Week 3 Story: Adam names the animals
I was born of the earth at the hands of God, and came into the world at 20 years of age, towering tall above the trees and animals. Given to me by my Creator was the wisdom to know the names of each of the creatures on the Earth — when I look at the animals, I know their names with certainty, like my Creator taught me this before I came to be.
I look at a creature with four legs, cone-shaped ears and horns. She has a hump on her back. She's resting, calm.
"Ox," I say to her. "You are an ox." I hear my God affirm me — the animal I've named is an ox. I am not sure if he is an ox because I've declared him one, or if my God instilled in me the knowledge that this animal and animals like her are oxen. But I am comforted nonetheless that I can name her.
A much smaller creature runs over my foot. She has little feet with tiny claws that tickle the earth as she runs by. A bushy brown tail almost seems to chase her. She moves in quick, sudden movements, bounding over the earth with great speed.
"You, my friend," I say to her, "You are a squirrel."
She stops short and turns back to me with a flash of recognition in her small, dark eyes. She is a squirrel, and so others like her are also squirrels.
When she turns and continues running, an even tinier creature flies before me. She has blue wings, thin as paper, and long antennae. Her wings work at a rapid pace until she stops on a flower, and they move slowly.
"Flutter-by," I say at first. "Mm, no. Butterfly. You are a butterfly." She darts away, but I know that she is a butterfly.
I spend the rest of the day wandering, coming across animals, naming them and delighting in their differences.
Author's note: I adapted this story from a detail in Ginzberg's version of "Adam and Eve," in which Adam has the ability to name all the animals on earth. I wanted to tell this story from his perspective as he comes across different animals and names them. I wanted to narrow in on that detail, because it was one that I didn't remember from the Biblical story.
Bibliography: The Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg (1909): Book 1, Chapter 2 Adam. Web source: Adam and Eve: The Ideal Man.
I look at a creature with four legs, cone-shaped ears and horns. She has a hump on her back. She's resting, calm.
"Ox," I say to her. "You are an ox." I hear my God affirm me — the animal I've named is an ox. I am not sure if he is an ox because I've declared him one, or if my God instilled in me the knowledge that this animal and animals like her are oxen. But I am comforted nonetheless that I can name her.
A much smaller creature runs over my foot. She has little feet with tiny claws that tickle the earth as she runs by. A bushy brown tail almost seems to chase her. She moves in quick, sudden movements, bounding over the earth with great speed.
"You, my friend," I say to her, "You are a squirrel."
She stops short and turns back to me with a flash of recognition in her small, dark eyes. She is a squirrel, and so others like her are also squirrels.
When she turns and continues running, an even tinier creature flies before me. She has blue wings, thin as paper, and long antennae. Her wings work at a rapid pace until she stops on a flower, and they move slowly.
"Flutter-by," I say at first. "Mm, no. Butterfly. You are a butterfly." She darts away, but I know that she is a butterfly.
I spend the rest of the day wandering, coming across animals, naming them and delighting in their differences.
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| The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. Web source: Wikimedia Commons |
Author's note: I adapted this story from a detail in Ginzberg's version of "Adam and Eve," in which Adam has the ability to name all the animals on earth. I wanted to tell this story from his perspective as he comes across different animals and names them. I wanted to narrow in on that detail, because it was one that I didn't remember from the Biblical story.
Bibliography: The Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg (1909): Book 1, Chapter 2 Adam. Web source: Adam and Eve: The Ideal Man.
Dana,
ReplyDeleteI also don't remember this part of the story of Adam and Eve, so I am glad you brought that to attention. I honestly thought at first that this was straight from the bible it is so well written. I think it would be awesome to come across and name an animal whatever I wanted. I wonder what I would come up with. Haha. Anyways, great story!
Dana,
ReplyDeleteThis is such an interesting take on the story of Adam! I like that you mentioned his age, and also that you chose him to be twenty years old. That is something that I have never really considered before...I guess I always assumed that Adam and Eve were middle-aged adults, but it never occurred to me that they might be our age! Very cool. I also love the creativity that you demonstrate, with what the naming process for animals must have been like. There is a cool interaction between God ordaining the identity of each of these animals and Adam's freedom in granting them a name. Somehow, they coincide perfectly! Great job, and your blog looks awesome!
Dana,
ReplyDeleteI really loved that you told this story for Adam's point of view, what an interesting take! I also love that you discuss the idea that he is naming them but also that he just knows what they are named. A very biblical idea!! Great job! I can't wait to read more!