[This may be used in connection with the story of Jacob’s ladder, or any Bible dream.]
It was two sisters who were talking. “I don’t believe in dreams,” said Alice. “If I did, I should be dreadfully frightened, for I had such a terrible dream last night. I thought I was in a deep, black wood, and that a great, black snake came upon me, glared at me with his fiery eyes, wrapped himself around me, and dragged me off to his cave under the ground; and just then I woke up. Some people would be scared, and think something terrible was going to happen, but not I, for I don’t believe in dreams.”
“I don’t believe in dreams, either,” said her sister Jennie, “but if I did, I should expect something very fine to happen, for I had such a capital dream last night. I thought I was in a great, beautiful meadow, full of flowers, and with birds singing overhead and in the grass. There was a beautiful brook flowing through the meadow, and I thought a lovely little boat came up, rowed by the most beautiful woman I ever saw. She took me on board, and we floated down stream till we came to a splendid palace, and I was just going in when they called me to breakfast.”
Here their mother, who had heard everything they said, interrupted Alice and Jennie. “Do you remember, girls,” she asked, “that God once talked to people through their dreams, as he talked to Paul, and Peter, and Jacob at Bethel? He doesn’t talk to us in the same way, of course, and yet I think that dreams have their meaning, even yet. Do you know what I thought of, Alice, when I heard you tell your dream? I thought of that party you went to last night. You had a big supper, you know, with lots of cake and pie and candy, and you came home late, and too tired to say your prayers; and besides, you were very angry at one of the girls who had not treated you right, and I rather think that your bad dream was sent to you as a warning, and just as real a warning as the dream that came to Pharaoh in the time of Joseph.
“But your little sister, on the other hand, she had a proper supper, and went to bed in proper time; and besides, she went to bed with a laugh and a song and her evening prayer. No wonder she had a happy dream. And it seems to me that her dream was a blessing just as truly as Jacob’s angel dream at Bethel. You can tell the other girls about your dreams if you want to, Alice and Jennie.”
But the girls thought they wouldn’t tell, and so I have told it for them.