to take with him the gall of the fish, because it would be very useful.
Meanwhile Anna sat daily beside the way on the hill-top; and while she watched, she saw him coming far off. When she was sure that it was her son coming, she ran to tell her husband. She had scarcely done so when the dog which had accompanied her son on the journey, running before, reached the house, wagging his tail and jumping for joy, as if he had brought the news. Thereupon, the elder Tobias, blind as he was, groped his way and went out to meet his son. And they all wept for joy.
Young Tobias then rubbed his father’s eyes with the gall of the fish, and he saw[1]; and the old man exclaimed: “I bless Thee, O Lord God of Israel, because Thou hast chastised me, and Thou hast saved me, and, behold, I see Tobias, my son!” Seven days after, Sara and her retinue arrived, and completed the joy of that favoured and happy household.
Then the son related to his parents all the benefits he had received from the young man, his guide. He said they could never repay him for all he had done for him, but asked his father’s permission to give him one half of the money he had received from Gabelus.
The father willingly consented, and they pressed the young man to accept the money. But the heavenly messenger said to them: “Bless ye the God of heaven, and give glory to Him in the sight of all that live; because He hath shown His mercy to you. Prayer is good with fasting and alms, more than to lay up treasures of gold. When thou didst pray with tears, and didst bury the dead, I offered thy prayer to the Lord. And because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee. The Lord hath sent me to heal thee, and to deliver Sara, thy son’s wife, from the devil. For I am the Angel Raphael[2], one of the seven who stand before the throne of God.” Hearing this, they were seized with fear[3], and all fell prostrate
- ↑ And he saw. This cure was miraculous, because it followed immediately after the application of the remedy, and because this remedy was unknown before, and is so still.
- ↑ Angel Raphael. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are Archangels.
- ↑ With fear. The thought that one of God’s great Angels should have visited them, filled them with a holy awe.
