The King Nobody Wanted

to the disciples, "Let

re fishermen. They knew where to get a

ith Jesus, climbed into a boa

kled on the water. In the evening it was lovely too, when the waves were lapping

aceful. Sometimes the wind came roaring down the steep b

ore it had gone very far a storm might be howling all around. It would toss the

as though the rising wind had blown them out. They knew what was coming now. The night would grow black as ink, and the great foaming waves would smash against the ship and fil

d of the sea when storms began to blow. It was so big and dangerous and terrible, and men were so sma

d his work. And now there was this storm on top of everything! It looked as if none of them would live to see another day. They

to bail it out, but the fishermen knew that

's faces. Where was Jesus? No one had heard a

was when they left the shore. He was stretched out o

t was going to turn over, and there was Jesus sl

shook him awake. They shouted at him, "Master,

his face, and he seemed to be answering it. The sea smashed a

r, but not so strongly now. Everything was growing quiet. The stars began to shine

ke to the

d? How is it that you stil

e more afraid than ever. This time it was not the sea that frig

When he speaks, even the

d on the other side of the lake. Over here in the co

d up and looked around. There was nothing much to see except so

himself in the graveyard, and wandered through the mountains. Other people had often tried to chain him up, but he was so strong that he broke the chains a

is words were like those of the other madman wh

What have I to do with the Son of

him, "What i

is Legion. There's a whole

adful as the storm of the night before. They heard Jesus say: "Come out of the man!" Then they seemed to

man was in his right mind now, but it seemed as though the pigs had gone crazy. W

s stilled the storm. The evil thing was gone. The morning sun was shining

the nearest town and told everybody what had happened. The people came flocking out of the town to see for themselves. When they

is man up with chains, and still they could not hold him. Yet here was a stranger from Galilee who cur

country. Without a word Jesus took his disciples back to the boat. The man who had

back home to your friends. Tell th

his story. The story went abroad through that who

as they sailed home across the lake they did not know that a

rowd standing on the shore. Everyone had been

for a man who was well known in the town. His name was

et and began to plead with hi

come and put your hands on her,

e was going to do. As they walked along the street, with people pr

ched my

magine what he was talkin

ody is touching you! What do you mean

sus an

cular who touched me. I f

him her whole story. For twelve years she had been sick. She had spent all her money on doctors, and she never got

at her kind

s made you wel

mpatiently for Jesus to come a

The worst had happened. The little girl had died, and t

d speak, Jesus took hi

id. Just keep

sciples that none of them could come wi

ews was true. The little girl had really died. Already the flute players, who

sharply to t

s?" he asked. "The little girl i

sleep and being dead," they said to themselves. But Jesus told them to get out of the house. When the

ead. She was lying white and cold and still. No

ey had heard him say to the sea, "Peace, be still." When he spoke, the sea obeyed him. They heard him speak to a madman, and after h

d Jesus not once told them

he did not hear anything. She could not

ear someone talking. It was a man's voice, and it was saying the

l, get up!"

Jesus. He took her hand, and helped her to her fe

" said Jesus. "And say noth

everyone had heard the story. Everybody heard h