The Shepherd of Hermas

And after the angel had departed the shepherd said to me: Let us take the sticks of all of them, and plant them to see if some

He answered[*](The treatment, of the sticks by the shepherd) me, and said: This tree is a willow, and is a . species tenacious of life. If then, the sticks be planted and receive a little moisture, many of them will live; but next we must try them, and water them. If any of them can live I shall rejoice with them, and if they do not live I shall not be proved careless.

And the shepherd commanded me to call each of them as they stood. They came, rank by rank, and gave up their sticks to the shepherd. And the shepherd took the sticks and planted them in ranks, and after planting them, poured much water round them, so that the sticks could not be seen for the water.

And after he had watered the sticks he said to me: Let us go and come back after a few days, and visit all the sticks, for he who created this tree wishes all to live who received branches from this tree. And I too have hope for these sticks which have received moisture and been watered, that the greater part of them will live.

I said to him: Sir, tell me what this tree is. For I am perplexed about it, that although so many[*](The explanation of the parable) branches have been cut off, the tree is healthy, and nothing seems to have been cut from it; I am perplexed at this.

Listen, said he, this great tree, which covers plains and mountains and