Then Daniel explained it all to Melzar, who was the man whom Ashpenaz had set over them to control these smaller matters, and asked him to "prove" them by allowing them to have only "pulse to eat, and water to drink"; and if, after ten days, they looked less well than the others who were having the rich food from the king's table, then Daniel and his friends would do what Melzar wished. I think Daniel knew that his God would make it all right for them! And so it proved; for at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter than the others did, who ate the king's meat. And Melzar took away the wine and the good food, and gave them pulse and water, as they had asked. As for these four young men, God gave them skill to learn; and He gave Daniel the power to understand visions and dreams. So at the end of the three years the prince of the eunuchs brought them, and a number of the other captives, in before King Nebuchadnezzar; and the king communed with them; and among them all, he found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So they remained near the king, and when anything was wanted of them, they were there to do it. The king found, when he talked with them, that their wisdom and understanding was far beyond that of any of the others, and ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in his kingdom. These four young men, captives in a strange land, eating and drinking nothing but bread and water, were brave, faithful and obedient. "They had set the Lord always before them." Their one aim was to please Him; and as we go on with their story, we shall see that God was with them, and enabled them to be "more than conquerors through Him Who had loved them." [Illustration] XXXVI. THE SECRET IS REVEALED TO DANIEL IN those days, dreams and their meanings were much thought of, and great kings had their soothsayers and sorcerers, their magicians and astrologers, who were always at hand to explain doubtful or hard questions, and to pretend to look into the future. Many of them were extremely clever, and from long practice and observation, many of their answers and explanations seemed very plausible. So when Nebuchadnezzar, the great king, had a perplexing dream, which worried him very much, he sent for these soothsayers and magicians; and they at once, of course, asked what the dream had been, so that they might furnish the interpretation. But Nebuchadnezzar had to confess, that though the dream troubled him, he could not recall what it was! So the magicians were greatly alarmed; as they said, no king would ask his magicians to tell the dream, as well as the interpretation! But the king was angry and furious; and at length sent out an order that all the magicians and soothsayers in Babylon were to be destroyed. So the decree went out that all the "wise" men, meaning astrologers and soothsayers, were to be slain: and with them, Daniel and his companions would perish!