y Pharaoh, the king, dreamed
a dream. He was standing on the banks of a river, and saw seven fat
cows come up out of the water and feed in a meadow; afterwards seven
very lean cows came up and devoured the fat ones. Then Pharaoh awoke;
but he dreamed again, and saw that seven very poor ears of corn
devoured seven that were full and good. In the morning he was greatly
troubled. What could the dreams mean? He called for the magicians and
the wise men, but they could not tell. At last it was told him how
Joseph had interpreted the dreams in the prison; so he sent for
Joseph, who came from the prison, and stood before the king.

Pharaoh said, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can
interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand
a dream to interpret it." Joseph answered, "It is not in me: God shall
give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Then Joseph told Pharaoh that the
dreams had been sent by God, to show him that after seven years of
great plenty had passed there would come seven years of famine. He
also advised Pharaoh to lay up corn in cities during the years of
plenty, so that the people might be fed during the years of famine.
Pharaoh saw what great wisdom God had given Joseph, and made him ruler
over all the land of Egypt. The corn was stored up; and after the
years of plenty the famine came.

[Illustration: JOSEPH BEFORE THE PHARAOH.]

During all this time Jacob and his sons had been dwelling in Canaan;
where, through the famine, they were now in want of food. So Jacob
sent his sons to Egypt to buy corn. The Bible tells us, in the book of
Genesis, how they came to Egypt, and all that befell them there; and
how at last Joseph, the ruler of the mighty kingdom, made himself
known to them as the brother they had cruelly sold for a slave. But he
forgave them, and sent to fetch his father Jacob, saying that all were
to come into Egypt, where he would provide for them.

Jacob could not at first believe the good news his sons brought; but
when he saw the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him and the
little ones, he said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I
will go and see him before I die." So he journeyed to Egypt, with his
sons, and all that he had; and as he drew near Joseph went to meet
him. When Joseph met his father, he fell on his neck, and wept there.
And Jacob said, "Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because
thou art yet alive." He was so full of joy that it