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 HE WOMAN then entreated Mary to let her remain with her for a time, so she might serve the house in which such great salvation had come to her.
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And Mary said, 'Woman, that is not up to me, for I am only a handmaiden of the Lord myself,
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but wait here a while until my husband returns home from the field. He will let you know what is to be done!'
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Here the woman fell at Mary's feet and wanted to downright worship her as a goddess, for she considered the healing of her eyesight as too great a wonder, since she was born blind.
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But Mary sternly rebuked her and departed into another room.
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The woman then began to weep at this, for she was of the opinion that she had thus offended her greatest benefactress.
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At this James, who was coaxing the Baby in the same room, looked at the woman and asked her,
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'Why do you weep as if someone had hurt you?'
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The woman replied, 'Oh, you dear youth! I have just offended her who gave me the light of my eyes! Why should I then not weep?'
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Here James said, 'Oh, worry about something else! The young woman who handed you the bath-water is gentler than a turtle-dove, so she can never be offended.
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And if anyone did want to offend her, he still is not able to do so,
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for she then blesses him ten times for an offence and entreats the offender for his friendship again in such a manner that even the hardest stone could not resist!
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See, that is how good this woman is! So just do not worry, for I can assure you that right now she is praying to God for you.'
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And so it was - Mary was indeed praying to God for this woman that He might enlighten her understanding so she then would realize that she, Mary, was only a frail woman also.
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Mary was indeed of the highest nobility not only naturally (in that she was of the direct lineage of a king) but her joy consisted therein that she be humbled everywhere and by everyone.
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After a while the dear, good Mary returned and earnestly asked the woman to forgive her in case she might have spoken to her too sternly.
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This behavior of Mary almost took the thankful woman's life from sheer love of Mary.
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And the woman exclaimed in the full rapture of her love,
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'Oh you dear psyche of my sex, what your noblest heart has rebuked me of, nations will one day bring you!
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For among all the women on earth you are surely the first who stands in a covenant with the high gods all the more surely, since beside your truly divine goodness you are also so inexpressibly kind, gracious and lovely!'
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Here Mary stated, 'Dear woman, after I am dead people can do with me what they like, but during my lifetime that shall not happen!'
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Here Joseph returned with the four sons, and Mary at once led the woman to him and told him all that had happened.
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