And there was one An-na, who kept all the fasts, and served God night and day. She was four-score and four years old, and could fore-tell what was to take place, and her fame was great. And she came in-to the house of God while Sim-e-on yet spoke, and gave thanks to the Lord, and told of him who was to come to save the Jews, and to give them back their rights. Then Ma-ry and Jo-seph went back to their own home in Naz-a-reth. And the child grew, and was strong, and wise, and God blest him from day to day. CHAPTER II. THE STAR IN THE EAST. IN these days God spoke to men by strange signs, and wise ones were all the time on the watch for them. They had read in their old books of a star that was to shine with a bright light, and each night they would raise their eyes to the sky, in hopes that they might see this sign that would bring hope and joy to the whole race of Jews. But years and years had gone by, and the Jews had no land of their own, and were as slaves to the Ce-sar of Rome. And He-rod, their king, was most harsh to them, for he had skill in the use of a sword, but not in the use of kind words, or good deeds. [Illustration: THE GUID-ING STAR.] One night as a wise man lay on the roof of his house, with his gaze fixed on the great broad sky, he gave a start and cry of joy, for there shone a new star of such size that all the rest of the stars grew dim and small. And it was as if the sun had burst through a dark cloud, and brought the dawn some hours too soon, for the whole East was full of light from the long rays of this new star. And the star seemed to move, and its rays to point all one way. And the wise men who saw it knew that the light had come for which they had looked and prayed so long, and they set out at once with the star to guide them, and they took rich gifts with them. Each night it shone in the sky, and led them on and on till they came to Je-ru-sa-lem. And they said to those they met there, Where is he that is born to be King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to kneel down at his feet. When He-rod heard of these things, and that they spoke of Je-sus as King, he was in great fear lest he should lose his throne. So he sent for his chief priests and scribes that they might tell him where Christ should be born. And they read from their old books that it had been fore-told that he should be born in Beth-le-hem. Then He-rod sent for the wise men, and told them to go to Beth-le-hem, and search for the young child. And when ye find him, said he, bring me back word that I too may fall down at his feet and give him praise. But this he did not mean to do, for his plan was to put the child to death just as soon as he could find out where it was. [Illustration: THE SHEP-HERDS OF BETH-LE-HEM.]