CAIN.  I revolt against the clay.  I revolt against the food.  You say it gives us strength:  does it not also turn into filth and smite us with diseases?  I revolt against these births that you and mother are so proud of.  They drag us down to the level of the beasts.  If that is to be the last thing as it has been the first, let mankind perish.  If I am to eat like a bear, if Lua is to bring forth cubs like a bear, then I had rather be a bear than a man; for the bear is not ashamed:  he knows no better.  If you are content, like the bear, I am not.  Stay with the woman who gives you children:  I will go to the woman who gives me dreams.  Grope in the ground for your food:  I will bring it from the skies with my arrows, or strike it down as it roams the earth in the pride of its life.  If I must have food or die, I will at least have it at as far a remove from the earth as I can.  The ox shall make it something nobler than grass before it comes to me.  And as the man is nobler than the ox, I shall some day let my enemy eat the ox; and then I will slay and eat him.

ADAM.  Monster!  You hear this, Eve?

EVE.  So that is what comes of turning your face to the clean clear heavens!  Man-eating!  Child-eating!  For that is what it would come to, just as it came to lambs and kids when Abel began with sheep and goats.  You are a poor silly creature after all.  Do you think I never have these thoughts:  I! who have the labor of the child-bearing:  I! who have the drudgery of preparing the food?  I thought for a moment that perhaps this strong brave son of mine, who could imagine something better, and could desire what he imagined, might also be able to will what he desired until he created it.  And all that comes of it is that he wants to be a bear and eat children.  Even a bear would not eat a man if it could get honey instead.

CAIN.  I do not want to be a bear.  I do not want to eat children.  I do not know what I want, except that I want to be something higher and nobler than this stupid old digger whom Lilith made to help you to bring me into the world, and whom you despise now that he has served your turn.

ADAM [in sullen rage] I have half a mind to shew you that my spade can split your undutiful head open, in spite of your spear.

CAIN.  Undutiful!  Ha! ha! [Flourishing his spear] Try it, old everybody’s father.  Try a taste of fighting.

EVE.  Peace, peace, you two fools.  Sit down and be quiet; and listen to me. [Adam, with a weary shrug, throws down his spade.  Cain, with a laughing one, throws down his shield and spear.  Both sit on the ground].  I hardly know which of you satisfies me least, you with your dirty digging, or he with his dirty killing.  I cannot think it was for either of these cheap ways of life that Lilith set you free. [To Adam] You dig roots and coax grains out of the earth:  why do you not draw down a divine sustenance from the skies?  He steals