The sun shone pale and lazy through the grey clouds as the two brothers made their way up the hill. Winter was receeding, and the first green blooms of spring could be seen struggling through the rock. The days, although cold, had began to warm up, and as was the custom their Father had appointed, they went to present their respects. The first one of them carried a sheep, its feet bound together to make it easier to carry. Although undernourished because of the winter, it was the best he had, and he offered it joyfully. The second one of them carried a leather bag, full with the best harvest of the month. Although poor because of the winter, it was the best he had, and he offered it joyfully.
They reached the top of the hill, and each placed their gifts at their right side. In front of them there was a stone tablet. They both gathered the little lumber they could find and started a fire. The brothers waited until the flames were at their brightest and a grey column of smoke rose to the air until it was confused with the clouds.
Then the first one placed the sheep on the stone tablet. Drawing out his knife he tore the best sheep open, and burned its insides in sacrifice to his Lord. And his Lord was pleased, and he looked with good eyes to his son and his sacrifice. Then the second one placed his leather bag on the stone tablet. Opening it he took the best harvest of the month, and burned it in sacrifice to his Lord. And his Lord was not pleased, and he didn’t look with good eyes to his son and his sacrifice. Then the brothers ate their offerings, and the first brother was pleased, and ate much; but the second brother was heartbroken, and he ate little. Then they stood and left for their homes.
That night the second brother couldn’t sleep. He had failed to show his respects as his Father had taught them. He rolled in his bed, wondering why his Lord hadn’t seen him and his sacrifice with good eyes. His heart ached, and his stomach turned, and tears flowed through his face. The pain was too much, and his doubt was unbearable. The brother got out of his bed and went out to the open. The night was dark and cold, and the brother hadn’t taken his staff and mantle, but it didn’t matter. He made his way to the hill, and climbed it until he was in front of the stone tablet. The brother hadn’t taken his leather bag filled with the best harvest of the month, but it didn’t matter. He stood in front of the stone tablet, and had nothing to put at his right side, but it didn’t matter. The brother gathered the little lumber he could find and started a fire. He waited until the flames were at their brightest and the fire was like a beacon in the black, featureless steep. Then he knelt, and still crying and covered in mud, called out to his Lord. His voice ringed with pain and sadness, and his Lord heard it, and was intrigued. He saw the second brother kneeling at the stone tablet, a bright fire in front of him. He saw he hadn’t brought his leather bag full with the best harvest of the month. He saw him crying and covered in mud, pounding in frustration the hard, cold soil. And He came forth.
And so the Lord asked him:”Why do you grief, son of Adam. And why is your face covered in tears, and your body dirty with mud? Why have you come here in the darkness of the night, naked and without your leather bag filled with the best harvest of the month?”
And Cain looked up, and his answer was full of grief and anger. “I came when the day grew warmer, when the first green blooms of spring began to struggle through the rock. I brought my leather bag, filled with the best harvest of the month to show my respect as was taught by our Father. I walked alongside my brother, and gathered the lumber with him. Together we started a fire, and waited until the flames were at their brightest and a grey column of smoke rose to the air until it was confused with the clouds. I saw my brother offer joyfully his best sheep in sacrifice, and you were pleased and looked at him with good eyes. Yet when my turn came, I offered joyfully my best harvest in sacrifice, and you were not pleased, and didn’t look at me with good eyes. I ate at the side of my brother afterwards, and fed from his sheep as he fed from my harvest. Yet only he ate in peace by your deed.”
“Why do you worry, son of Adam? If you have been just, won’t you be rewarded? And if you have done wrong, isn’t sin at your side? You rule upon your house, and by your actions shall you be judged.”
Then the Lord left, and the fire died, and the brother returned to his house in the middle of the night.
The next night Cain still couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t understand why his Father hadn’t looked at him and his sacrifice with good eyes. He had been taught to offer the most important thing he had, and so he had done, yet the Lord hadn’t appreciated it. Thinking his work fruitless, he didn’t work the land that day. Instead, he went over to his brother’s home. He asked him to come with him, and they both went to the top of the hill.
They reached the stone tablet, and neither had any gifts to place at their right side. And Abel turned to his brother and spoke. “Why have we come here, brother, without any gift to offer to our Lord?” And Cain answered, “Not every gift comes from the earth, nor walks the land as cattle.”
Then he turned and gathered the little lumber he could find and started a fire. The brothers waited until the flames were at their brightest and a grey column of smoke rose to the air until it was confused with the clouds.
