400Latin Form.

Here Beginneth the Treatise of the Boyhood of Jesus According to Thomas.

Chapter I.—How Mary and Joseph Fled with Him into Egypt.

When a commotion took place in consequence of the search made by Herod for our Lord Jesus Christ to kill Him, then an angel said to Joseph:  Take Mary and her boy, and flee into Egypt from the face of those who seek to kill Him.  And Jesus was two years old when He went into Egypt.

And as He was walking through a field of corn, He stretched forth His hand, and took of the ears, and put them over the fire, and rubbed them, and began to eat.

And when they had come into Egypt, they received hospitality in the house of a certain widow, and they remained in the same place one year.

And Jesus was in His third year.  And seeing boys playing, He began to play with them.  And He took a dried fish, and put it into a basin, and ordered it to move about.  And it began to move about.  And He said again to the fish:  Throw out thy salt which thou hast, and walk into the water.  And it so came to pass.  And the neighbours, seeing what had been done, told it to the widow woman in whose house Mary His mother lived.  And as soon as she heard it, she thrust them out of her house with great haste.