Chapter 51 Summary

Because Nazareth is said to be the boyhood home of Jesus, Twain ponders on the boy Jesus' life. He and the men find themselves reminded every time they touch something that Jesus may have touched it once, too. Twain copies an extract from the 1621, edition of the Apocryphal New Testament, from which many passages have been removed in the newer versions. The extract contains information of a miraculous childhood, where Jesus often showed his divine powers.

As they travel further along, the pilgrims develop a frightening habit of pulling their guns from their holsters to shoot imaginary Bedouins. Twain comments that he wouldn't mind so much if there were real Bedouins in the area because none of them would be hurt (implying that their aim is really bad), but random shooting is unacceptable because the bullets can go anywhere. The caravan stops at...