Just about this time Jesus had some very sad news. Herod Antipas, the
son of wicked King Herod, had shut up John the Baptist in a prison,
called the Black Castle, by the side of the Dead Sea. Part of that
castle was a beautiful palace, with lovely furniture and a coloured
marble floor. One day Herod gave a grand birthday party. Herod had
married a very wicked woman, who was at the party. Her name was
Herodias. Herodias hated John the Baptist, because he had said that
she ought not to be Herod's wife. So she made up her mind to have John
the Baptist killed. Herodias had a daughter called Salome, who danced
beautifully. And on that birthday Herod was so pleased with Salome's
dancing that he said, 'I will give you anything you ask me for.'
Salome went to her mother, and said, 'What shall I ask?' And Herodias
said, 'Ask for the head of John the Baptist.' And Salome came back
quickly and said, 'I want the head of John the Baptist.'

Now, it is wrong to break a promise. But it is not wrong to break a
_wicked_ promise. It is wrong ever to have made it. Herod was sorry,
but he was afraid of what other people in the party would think if he
did not do what he had said. So he sent his soldiers to the prison,
and had John the Baptist's head cut off to give to that dancing-girl.

Jesus had sent His twelve disciples out to preach to people He could
not go and see Himself. When they came back they had a great deal to
talk about, and they were very tired. But there were always so many
people coming to see Jesus that they could get no quiet time at all, no
time even to eat. They were all at the Lake of Galilee again, and
Jesus told them to come away with Him into a desert place, and rest
awhile. That desert place was near a town called Bethsaida, where
Peter, and his brother Andrew, and Philip lived once upon a time.