fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured
him. Then the angel said unto him, 'Take the fish,' And the young man
laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land. To whom the angel said,
'Open the fish and take the gall, and put it up safely.' So the young
man did as the angel commanded him, and when they had roasted the
fish, they did eat it: then they both went on their way, till they
drew near to Ecbatane. Then the young man said to the angel, 'Brother
Azarias, to what use is the gall of the fish?' And he said unto him,
'It is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he
shall be healed.'"

[Illustration: THE ANGEL RAPHAEL LEAVING THE FAMILY OF TOBIT
_The Louvre, Paris_]

After this curious incident there were no further adventures till they
came to Ecbatane. Here they lodged with Raguel, a kinsman of Tobit,
and when Tobias saw Sara, the daughter, he loved her and determined to
make her his wife. He therefore tarried fourteen days at Ecbatane,
sending Azarias on to Rages for the money. This delay lengthened the
time allotted for the journey, but at last the company drew near to
Nineveh,--Azarias or Raphael, and Tobias, with the bride, the
treasure, and the precious fishgall. Raphael then gave Tobias
directions to use the gall for his father's eyes. Their arrival was
the cause of great excitement. "Anna ran forth, and fell upon the neck
of her son. Tobit also went forth toward the door, and stumbled: but
his son ran unto him, and took hold of his father: and he strake of
the gall on his father's eyes, saying, 'Be of good hope, my father.'
And when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them; and the whiteness
pilled away from the corners of his eyes: and when he saw his son, he
fell upon his neck."

Now Tobit and Tobias were full of gratitude to Azarias for all that he
had done for them, and, consulting together as to how they could
reward him, decided to give him half the treasure. So the old man
called the angel, and said, "Take half of all that ye have brought,
and go away in safety." Then Raphael took them both apart, and said
unto them, "Bless God, praise him, and magnify him, and praise him
for the things which he hath done unto you in the sight of all that
live."

With this solemn introduction the angel goes on to tell Tobit that he
had been with him when he had buried his dead countrymen, and that his
good deeds were not hid from him, and that his prayers were
remembered. He concludes b