"[61]
[61] _Legends of Old Testament Characters_, by S.
Baring-Gould, vol. i, pp. 78, 79.
_Cain and Abel._
The Hebrew commentators are not agreed regarding the cause of Cain's
enmity towards his brother Abel. According to one tradition, Cain and
Abel divided the whole world between them, one taking the moveable and
the other the immoveable possessions. One day Cain said to his brother:
"The earth on which thou standest is mine; therefore betake thyself to
the air." Abel rejoined: "The garment which thou dost wear is mine;
therefore take it off." From this there arose a conflict between them,
which resulted in Abel's death. Rabbi Huna teaches, however, that they
contended for a twin sister of Abel; the latter claimed her because she
was born along with him, while Cain pleaded his right of primogeniture.
After Adam's first-born had taken his brother's life, the sheep-dog of
Abel faithfully guarded his master's corpse from the attacks of beasts
and birds of prey. Adam and Eve also sat near the body of their pious
son, weeping bitterly, and not knowing how to dispose of his lifeless
clay. At length a raven, whose mate had lately died, said to itself: "I
will go and show to Adam what he must do with his son's body," and
accordingly scooped a hole in the ground and laid the dead raven
therein, and covered it with earth.
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