The eldest daughter had by this time grown inquisitive, and the next morning also insisted on going out into the forest. Her mother gave her pancakes - as many as she wanted, and bread and cheese as well. In the evening she found St. Joseph in his little hut, just as the two others had found him. When the soup was ready and St. Joseph said, I am so hungry, give me some of the food, the girl answered, wait until I am satisfied, then if there is anything left you shall have it. But she ate nearly the whole of it, and St. Joseph had to scrape the dish. Afterwards, the good old man offered her his bed, and wanted to lie on the straw. She took it without making any opposition, laid herself down in the little bed, and left the hard straw to the white-haired man. Next morning when she awoke, St. Joseph was not to be found, but she did not trouble herself about that. She looked behind the door for a money-bag. She fancied something was lying on the ground, but as she could not very well distinguish what it was, she stooped down, so that she touched it with her nose, where it remained hanging, and when she got up again, she saw, to her horror, that it was a second nose, which was hanging fast to her own. Then she began to scream and howl, but that did no good. She always had to look at her nose, for it stretched out so far. Then she ran out and screamed without stopping till she met St. Joseph, at whose feet she fell and begged until, out of pity, he took the nose off her again, and even gave her two farthings. When she got home, her mother was standing before the door, and asked, what have you had given to you. Then she lied and said, a great bag of money, but I have lost it on the way.
Lost it. Cried the mother. Oh, but we will soon find it again, and took her by the hand, and wanted to seek it with her. At first she began to cry, and did not wish to go, but at last she went. On the way, however, so many lizards and snakes broke loose on both of them, that they did not know how to save themselves. At last they stung the wicked child to death, and they stung the mother in the foot, because she had not brought her up better.
Three hundred years before the birth of the Lord christ, there lived a mother who had twelve sons, but was so poor and needy that she no longer knew how she was to keep them alive. She prayed to God daily that he would grant that all her sons might be on the earth with the redeemer who was promised. When her necessity became still greater she sent one of them after the other out into the world to seek their bread. The eldest was called peter, and he went out and had already walked a long way, a whole day's journey, when he came into a great forest.
He sought for a way out, but could find none, and went farther and farther astray, and at the same time felt such great hunger that he could scarcely stand. At length he became so weak that he was forced to lie down, and he believed death to be at hand. Suddenly there stood beside him a small boy who shone with brightness, and was as beautiful and kind as an angel.
The child smote his little hands together, until peter was forced to look up and see him. Then the child said, why are you sitting there in such trouble. Alas. Answered peter, Iam going about the world seeking bread, that I may yet see the dear savior who is promised, that is my greatest desire. The child said, come with me, and your wish shall be fulfilled. He took poor peter by the hand, and led him between some cliffs to a great cavern. When they entered it, everything was shining with gold, silver, and crystal, and in the midst of it twelve cradles were standing side by side. Then said the little angel, lie down in the first, and sleep a while, I will rock you.
Peter did so, and the angel sang to him and rocked him until he was alseep. And when he was asleep, the second brother came also, guided thither by his guardian angel, and he was rocked to sleep like the first, and thus came the others, one after the other, until all twelve lay there sleeping in the golden cradles. They slept, however, three hundred years, until the night when the savior of the world was born. Then they awoke, and were with him on earth, and were called the twelve apostles.
There was once a poor woman who had two children. The youngest had to go every day into the forest to fetch wood. Once when she had gone a long way to seek it, a little child, who was quite strong, came and helped her industriously to pick up the wood and carry it home, and then before a moment had passed the strange child disappeared. The child told her mother this, but at first she would not believe it. At length she brought a rose home, and told her mother that the beautiful child had given her this rose, and had told her that when it was in full bloom, he would return. The mother put the rose in water. One morning her child could not get out of bed. The mother went to the bed and found her dead, but she lay looking very happy. On the same morning, the rose was in full bloom.
There was once a king's son who went out into the world, and he was full of thought and sad. He looked at the sky, which was so beautifully pure and blue, then he sighed, and said, how well must all be with one up there in heaven.
Then he saw a poor gray-haired man who was coming along the road towards him, and he spoke to him, and asked, how can Iget to heaven. The man answered, by poverty and humility. Put on my ragged clothes, wander about the world for seven years, and get to know what misery is, take no money, but if you are hungry ask compassionate hearts for a bit of bread. In this way you will reach heaven.
