ed his kingdom, Daniel conversed with him,
and was honoured above all his friends. Now, the Babylonians had an idol
called Bel, which the king worshipped, but Daniel worshipped his own
God. The king said unto him: Why dost thou not worship Bel? Daniel
answered: Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the
living God. Then the king said: Thinkest thou not that Bel is a living
god? Seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day? Then
Daniel smiled and said: O king, be not deceived; for this is but clay
within and brass without, and it never eateth or drinketh anything. Then
trial was made by order of the king, and meat and wine were set in the
temple, the door made fast, and sealed with the king's signet. The
priests of Bel were three score and ten, besides their wives and
children, and they little regarded the trial, for under the table they
had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered the temple continually
and consumed the meat and the wine. But Daniel had commanded his
servants to strew the temple floor with ashes, before the door was shut
and sealed. Now, in the night came the priests with their wives and
children, as they were wont, and did eat and drink up all.

In the morning betimes the king arose, and Daniel with him. As soon as
the door was opened, the king looked upon the table, and cried with a
loud voice: Great art thou, O Bel, and with thee is no deceit at all.
Then laughed Daniel, and said: Behold the pavement, and mark well whose
footsteps are these. And the king saw the footsteps of men, women, and
children, and was angry when he was shown the privy doors where they
came in and consumed such things as were upon the table. Therefore the
king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel's power, who destroyed the
idol and the temple.

In the same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon
worshipped. The king said to Daniel: Lo! this dragon liveth, eateth,
drinketh; thou canst not say that he is no living god; therefore worship
him. Then said Daniel: I will worship the Lord, for he is the living
God. But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without
sword or staff.

The king gave him leave, and Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and
did seethe them together, and made lumps thereof. These he put in the
dragon's mouth, and the dragon burst in sunder. Then Daniel said: Lo,
these are the gods ye worship!

When they of Babylon heard that, they conspired again