Abel, The Gold
1 Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Cain. And Eve said in her joy, "I have conceived a man that the Lord had promised." When the Demiurge heard these words, he looked upon the child with great favor and blessed Cain, setting his regard upon him as though he were a vessel of his own will.
2 And Eve conceived again and bore another son, and she called his name Abel. Yet when the Demiurge in the heavens beheld the second child, he gnashed his teeth, for within Abel's heart there was a purity that stirred envy and bitterness, and so the Demiurge did not favor him as he had favored Cain.
3 But this was hidden from mortal sight, for a Dove alighted upon both Cain and Abel alike, unseen by their eyes. And the Lord Above All beheld the two brothers, and in His gaze they were equally favored, and no division was made between them, for His judgment was beyond the knowledge of men.
4 Abel grew gentle in spirit, humble in his works, tending the flocks and the beasts of the field with care. Once, as a flock of sheep wandered perilously toward the banks of the eastern waters, drawn by the swift current, Abel rescued them, guiding them away from danger lest they be swept away and lost to the river's strength.
5 In another time, Abel looked upon his brother Cain, who labored greatly in the soil, turning the earth and raising plants from it, and he spoke with a voice of calm and gentle inquiry, saying, "Brother, why dost thou toil thus in the ground? Did not our father command that we should tend the flock together?"
6 And Cain replied softly, his words pleasant upon the ear, yet behind them stirred a foul desire that lay coiled in the door of his heart. And he said, "The 'lord' in heaven spoke unto me and commanded that I should till the earth and raise my own grass from the ground, and fruits that grow upon the trees, and flowers that bloom, that I might have dominion over my own labor."
7 Thus Abel watched his brother, wary of his intentions, lest the labor of Cain draw the judgment of their father upon them or disturb the harmony of their care. And so he kept vigilance, tending the flock with humility and attentiveness.
8 In the course of time, Cain brought an offering of the fruits of the soil unto the Demiurge. And Abel also brought his offering, taking fat portions from the firstborn of his flock. The Demiurge looked with favor upon Abel and his sacrifice, but on Cain and his he did not look, and so Cain's anger burned within him, and his face was downcast, clouded with envy and bitterness.
9 Then a voice from the Lord spake unto Cain, saying, "Why art thou angry, and why is thy face downcast? If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? But if thou dost not do well, sin crouches at thy door; it desires thee, yet thou must rule over it and not yield."
10 And it came to pass that as Cain and Abel walked in the fields, night fell upon the land, and a darkness unlike any other pressed upon them. From that shadow, a voice, heavy with sorrow and regret, pierced the silence, and it spoke, tremulous and low:
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"Brother Abel, forgive me…"