Many, many years ago there was no earth. There were no plants, nor
animals; no sun; no moon; neither were there any people.
All was darkness.
Then God looked into the darkness and said, "Let there be light." And
light came. And out of the new light God created the blue sky, the deep
sea, the beautiful grass-covered earth, the plants, the trees, and the
many-colored flowers.
[Illustration: THE CREATION OF ANIMALS. (_Raphael._)]
And in the blue sky he placed the golden sun, the silver moon, and the
stars that shine like jewels in the sky.
Then, in the water he placed the fishes; on the earth, the animals; and
in the tree tops the birds sang their praises.
"This shall be for a home for man," the Creator said; and so, one
morning, there woke to life in the Garden of Eden a man and
woman--beautiful and good and pure.
To the animals God had given strength and speed, and fur for protection
from the wind and rain. To the birds he had given plumage, brilliant and
warm. To the fishes, fins and scales.
Then man came; and to him was given intelligence, and reason, and power
to grow in wisdom; for by these was he to protect himself from the
elements and gain dominion over all the earth,--the fishes, the birds,
and the animals thereof.
Then God blessed everything he had made; for he loved what he had made,
and surrounded it with all that was beautiful and good.
"Of every tree in the garden ye may eat," He had said to Adam and Eve,
"except the tree of Knowledge-of-Good-and-of-Evil. Of that eat not lest
ye die."