Page:The Apocryphal New Testament (1924).djvu/112
lots for the colours of the veil. Mary had the purple: the others were jealous and called her in sport 'Regina virginum'. An angel rebuked them and said it was a true prophecy. They were abashed and asked Mary to pray for them.
IX. Mary at the fountain addressed by an angel. On the next day as she wove he appeared again and completed the Annunciation.
X. Joseph returned from Capernaum and found Mary great with child. His lament. The virgins defended Mary, but Joseph lamented still.
XI. The angel reassured him, and he asked pardon of Mary.
XII. Rumour went forth, and Joseph and Mary were summoned by the priests. The water of jealousy administered by Abiathar. Joseph and Mary each went about the altar seven times and no sign appeared. All asked her pardon and took her home in triumph.
XIII. Caesar's decree. They went to Bethlehem. The two peoples—Jews and Gentiles—weeping and laughing. An angel made her dismount and enter a dark cave which began to shine. There Christ was born. Joseph was gone to find midwives and brought Zelomi and Salome. Zelomi believed, Salome was incredulous, and her hand withered and was healed by touching the swaddling cloth. The shepherds' vision. The star shone.
XIV. On the third day Mary left the cave and went to a stable and put the child in the manger, and the ox and ass adored him, fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah and Habakkuk. There they stayed three days.
XV. On the sixth day they went to Bethlehem, kept the sabbath, and circumcised the child on the eighth day. The Presentation: Symeon and Anna.
XVI. After the second year came the magi: told as in the Gospel.
XVII. Massacre of the Innocents; the warning to flee into Egypt.
Here the use of the Protevangelium ends. It will be seen that it has been freely dealt with. Among the interesting things that have been left out is the standing still of all creation at the moment of the Birth. Nor is John the Baptist or Zacharias mentioned at all.
Chapters XVIII-XXIV deal with the Flight into Egypt and the sojourn there. They may or may not be translated from a written source: on the whole I think they are not. Some tell of fulfilments of prophecy, others may depend on local legend.
XVIII. They came to a cave and wished to rest there. Mary dismounted and sat with Jesus in her lap. There were three boys with Joseph and a girl with Mary. Suddenly a number of dragons came out of the cave, and ali cried out in fear. Jesus got down from his mother's lap and stood before the dragons,