"Then Satan began to
lead astray
Adam and Eve..."
Book I. Chapter LXVII.
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But when Adam and Eve went
down to the land of black mud, and came near to the wheat God had
showed them, and saw it ripe and ready for reaping, as they had no
sickle to reap it withal—they girt themselves, and began to pull up
the wheat, until it was all done.
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Then they made it into a
heap; and, faint from heat and from thirst, they went under a shady
tree, where the breeze fanned them to sleep.
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But Satan saw what Adam and
Eve had done. And he called his hosts, and said to them,
"Since God has shown to Adam and Eve, all about this wheat,
wherewith to strengthen their bodies—and, lo, they are come and have
made a heap of it, and faint from the toil are now asleep—come, let
us set fire to this heap of corn, and burn it, and let us take that
bottle of water that is by them, and empty it out, so that they may
find nothing to drink, and we kill them with hunger and thirst.
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"Then, when they wake up
from their sleep, and seek to return to the cave, we will come to them
in the way, and will lead them astray; so that they die of hunger and
thirst; when they may, perhaps, deny God, and He destroy them.
So shall we be rid of them."
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But from the heat of the
flame Adam and Eve awoke from their sleep, and saw the wheat burning,
and the bucket of water by them, poured out.
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Then they wept and went back
to the cave.
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But as they were going up
from below the mountain where they were, Satan and his hosts met them
in the form of angels, praising God.
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Then Satan said to Adam,
"O Adam, why are thou so pained with hunger and thirst? It
seems to me that Satan has burnt up the wheat." And Adam
said to him, "Ay."
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Again Satan said to Adam,
"Come back with us; we are angels of God. God sent us to
thee, to show thee another field of corn, better than that; and beyond
it is a fountain of good water, and many trees, where thou shalt dwell
near it, and work the corn-field to better purpose than that which
Satan has consumed."
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Adam thought that he was
true, and that they were angels who talked with him; and he went back
with them.
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Then Satan began to lead
astray Adam and Eve eight days, until they both fell down as if dead,
from hunger, thirst, and faintness. Then he fled with his hosts,
and left them.
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