Down to the river bank went a brave mother one day. In her arms she carried her baby boy and a strange cradle-boat which she had made for him. A wicked king had commanded the mothers of Israel to throw their boy babies into the river. But this mother believed that God would spare her darling's life; so she had made this strange cradle-boat in which to put him. It was a cradle-boat that would rock to and fro when the waves lapped against the river bank.

Presently the wicked king's daughter and her maids came by. They spied the strange cradle-boat floating on the water. One of the maids brought it to shore. When the king's daughter looked inside and saw the babe weeping, she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the children my cruel father commanded to be thrown into the river," she told her maids. "I will take him for my son, and spare his life." Then she sent for a nurse. And the baby's mother came back to care for him until he should be old enough to go to live in the king's house.

Because she drew him out of the water, the king's daughter called her adopted baby's name Moses. And this Moses grew up to be a great man, kind and brave. He loved God and became a leader for God's people.

-Exodus 2:3-10.