human
Blessed mother, what a fearful storm we had last night! I was so frightened that my very bed shook with me! I recalled all my sins and confessed them to God. I prayed so much that I think I must have awakened all the saints: and I prayed loud, for I have always heard say that the lightning loses its power from where the voice of praying reaches. To the Moors! To the Moors! I said to the tempest, go to the Moors, that they may be converted and tremble at the wrath of God! Not until day-break, when I saw the rainbow, was I consoled: for it is the sign God gives to man that he will not punish the world with another flood. Why do men not fear when they see these warnings of God!
gpt
And why would you have them tremble, mother, for a thing which is natural,
human
Natural! retorted Maria.
gpt
Perhaps you will also tell me that pestilence and war are natural! Do you know what the lightning is? For I heard a farmer say that it is a fragment of the air set on fire by the wrath of God. And where does not the air enter? And where is the place the wrath of God does not reach? And the thunder--the thunder, said a certain preacher, is the voice of God in his magnificence; and that God is to be feared above all when it thunders.
human
The rain has been welcome, Mamma Maria, for the ground is thirsty,
gpt
The ground is always thirsty, observed Rita,
human
Father, said Angela,
gpt
Open your windows, God of Christians! Let the rain come down, See the Blessed Virgin comes riding From the inn of the little town; Riding a horse of snowy whiteness. Over the fields so brown, Lighting all the fields with the brightness Of the glory which shines around. Blessing the fields, the fields of the king: Ring from the big church, let all the bells ring!
human
Enough, enough, cried Rita,
gpt
May we play a game, mother?
human
Play with the cat's tail,
gpt
Mamma Maria, said the girl,
human
I will say the catechism to you, if you will tell us a story. Now hear me: 'The enemies of the soul are three, the devil, the world, and the flesh.'
gpt
I like that enemy,
human
Hush, little one; it don't mean the flesh in the stew.
gpt
What then?
human
Learn the words now, answered his grandmother,
gpt
They are seven,
human
I, Mamma Maria, said Angel,
gpt
How stupid you are!
human
Daughter, remarked Maria,
gpt
she continued,
human
I know the commandments of God,
gpt
And I, those of the church,
human
I the sacraments.
gpt
And I the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
human
I--
gpt
Enough, and too much, exclaimed Rita;
human
Is it possible, said Maria, grieved, for she had been in her glory listening to the children,
gpt
That is so, said Rita;
human
I am so pleased with you because you know the catechism so well, that I am going to tell you the prettiest story I know.
gpt
When the angel warned the holy patriarch Joseph to flee into Egypt, the saint got his little ass and set the mother and child upon it. Then they started on their journey through woods and briery fields. Once, when they were in the thickest part of a forest, the lady was afraid because the way was so dark and lonesome. By and by they came to a cave. Out of it ran a band of robbers and surrounded the holy family. When the mother and child were going to get down from the ass, the captain of the band, whose name was Demas, looked at the child; as he looked, his heart smote him, and he turned to his companions and said: 'Whoever touches as much as a thread of this lady's garment will have me to do with,' and then he said to the holy pair: 'The night is coming on stormy; follow me, and I will shelter you.' They went with the robber, and he gave them to eat and drink, and the holy pair accepted what he offered them, for God himself receives the worship of all the bad as well as {663} the good. And for this reason, children, never cease to pray, even though you should be in mortal sin; for this robber, when at last he was taken and condemned to die, found repentance and pardon on the cross itself, which served him for expiation, as it served our Lord for sacrifice. He was converted and was the first of all to enter into glory, as Christ promised him when he was dying for him.