Jael
said, his eyes studying the face of Jesus, "yet the struggle hath gone
on."

"How hath thy struggle gone?"

"Wrest I my bread from the sea. In the nine cities on her border have
I sold to the markets. Yet never have I seen thee there."

"While I was yet young I went on a far journey in search of Wisdom,"
the Rabbi said thoughtfully. "More years than one was I with strange
peoples, who were hungry for God as are my brethren in Israel, yet
searching ever for him where he is not found, save a few wise ones.
When I had learned that the heart of all mankind is one heart, the need
of all mankind the same need and one God sufficient for all, then came
I back to Galilee to preach good news to my people."

"So have I heard thou art a prophet and a wonder worker. Some there
are who have called thee a king."

"What sayest thou?"

"Said I, 'He is neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. Was not
his home in Nazareth? Was his father not the town carpenter? Was he
not poor like unto the rest of us? Hath any good thing come out of
Nazareth?' And the man who did say with loud speech that thou art a
king, I did smite on the mouth. 'A king?' said I. 'A king--this son
of a carpenter that once did shout wildly as we chased goats over the
hills and who ran fleet-footed when his mother called him to sop--he is
a king, and while Jael yet stinketh of fish? For thy lack of wits thou
shouldst be soundly kicked where it be not seemly to apply the sting,'
and I smote him. All fools are not yet dead fools--what sayest thou?"

The face of the Rabbi was smiling when the fisherman raised his eyes
for an answer. "Thou art right. There are yet those among the living,
void of understanding and because of this thy heart suffereth."

Jael looked at Jesus a moment as if he failed to catch the meaning of
the words. Then he said, "Yea, as if a torch had been touched to my
blood do I suffer. If thou hadst eyes to see through these rocks thou
wouldst have beheld a maiden carrying about in her body a living tomb
of corruption which came to her at the hand of Herod and back of him,
of Rome. Ah, that the prophets were not all dead, for had they not
powers of healing? That Sara might be made whole?"

"And dost thou think all power for healing passed from the earth with
the passing of the prophets? Hast thou not heard of late that the sick
are healed, the lame walk and the blind made to see?"

"Yea, have I heard. Yet I believ