During the five-day trek back to Nazareth, not much was said until the travelers sat around their cooking fire and finished their evening meal. The first night, Mary asked Jesus what he had been saying to the elders in the Temple.
“I was pointing out to them how we should treat each other and be treated—all of us all the time. We should help one another as needed. Love thy brother—forgive any trespasses upon thee,” Jesus said.
Mary gazed at her beloved son with unquenchable love and emotion. Joseph stood and embraced Jesus. His heart was bursting with pride.
Daniel had been silent and took in all that was said.
He is twelve, as I am. How did he learn what he said? Daniel asked himself.
On the evening of the fifth day, they arrived in Nazareth. Mary walked to Levi’s parents’ household to retrieve her children. James and Salome ran to her, and they nearly topple her over as they hugged their mother.
The following morning, life commenced as if the Jerusalem trip had not taken place. Jesus and Daniel took to helping Joseph in his carpentry shop as needed. Joseph welcomed their assistance, but he made sure that the boys had plenty of time to be boys.
Jesus and Daniel grabbed every opportunity to get together with Abraham, Joshua, and Levi. Several other boys joined in, and together they worked on perfecting their baseball game.
Soon after they began playing, they drew spectators: men, women, and children. They played until it was suppertime and then gathered up all the equipment in a sack, and Levi carried it home.
After their evening meal, Jesus and Daniel sat outside, leaning against the wall of their home.
Daniel turned to Jesus and asked, “How did you come up with all the stuff you were spouting off to those old dudes in the Temple? Don’t get me wrong, man, it sounded righteous, but I don’t know if they bought it. It looked like they were getting set to throw us out. You think they believed you?”
“Someday, I will return to the Temple and speak again when I am older so that they will listen to what I say and pay heed,” said Jesus.
“Yeah? When do you think that will be?”
“Um? Maybe when I am thirty,” Jesus said.
“And, dude, just where did you get all that stuff you were throwing out there?” Daniel asked.
“I’m not certain,” Jesus replied. “It was just all there for me to speak it out.”
“All right then! What are we gonna do tomorrow? Your father, Joseph, said we would not be needed in the shop.”
“Daniel, why did you say ‘my father’ and then ‘Joseph?’” Jesus asked.
“I really don’t know, Jesus. I suppose because you do it all the time.”
The following day, after the morning meal, Daniel took Jesus aside. “Hey, man, how about we go for a walkabout?”
“A walkabout? A walkabout what?” Jesus asked.
“Not a walkabout anything, Jesus. Man, I don’t even know where that came from. I mean let’s go out into the countryside and just look around. Other than all of us hiking off to Jerusalem, I haven’t been out of Nazareth. I want to see what is out there.”
Jesus and Daniel left the confines of the town and walked into the surrounding countryside. Nazareth at that time had a population of four hundred or so. It did not take long before the two twelve-year-old explorers were up in the surrounding low hills and the small trees and shrubbery that grew sparingly there.
As they went farther away from town, the boys began to come across such animals as antelope, foxes, and other small furry creatures. All stood still as Jesus and Daniel went by, and they didn’t seem to be frightened.
As Jesus and Daniel crested the next hill and pushed into low shrubs and trees, they heard low menacing growls. Then in front of them appeared a pack of six to eight wolves.
Daniel was startled and frightened. If Jesus had not reached over and held him back, he would have turned and run off.
Jesus said, “No, Daniel, stay. They will not harm us. Come.”
He led them to the wolves, which stood motionless until Jesus began petting them. They then rubbed against him and left reluctantly.
Daniel was totally mesmerized and immobile. Jesus reached over to him, placed his palm on Daniel’s head, and said, “They are beautiful creatures, are they not? No need to be frightened.” Jesus then ruffled Daniel’s hair.
By the noon meal, the two boys were safe and sound back in Nazareth.
“How did you do that with the wolves?” Daniel asked of his magical friend.
***
That afternoon, Jesus and Daniel rounded up Abraham, Joshua, Levi, and assorted other friends—all who could come out and play. They had enough boys to form two teams. Baseball had caught on in Nazareth.
The next day, Joseph had enough work to keep Jesus and Daniel busy until noon, and then they were free to go.
After working, they again sat against the house wall in the shade.
Daniel said, “Any little thing you wanna do—that is, that we can do?”
“No, Daniel. I have nothing in mind,” Jesus told him.
“Too bad there isn’t a river, a lake, or even a stream or a creek so we could go fishing. You ever been fishing, dude?”
“No, I have not, Daniel.”
“Someday you should, man. It’s fun, and, of course, grilled fish is good eating. Say, you said that when you are older you will return to the Temple. If they listen to you, then you will become a fisher—a fisher of men.”