Mountaintop Sacrifice

(Cont.)

Then it happened, after all these things, that Yahweh called Abram, and said unto him: “Abram, Abram.” And Abram answered: “Here am I.”

And the Volcano said unto Abram: “Look, you are old, and well stricken in years. Now I have one last mission for you: You shall perform a sacrifice, and earn for yourself an honorable death.”

Abram answered: “Anything for you, my Lord.”

And Yahweh said: “Take now your daughter Emily, whom we love, and go with her up to the top of this mountain in the wilderness – I will show the place to you in a vision: Do you see it?”

“Yes,” said Abram.

“Do you know how to reach it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Also take this glittering sword: use it for the sacrifice. I will then send a fiery chariot to meet you, and you will achieve a glorious end.”

So Abram rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took the glittering sword of the LORD, and Emily his daughter; and headed out in the direction of the place that God had shown him.

Then on the third day of their journey, Abram lifted up his eyes, and saw the hill afar off. So Abram said to his ass: “Abide here, Mister Bottom, for I shall surely not be needing you for the sacrifice – God told me that he himself will provide the beast. Now, I and the lass will go up yonder and worship. Head back on your own to the homestead, if one of us does not return by even to fetch you.”

And Abram took the glittering sword in one hand, and with the other he held the hand of Emily his daughter; and they went both of them together up the hillside.

And, as they went, Emily spoke unto Abram, and said: “Father, father.” And he answered: “Here am I.” And she said: “Behold the sword for the sacrifice, but where is the beast to be slain?”

And Abram answered: “My dear lass, God himself will provide a soul of his choosing for this holy occasion.” And they went both of them onward together.

Soon they came to the place which the LORD had shown to him; and Abram built an altar there; then he stood and waited. In the silence, he reasoned within himself, thinking as follows: “God assured me that he would provide the sacrifice. Now there are the two of us here, and no further living beast is to be seen. It is unthinkable that Yahweh would intend for me to sacrifice this damsel here, his own Seed of Promise. Perhaps if I wait just a little while more, he will arrive in the chariot of which he spoke, along with a firstling from his own flock for us to feast upon.” And as he pondered further, while the time passed, eventually he struck upon this idea: “Peradventure I myself am to be the sacrifice. For God employed the phrase ‘honorable death’ as the impetus of my mission: it must therefore be that God intends for his Chosen One to take my life.”

Then turned Abram toward his heiress Emily, and said: “Clutch this glittering sword, and thrust me through therewith. For it is clear that I am to be the LORD God’s sacrifice.” But the damsel would not; for she was sore afraid.

Therefore Abram took the sword, and fell upon it.

And just then, a voice called out, and cried “Abram! Abram!” and there appeared, from over the horizon, a fiery chariot, which sped forth and landed on top of the hill. But Abram answered not, for his spirit was yielded up.

Now Yahweh stepped out, holding under his arm a ram. And he said unto Emily: “Alas! I am late. I was hastening here for our feast, so as to take Abram away in honor. Lo, here is the sacrifice.” And he set the beast down beside the altar. He then removed the glittering sword from Abram’s bosom, and handed it to the young girl, saying: “Take this blade – it is yours now: keep it always. I am sorry for the delay. There was a banquet with the Persian Fire-Worshippers, and the hours slipped away. I was hoping to get here before any mishap came to pass. Too bad: if only I had arrived an instant sooner.”

Then the Volcano took young Emily up with him in the chariot and brought her back to the house of her mother. On the way, he imparted much wisdom to the girl, and he told her all about the sword that he had vouchsafed her.

And when they arrived at the house, the Volcano said to Sarah: “Behold, I advise you to look among the Midianites in the wilderness, when it comes to finding an help meet for our Emily.”