God's New Bible

The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James

Biographical Gospel of the Lord

- Chapter 194 -

The First Woman's Nature Is Rebuked

CYRENIUS AGAIN tossed his marble first, and this time landed in the ninth little pit, and the children of Cyrenius declared,
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'Father Cyrenius, that is really moving up: from child to prime minister, and that at the first toss!
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If you were to toss again, you surely could get into the King's pit.'
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But Cyrenius said, 'My children, I am already satisfied with this honor - so you just go ahead and toss the marbles.
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See to it that you get into the children's pit quite often, for there you will find the best and most desirable place.'
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Thereupon Sixtus quickly tossed, landed in the children's pit and was quite happy.
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Then the oldest girl tossed and again landed in the second mother's pit.
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At this the girl complained as she had done before, saying, 'Oh, so I have to be the mother again after all!'
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Here the little Child went over, took the marble out of the pit, handed it back to the girl and said,
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'Here, toss again, you dissatisfied one - but see to it that you do not toss into the mother's pit again!'
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The girl now tossed once more, landed in the same pit, and nearly wept from vexation.
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At this the little Child again stepped over to her and asserted, 'Oh you tyrannical creature! Truly, in you the first woman's nature is revealed!
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What shall I do with you, oh serpent's nature, oh lion's paw?
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I shall promptly call a mouse that will really torment you, then you will no doubt become more to My liking.'
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At this the girl quickly fell on her knees before the little Child and implored amid tears,
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'My dearest Jesus, I beg You, just no mouse or rat - for that makes me terribly afraid!
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Truly I will a thousand times rather take the part of the mother than to see a single mouse!'
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Here the little Child said, 'This time I shall spare you with a mouse -
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but if you grumble once more, then ten mice will come at you at once and sniff at your feet!'
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At this the girl was quiet as a mouse and watched quite patiently while the other children occupied all the other pits,
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and did not even take exception when another girl occupied the father's pit, which otherwise always vexed her the most if a boy did not occupy it.
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Lastly the girl tossed and still once more landed in the mother's pit.
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At this she bit her lips in secret vexation.
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And the little Child smiled, took a little twig, dabbed all the marbles with it and then breathed over the little pits, and instantly a lively mouse sat therein in place of the marble.
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When the girl beheld these little animals she began to scream and to talk incoherently in great excitement, and ran away.
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Here Joseph came outside and asked, 'My dear Jesus, what is the matter between You and the girl again, that she screams so loudly?'
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The little Child replied, 'She is jealous, as always, so I have visited her again with a few mice!'
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At this Joseph smiled and went after the girl to calm her, while the rest of the children peacefully continued with their game, for they saw nothing of the terrible mice.

Footnotes