13 And God ceased to commune with Adam.



Chapter XVII - The Chapter of the Serpent.


1 The Adam and Eve came out at the mouth of the cave,
and went towards the garden.

2 But as they went near it, before the western gate,
from which Satan came when he deceived Adam and Eve, they
found the serpent that became Satan coming at the gate, and
sorrowfully licking the dust, and wiggling on its breast on
the ground, by reason of the curse that fell on it from God.

3 And whereas before the serpent was the most exalted
of all beasts, now it was changed and become slippery, and
the meanest of them all, and it crept on its breast and
went on its belly.

4 And whereas it was the fairest of all beasts, it had
been changed, and was become the ugliest of them all.
Instead of feeding on the best food, now it turned to eat
the dust. Instead of living, as before, in the best
places, now it lived in the dust.

5 And, whereas it had been the most beautiful of all
beasts, all of which stood dumb at its beauty, it was now