Then God worked a wonder. He made the dumb ass to speak, and ask why he was so cruel to her. He answered that he only wished for a sword to kill her. The ass asked if she had ever been like this before. He said, No. And then, full before him, he saw God's holy angel with a sword in his hand. And he fell down on his face.
The poor ass had seen the angel all the time; but Balaam could not see him till God made him able. And now he was afraid, and would have gone back; but the angel said he must go on now, though he would only be able to speak the words which God put in his mouth.
Think if, sometimes when you have been told you must not do something, you fret and teaze to do it—is not that like Balaam? And perhaps you teaze till some one gives you leave to do as you wish. Then you get quite cross with eagerness, and are unkind to all that hinders you; and, after all, you do not find that any good comes of getting your own way.
QUESTIONS.
1. What is a prophet? 2. Who sent for Balaam? 3. What did God tell Balaam? 4. But what did Balaam wish? 5. How did he get leave to go at last? 6. But who stood in his way? 7. Who saw the angel first? 8. What did Balaam do to the ass? 9. What wonder did God work? 10. What did the ass say? 11. Whom did Balaam see? 12. What did the angel tell him? 13. What had he been allowed to have? 14. Does good come of having our own way?
SECOND READING.
"There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel."—Numbers 24:17.
