The Creation of Man

Romanian Mythology - part 03

The Creation of Man

After God made the earth, he also created all sorts of animals, birds and creatures to live in the air, on earth and in water. Then he made the trees and the grass in the field and the sweet smelling flowers. And the whole world was like a glazed vessel, so beautiful you felt like living and never getting old. God strolled happily all over and like a good administrator if he found a hill too small pulled it higher, he deepened a valley if he thought it too narrow for a river to flow, or smoothed out a plain to get a better, wider view. Well, like any man who wants his creation to be solid and useful. The Devil accompanied him, close in his tracks, lest God could do something and he missed it. He kept on finding fault: 

“This is no good; that would go better there; water should run uphill not downhill.” 

Well, just to say something. God kept silent and laughed in his sleeve. But for once the Devil was right.

“God,” he said, “so wide and big is the earth and there’s no not a creature to work and enliven it. As far as you see only land.” God looked and nodded.

“You’re right, my No-Good-Brother. But what shall we fill the earth with?”

The Devil, happy to hear God think him smart, told him he could come up with something to God’s liking. But in his mind a perfidious thought dawned. He decided to make a creature to resemble him, and when there would be two or more they could get rid of God more easily. God saw through his scheme but made believe he liked his proposal, and allowed him to set to work.

The Devil picked up some clay and shaped a dummy that he thought looked like him, and after endowing it with a mouth, nose, eyes and ears, put it on its feet and barked at it to start moving. But the dummy would not budge. It gaped and stared like an apparition and remained stock-still. The Devil struck a reed into its mouth and started to blow air into its chest but still he could not make it breathe. So his efforts were vain for the devilish spirit could not bring the dummy to life.

And the Devil was so angry he blew his top. But then God passed by:

“What are you creating there, Devil?”
“A man, God!”
“Well, well!” God seemed to wonder. “And does it move?”
“No, God. I instilled so much spirit into it, and it’s still clay.”
“Well, you did not create it right. Come tomorrow to see how I do it.”

And God set to work. He took bone from stone, flesh from clay, blood from dew, hearing from wind, beauty from the sun, spirit from the holy ghost, and mind from the glory of the angels and made man after his liking. And he commanded him to move, and man did. When the Devil saw that God had succeeded in doing what he himself had wanted to do, and now he would no longer have any help to overthrow God from the helm of the world, he got very mad and cursed and swore he would not relent until he got man out of God’s sway. 

So, to this day the Devil tries all sorts of tricks to get hold of man. And because man’s body is weak as it is made of the same clay that the Devil used for his dummy, it is the flesh that the Devil most leads into temptation. As long as man lives the Devil torments him in all sorts of ways, sending diseases upon him and various kinds of boils and ailments. Then he separates man’s body from his soul, and dumps it in the earth to rot and fall pray to worms. Whereas the soul, a speck of the holy ghost, is constantly fighting against Satan’s wiles, and when the Devil takes sway of man’s flesh, crushing it, the soul rises to God.

The Making of Eve

The earth was silent. All creatures lived in peace and plenty. Plants grew at will. Man saw to his garden, not troubled by anybody. He did not rejoice though for he did not understand what joy was, because he had not lived any days of disgust. He lived in absence of pain and did not feel he was surrounded by displeasure. The Almighty paced the world, caressing his beard contently at having carried his task thorough.

After a time Adam began pouting though. He saw that the lion had a lioness, a horse had a mare, the eagle had its pair, and no creature whatever was alone. Everybody had someone to help, to play or while away time. Only man was alone. He rambled to and fro and had nobody to talk to. God saw him walking aimlessly, deep in thought, and no longer caring for his food or the splendid sights in the matchless paradise. He had had enough of too much good. For this reason God decided to give Adam a mate. He put him to a sweet, heavy slumber, and wanted to detach a piece form his forehead to make a woman. But that did not seem right to him for then the woman would have been more clever and stronger than man. Then he thought of taking a piece of his soles but that meant the woman would be too slim, too nimble and would go all day from here to
there like counterfeit money. So God chose Adam’s ninth rib in the left side and made Eve out of it. After blowing holy spirit into her, he awoke Adam who was mighty frightened at finding a pair next to him. And he sighed: 

“Oh, God, what is this?” 

God assured him: 

“Don’t panic, Adam, this is bone from your bone, flesh of your flesh, and blood of your blood. This woman will be your wife to the end of time.” 

And then Adam took her by the hand to show her the beauties of paradise.