CHAPTER XVIII

The mortal combat with the serpent.

When the accursed serpent saw Adam and Eve, it swelled its head,

stood on its tail, and with eyes blood- red, acted like it would kill them.
It made straight for Eve, and ran after her; while Adam standing by,

cried because he had no stick in his hand with which to hit the serpent, and did not know how to put it to death.
But with a heart burning for Eve, Adam approached the serpent, and

held it by the tail; when it turned towards him and said to him:
"O Adam, because of you and of Eve, I am slippery, and go on my

belly." Then with its great strength, it threw down Adam and Eve and squeezed them, and tried to kill them.
But God sent an angel who threw the serpent away from them, and

raised them up.
Then the Word of God came to the serpent, and said to it, "The first

time I made you slick, and made you to go on your belly; but I did not deprive you of speech.
This time, however, you will be mute, and you and your race will

speak no more; because, the first time My creatures were ruined because of you, and this time you tried to kill them."
Then the serpent was struck mute, and was no longer able to speak.
And a wind blew down from heaven by the command of God and carried

away the serpent from Adam and Eve, and threw it on the seashore where it landed in India.