Then Cain took a rock from the hard, cold soil, and turning against his brother he attacked him in the head. He picked his brother up and, crying, placed him on the stone tablet. Then, drawing out his brother’s knife he tore him open, and burned its insides in sacrifice to his Lord. Tears of blood flowed from his eyes, and he pulled his hair in grief. He fell to the mud made by his brother’s blood, and he rolled in it. Then he stood and left for his home.
The next day his Father came, and turning on him spoke. “Where is your brother, first son? His house is empty and his fire is out, and his cattle roam the steeps freely.” And Cain answered “I’m not the guardian of my brother. I had wanted to, but weren’t deem worthy to be at his side.” And he turned to go back to his house, and his Father looked at the knife, but said nothing, and left.
He went to the stone tablet, and there he saw the remnants of his second-son, and knew what had happened. The following day he called his son, and Cain went to his Father’s house, and in front of his brother and mother, waited. Then his Father spoke. “What have you done with your brother, first son? The hard, cold soil is stained with his blood, and his soul demands vengeance.” And Cain said nothing, for he couldn’t find anything to say. Then Adam stood from his chair, and looking at Cain, spoke. “You are a defiler of souls. Damned be you for your crimes. From this day forward I exile you from the land you tainted with your brother’s life. You will leave as an errand, and as an errand you will spend your days. The earth will not give you its fruits, and will be harsh upon you.” And Cain turned, and took his staff, and left, for he knew his sin was too big to ask for forgiveness. His heart was in pain as he took on the road, but he felt also anger. Twice had he given his best offering, and twice had he been punished for it. As he walked from the side of his Father he didn’t turn back, and his step was quick and sure.
For months Cain walked, until he reached the Land of Nod, in the east of Eden. There he found a palace, and in the palace he found a woman. She invited him to stay, and every night they gathered in a great chamber, with a view over the entire land. And as the sun sank behind the mountains, they dined together. And for the first time since his exile, Cain knew peace.
The woman introduced herself as Lilith, and told him she was a sorcerer of great power. She told him that once she had been close to God, but that he hadn’t treated her fairly, so she had left. She told him that in the beginning, she had been an angel sent to Paradise to be Adam’s companion, but he had treated her like a servant and not an equal. Then, instead of taking her, Adam had asked the Lord for a wife, and the Lord gave him one. Lilith saddened when she saw this, and when the Lord ordered her to serve her too, she refused. Grieving and hurt, she had gone to a friend of hers. She told him about Adam’s new companion, and about the way he treated her, and his friend listened. He told Lilith about a tree that was God’s most sacred possession, and taught her how to entice Adam’s wife into eating from it. And so Lilith left, and looking for Adam’s companion, she found her alone. She enticed her to eat from the tree the way her friend had taught her, and she did. But things didn’t go as had been planned. Lilith was betrayed by her friend. He went to the woman and convinced her to make Adam eat from it too. Then Adam and his wife were thrown from Paradise in punishment, and the Lord turned against her. Fearing his power, and hurt by her friends betrayal, she fled to the Land of Nod, where she built the palace and lived away her days, without reason or motive.
Cain was impressed by the story, for his Father had never shared it with him, and he got angrier at him for that. And he turned to Lilith, and told her his. He told her about how he and his brother had gone to the stone tablet at the top of the hill when the days began to get warmer, when the first green blooms of spring began to struggle through the rock. He told her how he brought his leather bag, filled with the best harvest of the month which, although poor because of the winter, was the best he had and he offered joyfully. And he told her also how his brother brought a sheep, its feet bound together to make it easier to carry and, although undernourished because of the winter, was the best he had and he offered joyfully. And told her how they gathered lumber together, and offered their sacrifice, and then ate together. And then he told her about how the Lord had been displeased with his sacrifice, and how he had looked to offer the most important thing he had, and how he had been punished for that. When she heard this, Lilith learned the truth about Cain, and knew he was Adam’s first son, and howling in rage she stood from the table, and she left the castle, and left Cain to eat alone.
****
The bible tells us a story of Cain and Abel. But that doesn't mean that's the only way of seeing it. Many times we fall into polarized views, watching only one side of the issue. Sometimes we recognize theres another one, to varying degrees, but almost never do we stop to really consider them. What if Cain didn't kill Abel out of jealousy but of love? God asked Cain to give his most preacious thing. Cain gave the fruit of his labor, but God wasn't pleased. So, Cain gave his brother -the thing he loved the most- in sacrifice. A mistake? Yes, but not an evil act. And for his sacrifice, Cain was condemned and exiled. This first part of the story is for you to think that sometimes an action seem to happen because of one thing, but it might have happened for something you haven't even considered. It's important in our life to be empathic when observing the world. We must be able to understand the situation before jumping to conclusions. The second part will aim to teach another thing.
