
well, she would not forbid it.

Jesus heard her words. "Mother," he said, and stood in front of her,
"I do not wish to go from the mud hut to the palace, but I want to see
the world and men and how they live. I am not abandoning my parents to
go to Pharaoh--although I go, I remain here with you."

"You remain with us," said his mother, "and yet I see that even now you
are no longer here."

But she would not let him know how it was with her. He should not see
her weep. She would not spoil his pleasure. And then they discovered
that after all he was not going very far away, only from the Nile to
the town, and that Pharaoh had promised him liberty; he could visit his
parents, and return to them whenever he so wished. But he would no
longer be the same child who went from them. Mary reflected that that
was the usual case with mother and son; the youth gave himself up more
and more to strangers, and less and less of him remained to his mother.
There remained to her the memory that she had borne him in pain, that
she had nourished him with her life; she had a claim on him more sacred
and everlasting than any other could have. But gradually and
inevitably he separated himself from his mother, and what she would do
for him, and give him, and be to him, he kindly but decidedly set
aside. She must even give him her prayerful blessing in secret; she
hardly dared to touch his head with her trembling hands.

Next day at noon a royal litter stood before the hut. Two slaves were
the bearers, one of whom w