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<h3>THE WONDER—A PARABLE</h3> Friedrich Adolph Krummacher One day in the springtime, a youth was sitting under the palm trees in the garden of his father, the King. He was deep in thought. There came to him Nathan, the Prophet, saying, “Prince, why musest thou so earnestly under the palm trees?” The Prince lifted his head and answered, “Nathan, I would see a wonder.” The Prophet smiled and answered: “The same wish had I also in the days of my youth.” “And was it fulfilled?” asked the King’s son, hastily. “A Man of God came to me,” said Nathan, “having a pomegranate seed in his hand. Behold,’ he said, ‘what will come from this seed.’ Then with his finger he made a hole in the earth, planted the seed and covered it. When he withdrew his hands the clods parted one from another and I saw two small leaves coming forth. But scarcely had I beheld them,[83] when they joined together and became a round stem wrapped in bark, and the stem increased before my eyes and grew higher and thicker. Then the Man of God said to me, ‘Give heed!’ And as I looked, I saw many branches spread forth from the stem like great arms. I marvelled but the Man of God motioned me to keep silence. ‘Give heed,’ he said, ‘new creations begin.’ “Then he took water in the hollow of his hand from the rivulet by the wayside, and sprinkled the branches three times, and, lo, the branches were covered with green leaves, so that a cool shade spread over us and sweet odours filled the air. “‘From whence comes this perfume and this reviving shade?’ cried I. “‘Dost thou not see,’ said the Man of God, ‘these crimson flowers bursting from among the green leaves and hanging in clusters?’ I was about to speak but a gentle breeze moved the leaves, scattering the flowers among us, as when snow descendeth from the clouds. Scarcely had the falling flowers reached the ground when I saw the ruddy pomegranates[84] hanging between the leaves like the almonds on Aaron’s rod. Then the Man of God left me lost in wonder.” “What is the name of this Man of God? Is he yet alive?” “Son of David,” answered the Prophet, “I have spoken to thee of a vision.” When the Prince heard these words he was grieved in his heart. “How couldst thou deceive me thus?” he asked. But the Prophet replied, “I have not deceived thee. Behold in thy father’s garden thou mayest see in reality what I have told thee. Dost not this same wonder happen to the pomegranate trees and all the other trees in the garden?” “Yes,” answered the Prince, “but you cannot see it, and it comes to pass through a long time.” “Is it less wonderful because it cometh to pass in silence and unheeded? Learn to know nature and her workings, then wilt thou long no more for a wonder performed by the hand of man.” [85] <hr class="chap" />  [86] <h3>NATURE STORIES AND LEGENDS</h3> <hr class="chap" />  <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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