Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/293

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there came to them, the kings and their princes asking what they had seen or done, how they had gone and returned, what they had brought with them. And they showed them the swaddling band which lady Mary had given them; wherefore they celebrated a festival, and kindled fire according to their custom and worshipped it, and cast the swaddling band into it, and the fire seized it and absorbed it into itself. But when the fire went out, they drew forth the swaddling band just as it was at first, as if the fire had not touched it. Therefore they began to kiss it, and to place it on their heads and eyes, saying, Verily this is undoubted truth; it is indeed a great thing that the fire could not burn or destroy it. They took it thence and with the greatest honour deposited it among their treasures.

when Herod saw that the Magi had departed and not returned to him, he sent for the priests and wise men, and said to them, Tell me where Christ is to be born. And when they had replied, At Bethlehem of Judah, he began to think of slaying the Lord Jesus Christ. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Arise, take