They reached the top of the hill, and each placed their gifts at their right side. In front of them there was a stone tablet. They both gathered the little lumber they could find and started a fire. The brothers waited until the flames were at their brightest and a grey column of smoke rose to the air until it was confused with the clouds.
Then the first one placed the sheep on the stone tablet. Drawing out his knife he tore the best sheep open, and burned its insides in sacrifice to his Lord. And his Lord was pleased, and he looked with good eyes to his son and his sacrifice. Then the second one placed his leather bag on the stone tablet. Opening it he took the best harvest of the month, and burned it in sacrifice to his Lord. And his Lord was not pleased, and he didn’t look with good eyes to his son and his sacrifice. Then the brothers ate their offerings, and the first brother was pleased, and ate much; but the second brother was heartbroken, and he ate little. Then they stood and left for their homes.
That night the second brother couldn’t sleep. He had failed to show his respects as his Father had taught them. He rolled in his bed, wondering why his Lord hadn’t seen him and his sacrifice with good eyes. His heart ached, and his stomach turned, and tears flowed through his face. The pain was too much, and his doubt was unbearable. The brother got out of his bed and went out to the open. The night was dark and cold, and the brother hadn’t taken his staff and mantle, but it didn’t matter. He made his way to the hill, and climbed it until he was in front of the stone tablet. The brother hadn’t taken his leather bag filled with the best harvest of the month, but it didn’t matter. He stood in front of the stone tablet, and had nothing to put at his right side, but it didn’t matter. The brother gathered the little lumber he could find and started a fire. He waited until the flames were at their brightest and the fire was like a beacon in the black, featureless steep. Then he knelt, and still crying and covered in mud, called out to his Lord. His voice ringed with pain and sadness, and his Lord heard it, and was intrigued. He saw the second brother kneeling at the stone tablet, a bright fire in front of him. He saw he hadn’t brought his leather bag full with the best harvest of the month. He saw him crying and covered in mud, pounding in frustration the hard, cold soil. And He came forth.
And so the Lord asked him:”Why do you grief, son of Adam. And why is your face covered in tears, and your body dirty with mud? Why have you come here in the darkness of the night, naked and without your leather bag filled with the best harvest of the month?”
And Cain looked up, and his answer was full of grief and anger. “I came when the day grew warmer, when the first green blooms of spring began to struggle through the rock. I brought my leather bag, filled with the best harvest of the month to show my respect as was taught by our Father. I walked alongside my brother, and gathered the lumber with him. Together we started a fire, and waited until the flames were at their brightest and a grey column of smoke rose to the air until it was confused with the clouds. I saw my brother offer joyfully his best sheep in sacrifice, and you were pleased and looked at him with good eyes. Yet when my turn came, I offered joyfully my best harvest in sacrifice, and you were not pleased, and didn’t look at me with good eyes. I ate at the side of my brother afterwards, and fed from his sheep as he fed from my harvest. Yet only he ate in peace by your deed.”
“Why do you worry, son of Adam? If you have been just, won’t you be rewarded? And if you have done wrong, isn’t sin at your side? You rule upon your house, and by your actions shall you be judged.”
Then the Lord left, and the fire died, and the brother returned to his house in the middle of the night.
The next night Cain still couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t understand why his Father hadn’t looked at him and his sacrifice with good eyes. He had been taught to offer the most important thing he had, and so he had done, yet the Lord hadn’t appreciated it. Thinking his work fruitless, he didn’t work the land that day. Instead, he went over to his brother’s home. He asked him to come with him, and they both went to the top of the hill.
They reached the stone tablet, and neither had any gifts to place at their right side. And Abel turned to his brother and spoke. “Why have we come here, brother, without any gift to offer to our Lord?” And Cain answered, “Not every gift comes from the earth, nor walks the land as cattle.”
Then he turned and gathered the little lumber he could find and started a fire. The brothers waited until the flames were at their brightest and a grey column of smoke rose to the air until it was confused with the clouds.
Then Cain took a rock from the hard, cold soil, and turning against his brother he attacked him in the head. He picked his brother up and, crying, placed him on the stone tablet. Then, drawing out his brother’s knife he tore him open, and burned its insides in sacrifice to his Lord. Tears of blood flowed from his eyes, and he pulled his hair in grief. He fell to the mud made by his brother’s blood, and he rolled in it. Then he stood and left for his home.
