This story is about two brothers.  Twin brothers, named Jacob and Esau. These brothers were twins becasue they were born into this world at the same time.  Well almost at the same time.  Actually they were born a few minutes apart.  Esau was born first so he was a few minutes older than his younger twin brother, Jacob.

    Just like you are special!  Yes you, looking at this book!  You are the only one like you!  You are rare because there is only one of you!  Being you is a very unique and special thing to be!

    Twins are alike in many ways.  Twin brothers may look alike and they may seem the same as each other, but even twins can't be exactly the same in every way!  Each twin is special in his or her own way!    

    Jacob and Esau were different too.     

    The twin's mother loved them both very much.  It was easy for her to love two babies at once!  

    However, no mother can deliver two babies at the exact same time.  Every baby must be born one at a time.

    When Jacob and Esau were born, it was the custom in many families that the first born son got chosen to inherit  their father's fortune.  It was the oldest son's birthright  to inherit their father, Isaac's, fortune.

Esau's love of hunting made him special.  Hunting was his favortie thing to do.

Jacob did not like hunting.  

    One special thing about Jacob was that he loved to stay home.  Jacob's favorite thing to do was to spend time with his mother.  His mother told him stories.  Jacob was happy listening to his mother and imagining all the things she told him.  He especially loved to hear her tell him the story about the day that he and his brother were born!

    Jacob and his mother spent so much time together that Jacob became his mother's favorite.  Esau stayed away from home more and more.  Soon the twin brothers treated each other more like strangers than family.

When Esau did eventually show up, he walked up to the house feeling tired from hunting and very hungry!

    Someone was cooking but it was not his mother.  Esau saw his brother Jacob stirring the large pot his mother used to heat lentils.  

    Esau teased Jacob under his breath, calling him a mamma's boy.  He made sure to say it softly enough that Jacob would not hear, though, because he needed food and didn't want to give his brother a reason not to share the delicious smelling lentils.