Three hundred years before the birth of the Lord Christ, there lived a mother who had twelve sons, but was so poor and needy¹ that she no longer knew how she was to keep them alive. She prayed to God daily that he would grant that all her sons might be on the earth with the redeemer who was promised. When her necessity became still greater she sent one of them after the other out into the world to seek their bread. The eldest² was called Peter, and he went out and had already walked a long way, a whole day's journey, when he came into a great forest. He sought for a way out, but could find none, and went farther and farther astray, and at the same time felt such great hunger that he could scarcely stand. At length he became so weak that he was forced to lie down, and he believed death to be at hand. Suddenly there stood beside him a small boy who shone with brightness, and was as beautiful and kind as an angel. The child smote³ his little hands together, until Peter was forced to look up and see him. Then the child said, why are you sitting there in such trouble.

Alas⁴. Answered Peter, I am going about the world seeking bread, that I may yet see the dear savior who is promised, that is my greatest desire. The child said, come with me, and your wish shall be fulfilled. He took poor Peter by the hand, and led him between some cliffs to a great cavern⁵. When they entered it, everything was shining with gold, silver, and crystal, and in the midst of it twelve cradles were standing⁶ side by side. Then said the little angel, lie down in the first, and sleep a while, I will rock you. Peter did so, and the angel sang to him and rocked him until he was alseep. And when he was asleep, the second brother came also, guided thither⁷ by his guardian⁸ angel, and he was rocked to sleep like the first, and thus came the others, one after the other, until all twelve lay there sleeping in the golden cradles. They slept, however, three hundred years, until the night when the savior of the world was born. Then they awoke, and were with him on earth, and were called the Twelve Apostles.