The next day his Father came, and turning on him spoke. “Where is your brother, first son? His house is empty and his fire is out, and his cattle roam the steeps freely.” And Cain answered “I’m not the guardian of my brother. I had wanted to, but weren’t deem worthy to be at his side.” And he turned to go back to his house, and his Father looked at the knife, but said nothing, and left.
He went to the stone tablet, and there he saw the remnants of his second-son, and knew what had happened. The following day he called his son, and Cain went to his Father’s house, and in front of his brother and mother, waited. Then his Father spoke. “What have you done with your brother, first son? The hard, cold soil is stained with his blood, and his soul demands vengeance.” And Cain said nothing, for he couldn’t find anything to say. Then Adam stood from his chair, and looking at Cain, spoke. “You are a defiler of souls. Damned be you for your crimes. From this day forward I exile you from the land you tainted with your brother’s life. You will leave as an errand, and as an errand you will spend your days. The earth will not give you its fruits, and will be harsh upon you.” And Cain turned, and took his staff, and left, for he knew his sin was too big to ask for forgiveness. His heart was in pain as he took on the road, but he felt also anger. Twice had he given his best offering, and twice had he been punished for it. As he walked from the side of his Father he didn’t turn back, and his step was quick and sure.
For months Cain walked, until he reached the Land of Nod, in the east of Eden. There he found a palace, and in the palace he found a woman. She invited him to stay, and every night they gathered in a great chamber, with a view over the entire land. And as the sun sank behind the mountains, they dined together. And for the first time since his exile, Cain knew peace.
The woman introduced herself as Lilith, and told him she was a sorcerer of great power. She told him that once she had been close to God, but that he hadn’t treated her fairly, so she had left. She told him that in the beginning, she had been an angel sent to Paradise to be Adam’s companion, but he had treated her like a servant and not an equal. Then, instead of taking her, Adam had asked the Lord for a wife, and the Lord gave him one. Lilith saddened when she saw this, and when the Lord ordered her to serve her too, she refused. Grieving and hurt, she had gone to a friend of hers. She told him about Adam’s new companion, and about the way he treated her, and his friend listened. He told Lilith about a tree that was God’s most sacred possession, and taught her how to entice Adam’s wife into eating from it. And so Lilith left, and looking for Adam’s companion, she found her alone. She enticed her to eat from the tree the way her friend had taught her, and she did. But things didn’t go as had been planned. Lilith was betrayed by her friend. He went to the woman and convinced her to make Adam eat from it too. Then Adam and his wife were thrown from Paradise in punishment, and the Lord turned against her. Fearing his power, and hurt by her friends betrayal, she fled to the Land of Nod, where she built the palace and lived away her days, without reason or motive.
Cain was impressed by the story, for his Father had never shared it with him, and he got angrier at him for that. And he turned to Lilith, and told her his. He told her about how he and his brother had gone to the stone tablet at the top of the hill when the days began to get warmer, when the first green blooms of spring began to struggle through the rock. He told her how he brought his leather bag, filled with the best harvest of the month which, although poor because of the winter, was the best he had and he offered joyfully. And he told her also how his brother brought a sheep, its feet bound together to make it easier to carry and, although undernourished because of the winter, was the best he had and he offered joyfully. And told her how they gathered lumber together, and offered their sacrifice, and then ate together. And then he told her about how the Lord had been displeased with his sacrifice, and how he had looked to offer the most important thing he had, and how he had been punished for that. When she heard this, Lilith learned the truth about Cain, and knew he was Adam’s first son, and howling in rage she stood from the table, and she left the castle, and left Cain to eat alone.
****
The bible tells us a story of Cain and Abel. But that doesn't mean that's the only way of seeing it. Many times we fall into polarized views, watching only one side of the issue. Sometimes we recognize theres another one, to varying degrees, but almost never do we stop to really consider them. What if Cain didn't kill Abel out of jealousy but of love? God asked Cain to give his most preacious thing. Cain gave the fruit of his labor, but God wasn't pleased. So, Cain gave his brother -the thing he loved the most- in sacrifice. A mistake? Yes, but not an evil act. And for his sacrifice, Cain was condemned and exiled. This first part of the story is for you to think that sometimes an action seem to happen because of one thing, but it might have happened for something you haven't even considered. It's important in our life to be empathic when observing the world. We must be able to understand the situation before jumping to conclusions. The second part will aim to teach another thing.
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