very good to Naomi, and loved her. But it was only ten years before both
of the sons died, and Naomi thought it was best for her to go back to
her old home in Canaan; for she had been told that there was plenty in
the land once more, and she wanted to see her own people and the
relatives of her husband who was dead. So Naomi told her
daughters-in-law to return to their own homes, because she could not
expect them to be willing to leave everything for her sake.

"Go, each of you, to your mother's house," she said; "the Lord deal
kindly with you as ye have dealt with the dead and with me." But they
both wept and clung to her, saying, "Surely we will return with thee
into thy land."

Naomi, however, thought they would be unhappy if they left their own
country, and she urged them to stay there and let her go alone; so one
of them kissed her over and over again and promised to do as she bade;
but the other, who was named Ruth, would not leave her.

"Entreat me not to leave thee," she pleaded, "or to return from
following after thee; for whither thou goest I will go, and where thou
lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God;
where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so
to me and more, also, if aught but death part thee and me."

Then Naomi stopped urging her to return, and they went together to
Bethlehem, where the friends of Naomi were very glad to welcome her and
greeted her in a very friendly manner, saying again and again, "Is this
Naomi?"

[Illustration: THE ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN.]