The fish in the Tigris
1 Anna then stopped crying.
2 Rapha el and Tobias continued their journey and that evening they reached the River Tigris. They spent the night there.
3 As Tobias went to wash his feet, a big fish rose out of the river and tried to swallow Tobias’ foot.
4 Raphael said to Tobias, “Catch that fish!” Tobias seized the fish and drew it to land.
5 Raphael then said to Tobias, “Open the fish. Take out its heart, liver and gall and put them away carefully. Throw away the intestines. The gall, the heart and the liver of this fish are useful remedies.”
6 Tobias did as the angel told him. He opened up the fish, kept the gall, the heart and the liver; then they cooked the fish and ate it.
7 Then the two of them continued their journey until they reached Media. Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, what remedy is there in the heart, the liver and the gall of the fish?”
8 Raphael said to him, “If you burn the heart and the liver in the presence of a man or a woman who is tormented by a devil or an evil spirit, their torments will cease.
9 As for the gall, if you smear it on a man whose eyes are covered with a white film, his eyes will be cured.”
10 When they had entered Media and were already approaching Ec ba tana,
11 Raphael said to Tobias, “Friend, we shall spend the night at the house of Ragouel. He is a relative of yours. He has no son, just an only daughter called Sara.
12 I will speak to him and ask that he give her to you as your wife.
13 You are the one who is nearest of kin and free to marry her. You alone are of her tribe and you should inherit her father’s goods. The girl is wise, good, courageous and very beautiful and her father is a good man. So listen, friend, tonight we will marry you to her. When we return from Rages, we shall take her with us and introduce her into your home. She belongs to you rather than to any other man according to the Law of Moses, and any trespasser would die. So I know that Ragouel will not give her to any other man.
An obedient son
14 Then Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, I have heard that this girl has been given in marriage to seven husbands and they all died in the bridal chamber. I am my father’s only son and I fear that once I have entered the room I shall die, like all those before me, be cause a demon loves her, and he harms those who approach her.
15 Well, I fear death. I also fear causing my father and mother to die of grief on my account, for they have no other son to bury them.”
16 The angel said to Tobias, “Do you not remember your father’s advice to marry a woman of your own tribe? Well, listen to me, my friend. She will be your wife. Do not worry about the demon as this very night she will become your wife.
17 “When you enter the wedding chamber you will take some glowing embers of incense, and you will put on top of them part of the heart and liver of the fish.
18 As soon as the fire begins to smoke, the demon will smell it and flee never to return. And when you go to Sara, stand up together and call on the all-merciful God. He will keep you safe because he has compassion. Do not be afraid, because from all eternity Sara has been destined to be your wife. You will save her, and she will go with us. And I am sure that she will bear you children.”
19 When Tobias heard Raphael’s words, he loved Sara and his heart became strongly attached to her.