Two years later the king of Egypt had two very strange dreams. He dreamed that he was standing near a river when out of it came seven fat and beautiful cows. As they grazed in a meadow, out of the river came seven lean and ugly cows. These lean cows ate up the fat cows.
The king was frightened because of his dream, and woke up. But when he slept again, he dreamed that seven full and good ears of corn grew upon one stalk. Then seven thin and withered ears grew upon the same stalk. And the seven thin ears ate up the seven good ears.
The king was greatly troubled. He sent for all the wise men in Egypt to explain his dreams. but nobody could tell him their meaning.
At last the chief butler remembered Joseph and said, "When the chief baker and I were in prison, we had strange dreams. A young Israelite in prison explained them. And everything happened as he said."
The king sent for Joseph, who was hurriedly taken from prison. The king then said to Joseph, "I have heard that you can tell the meaning of dreams. Can you explain mine?"
Joseph replied, "God will help me explain the king's dreams."
And so the king told all that he had dreamed about the cows and the ears of corn. Joseph said, "The two dreams are one. God has showed the king what He is about to do. The seven fat cows are seven years of plenty. The seven good ears of corn are those same seven years of plenty. The seven lean cows are seven years of famine. The seven thin ears are those same seven years of famine.
"The dreams mean the same and are one. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout Egypt. After these seven years of plenty will come seven years of famine. Let the king choose a wise man to rule over Egypt. Let this ruler gather corn during the years of plenty, so that the people may have food during the seven years of famine."
- from My Bible History in Pictures, by Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, D.D., 1934; it has the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael J O'Doherty of Manila, Philippines