On the eleventh day of their homeward journey, they halted in the middle of it at a place that looks out towards Nineve (called Charan).✻

And here the angel said, Friend Tobias, remember how eagerly thy father awaits thee.

How sayest thou? Should not we two hurry on together, and leave thy wife to follow at leisure with the servants and the beasts?

When this was agreed upon, he bade Tobias take some of the fish’s gall with him, for he would need it; take it he did, and they set out together.

There sat Anna, where she sat every day, on the brow of the hill, whence she could scan the country far and wide.

From that seat of hers she saw them coming, a long distance away, and knew at once it was her son that came. Back home she ran, and told her husband, Thy son! He is coming!

Thy home once reached, Raphael said to Tobias, pay worship to the Lord thy God first, and return thanks to him. Then go up to thy father, and embrace him,

and rub on his eyes, without more ado, some of the fish’s gall thou hast with thee. I promise thee it will not be long before his eyes are opened; once more he will look on the light of day, and have a father’s joy at the sight of thee.

Yet he was not to reach the house first. The dog that had accompanied him on his travels ran on before him, heralding the good news with the caress of his wagging tail.

Up sprang the father, blind though he were, and made for the door, running and stumbling as he ran. A servant must take him by the hand before he could go out to meet his son;

but meet him he did, embraced and kissed him, and his wife too must embrace the boy and kiss him, and then they both wept over him; but they were tears of joy.

So they paid God worship, and gave him thanks, and sat down together.

Then it was that Tobias took out the fish’s gall, and rubbed it on his father’s eyes.

He waited, maybe, for half an hour, and then a white film, like the white of an egg, began to separate itself from the eyes;

he took hold of this and pulled it away, and immediately his father’s sight was restored.

How they praised God, he and his wife and all who knew them!

I thank thee, Lord God of Israel, the old man cried; from thee my chastisement, from thee my deliverance came; I thank thee for eyes that see, and eyes that see Tobias, my son!

It was a week before his daughter-in-law Sara reached Nineve, with all her retinue safe and sound; the farm stock, too, she brought with her, and the camels, and all the money she was dowered with, besides the sum paid over by Gabelus.

Meanwhile, her husband told his parents the whole story; all the mercies God had shewn him through the man that was his guide.

Tobias’ cousins, Achior and Nabath, came with glad hearts to congratulate him over the blessings he had received;

and for a whole week they all kept high festival, and rejoiced together.