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 N THIS OCCASION a few other Jews also came to the spot where this wonder took place,
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and they very curiously asked Joseph what had taken place here.
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Among these were the neighboring parents of a certain very quarrelsome boy, who as the only child of his parents was greatly spoiled.
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The little Boy Jesus had already reprimanded this seven-year-old boy often because of his quarrelsome nature -
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but this did not help matters much; for as often as a new opportunity arose, he promptly quarreled again and quickly destroyed some plaything.
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This boy, who was present with the children this time also, became excited shortly after this wonder, took a willow twig and exclaimed,
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'Not bad, that these clay sparrows have flown away;
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so I shall promptly make the water fly away also with this twig!'
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After these words the boy, whose name was Annas, began to whip the water and to drive it from the little holes.
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Here the patience of the God-Child broke, and He said in a very serious tone of voice:
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'Oh you resentful, foolish, evil human being! You, a devil only recently come into the flesh, want to destroy what I have built?
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Oh you wretch, whom I can destroy with the least breath, you want to annoy Me and always defy Me?
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Behold, so your folly and your spite may become evident, you shall shrivel up for three years like the twig with which you have driven My water!'
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Upon this word of the God-Child the malicious boy at once sank down and shriveled up so greatly that nothing was to be seen but skin and bones
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and he became so weak that he could not stand and all the less walk.
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Here the sad parents took their shriveled child and carried him home weeping.
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Soon thereafter they came into Joseph's house and then brought an action against Joseph with the chief judge because of what his Child had done,
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which they did because Joseph did not permit them to punish his God-Child for this deed.
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When the chief judge arrived, the little Jesus went to meet him and asked him,
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'Why do you come here? Do you want to judge Me?'
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And the chief judge replied, 'Not You, but Your father!'
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And the little Jesus warned, 'Go back quickly, or your judgment will come upon you!'
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At this the chief judge became so frightened that he suddenly turned back and then would not hear any more about this matter.
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And that was the second wonder which the little Jesus effected at that same time.
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