Dec.5] PROCEEDINGS. [1893.
flock I saw my twelve brothers feedingwith me in the field ;
andlo, our father came and said to us: 'My children, go (run)
and lay hold herebeforeme everyone on anything that he can get.'
Andwe answered and said : ' What shallwe take possessionof, as
we do not see anything else but the sun, the moon, and the stars? '
Andhe said: 'Takeholdof them.' WhenLeviheardit, he took
a staff (rod) in his hands, and jumped uponthe sun and rode on it.
WhenJudahsaw it, he did in like wise ; he also took a rod and jumped
uponthe moon and rode on it So also every one of the nine tribes
rode uponhis star and his planet in the heavens ; Joseph alone
remaineduponthe earth.
" Jacob, our father, saidto him : ' My son! why hast thounot
doneas thy brothers? ' He answered : ' What is for the woman-
bornin heaven, as in the end he must needsstanduponthe earth?"
" Whilst Josephwas speaking, behold there stoodnearby him
a mighty bullwithwingslike the wings of a stork, and his horns
werelike unto the horns of the Reem. AndJacobsaid to him :
' Get up, my son Joseph, and ride upon him.'
"AndJosephgot up and mounted uponthe bull. And Jacobleft
us. For about four hours J osephgloriedin the bull, now he walked
and ran, anon he flew up with him,till he came nearto Judah, and
with the staff he had in his hands he began lo beat his brother Judah.
" Judahsaid to him : ' My brother, why dost thou beatme? '
"Heanswered: ' Because thouholdestin thy hands twelverods,
and I have only one ; give themuntome, and then therewill be
peace.'
" But Judah refusedto give themto him, and Joseph beathim
till he had taken fromhim ten against his will, and had left only two
withhim. Josephthensaid to his ten brothers : ' Wherefore run ye
afterJudahand Levi? Depart from them at once.' When the
brothersof Joseph heardhis words, theydepartedfromJudahand
Levilike one man, and followed Joseph,and there remainedwith
Judah only Benjamin and Levi. When Levi beheld this, he
descendedfromthe sun full of anger (sadness).
" And Joseph said unto Benjamin: ' Benjamin, my brother! Art
thounot my brother? Come thoualso withme.' But Benjamin
refusedto go with Joseph.
" Whenthe day drew to an end, there arosea mightystorm,which
separated Joseph from his brothers, so that no two were left
together.
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