ck to his mother.

A Pharisee, called Simon, once asked Jesus to come and have dinner with
him. When anyone in that land went to a feast, the master of the house
used to kiss him, and say, 'The Lord be with you,' and put some sweet
smelling oil on his hair and beard, and the servants used to bring the
visitor water to wash his feet. But none of those kind things were
done to Jesus when He came to that Pharisee's house. Presently Jesus
and Simon began to eat. In that country, people often _lay_ down to
eat. Broad settees, or couches, were put round the table, and the
visitors used to lie down in rows on these settees. Their heads were
near the table, and their feet were the other way. They lay down on
their left side, and they had cushions to put their elbows on, so that
they could raise themselves up while they were eating. While Jesus and
Simon were at dinner, a woman came in out of the street. In the East,
people walk in and out of other people's houses just as they like. But
that woman had been very wicked, and Simon was not pleased when he saw
her come in. But nobody said anything to her. So she came to Jesus,
and stood at His feet, behind the couch on which He w as lying, and
cried till the tears ran down her face. Then as her tears dropped on
to the feet of Jesus, she stooped down and wiped them away with her
long hair. And then she kissed the feet of Jesus many times, and put
precious sweet-smelling ointment upon them. Perhaps she had heard some
beautiful words which Jesus had just been saying to the people out of
doors--

'COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE
YOU BEST.'

Her sins were like a heavy load, and so she had come to Jesus.

But Simon thought to himself, 'If Jesus had really come from God, He
would have known how wicked this woman is, and He would not have
allowed her to touch Him.'

Jesus knew what Simon was thinking, and He said that once upon a time
there were two men who owed some money. One owed a great deal of
money, and the other owed a little. But when the time came for them to
pay the money they could not do it. And the kind man forgave them both.

Jesus then asked Simon which of the two men would love that kind friend
most.

Simon said, 'I suppose he to whom he forgave most.'

Jesus said that that was quite right. Then He turned to the woman, and
said to Simon: 'Seest thou this woman? I came into thine house; thou
gavest Me no wate