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 FTER A WHILE Jonathan said to Joseph, 'Brother, now who would ever have let it enter his head, even in a dream, that the earth might be an enormously large globe.
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So we inhabit only the surface of this globe?
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But what about the sea? Does that also belong to the globe, or does the actual solid earth-globe float on it?'
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Here the little Child bestirred Himself and stated, 'So all of you may not lose your beneficial sleep for all this futile speculation, I shall have to free you from your delusion!
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Step closer, and you, James, hurry and bring another especially nice orange.'
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When the orange was brought, the little Child took hold of it and said:
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'Behold, that is the earth! I now want this orange to become a perfect likeness of the earth on a smallest scale with mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, oceans and also inhabited places built by men. So be it!'
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At that moment there appeared on the hand of the little Child a perfect globe of the earth in miniature - which upon the 'So be it!' had in fact become a hundred times larger than the orange.
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The ocean, the rivers, lakes, mountains as well as the cities were to be seen on this globe just as they actually were.
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Everyone now pressed up close to look at this wonderful creation of the earth on a minute scale.
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Joseph soon found Nazareth and Jerusalem thereon and was amazed at their perfect likeness.
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Eudokia soon found Thebes in her homeland and was amazed at its perfect representation.
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Thus Rome was also found as well as a great many other known localities.
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The inspection of this globe lasted over an hour and seemed never to come to an end.
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Even Mary enjoyed looking at this little earth so much that she became greatly animated by her observations.
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And the eight children held their eyes glued to this miniature earth as if they had been turned to stone.
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The little Child now explained the nature of the earth in great detail like a professor of geography, and all understood His words.
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When the little Child had completed His explanation, He said to James,
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'James, now take a string and hang this globe somewhere so it hangs free, that those thirsting after knowledge will find something to occupy them tomorrow also!
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But for today let us forget this earth and go to rest after the evening meal;
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for I have become hungry and thirsty during the time you fed on the moon and on the earth.'
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Here Joseph immediately ordered the kitchen master Joel to prepare an evening meal and to put it on the table. And Joel went with the other three brothers and prepared a good evening meal.
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