As Je-sus came near to Je-ru-sa-lem he looked at it, and wept when he thought of the grief that the Jews were to know. And he taught each day in the church at Je-ru-sa-lem, but at night he went to Beth-a-ny to sleep. One morn as he was on his way back to Je-ru-sa-lem he saw a fig-tree by the road-side, and went to it to pluck some of the fruit. But he found on it naught but leaves. Then he said to it, Let no more figs grow on this tree. The next day when the twelve went by they saw that the fig-tree was dried up from its roots. And they thought of the words that Je-sus spoke, and said, How soon has the fig-tree dried up! Je-sus told them that they might do as much and more than he had done to the fig-tree, if they had faith in God, and sought strength from him. [Illustration: CHRIST WEEP-ING O-VER JER-U-SA-LEM.] Then he spoke to them in this way: There was a rich man who laid out a vine-yard, and dug a ditch round it to keep wild beasts and thieves a-way, and made a wine press, and let the place out to men who were to give him part of the fruit. Then he went off to a far land. When the time had come for the fruit to be ripe he sent one of his ser-vants to the men who had charge of the vine-yard, that he might bring back his share of the grapes. But the men took the ser-vant and beat him, and sent him off with no fruit in his hands. Then the one who owned the place sent once more, and the bad men threw stones at this ser-vant, and hurt him so in the head that he was like to die. The next one they killed, and so things went on. Now the rich man, who owned the place, had but one son, who was most dear to him. And he said, If I send my son to them they will be kind to him, and treat him well. But as soon as the bad men saw him they said, This is the heir; let us kill him, and all that is his shall be ours. And they took him and put him to death, and cast him out of the vine-yard. The vine-yard is the world. The one who owns it is God. The bad men are the Jews; he had taught them his laws, and they had vowed to keep them. When they did not do it, God sent priests and wise men to try and make them do what was right. These were stoned, and not a few were slain. At last he sent his own dear son, Je-sus. Now they meant to kill him, as the bad men had killed the heir of the vine-yard. When the Jews heard this talk they knew that Je-sus spoke of them, and they were wroth with him, and in haste to kill him. One day, on his way out of the tem-ple, Je-sus sat down near the box in which mon-ey was put for the use of the church. And he saw that the rich put in large sums. And there came a poor wid-ow who threw in two mites, which make a far-thing, or the fourth of a pen-ny. Je-sus said to the twelve, This poor wid-ow has cast in more than all the rest. For they had so much they did not miss what they gave; while she, who was poor and in want, did cast in all that she had. [Illustration: THE WID-OW'S MITE.] CHAPTER XVI. PARABLES.