Three hundred years before the birth of the Lord Christ, there lived a
mother who had twelve sons, but was so poor and needy that she no
longer knew how she was to keep them alive at all. 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 bread
for her. The eldest 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 smote his little hands together, until
Peter was forced to look up and saw him. Then the child said, “Why art
thou sitting there in such trouble?” “Alas!” answered Peter, “I am
going about the world seeking bread, that I may yet see the dear
Saviour who is promised, that is my greatest desire.” The child said,
“Come with me, and thy wish shall be fulfilled.” He took poor Peter by
the hand, and led him between some cliffs to a great cavern. When they
entered it, everything was shining with gold, silver, and crystal, and
in the midst of it twelve cradles were standing side by side. Then said
the little angel, “Lie down in the first, and sleep a while, I will
rock thee.” Peter did so, and the angel sang to him and rocked him
until he was al seep. And when he was asleep, the second brother came
also, guided thither by his guardian 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 Saviour of the
world was born. Then they awoke, and were with him on earth, and were
called the twelve apostles.