A Child's Story Garden

THE STORY OF JOSEPH

Many years ago there lived a little lad named Joseph. He was comely, and his face was beautiful, because his heart was pure and good.

Joseph had many brothers, but because of his gentleness and comeliness the old father loved him more than all the others. One time he gave Joseph a coat woven with many beautiful colors, as a token of his love for his favorite son.

Now, when the older brothers saw this they were angry and jealous, and from that time on they sought to do him harm.

Jacob, the father, owned many sheep, and the sons cared for them, sometimes leading them far from home to find the best pastures. Joseph often went with the brothers to tend the flocks, but he loved best to care for the tender little lambs, leading them into the greenest pastures and beside the quiet water.

One time the brothers were far from home with the flocks, and the father, being anxious for them and longing to know how they fared, sent Joseph, the beloved son, with many provisions, to the place where his brothers were. The lad started on his journey with a light and merry heart, for all the world looked bright to him. He wore the beautiful coat of many colors, and the people often stopped to look at the lad, with his comely face and beautiful coat.

As he approached the place where his brothers were they saw him when he was yet some distance away, but the anger and jealousy arose in their hearts, and they said: "Ah! Here comes the best beloved son. Let us do away with him. Then the love which our father gives to him may be bestowed upon us." So, as the lad drew nearer, they planned how they might destroy him. But one, the oldest brother, loved Joseph, and tried to save him from the hands of his evil brothers. So when they said, "Let us destroy him," Reuben, the eldest, said: "Nay, but let us cast him into a pit near by," thinking he would save him when the other brothers left.

So when Joseph drew near they seized him, stripped him of his coat of many colors, and cast him into a pit, and left him there alone.

Then they said: "Let us make a feast. See, our father hath sent us many things." And they sat down and made a feast with the things which their brother Joseph had brought to them.

As they were eating they looked up, and, coming down the roadway, they saw a large company of merchantmen passing on their way to Egypt. Then an evil plan came to the mind of one brother, and he said: "It is going to bring us no gain to keep Joseph in the pit. Let us sell him to those men and gain money for ourselves." The brothers agreed, and Joseph, the beloved son, was sold into Egypt for twenty pieces of silver.

When the brothers went home they took the coat of many colors to the old father, and said: "Is not this thy son's coat which we found? An evil son, and would not be comforted.