ommand of God), to remain closed. The curiosity of her
husband, however, tempted him to open it, and suddenly there
escaped from it troubles, weariness and illness from which
mankind was never afterwards free. All that remained was
_hope_."[10:1]

Among the _Thibetans_, the paradisiacal condition was more complete and
spiritual. The desire to eat of a certain sweet herb deprived men of
their spiritual life. There arose a sense of shame, and the need to
clothe themselves. Necessity compelled them to agriculture; the virtues
disappeared, and murder, adultery and other vices, stepped into their
place.[10:2]

The idea that the Fall of the human race is connected with _agriculture_
is found to be also often represented in the legends of the East African
negroes, especially in the Calabar legend of the Creation, which
presents many interesting points of comparison with the biblical story
of the Fall. The first human pair are called by a bell at meal-times to
Abasi (the Calabar God), in heaven; and in place of the forbidden tree
of Genesis are put _agriculture_ and _propagation_, which Abasi
strictly denies to the first pair. The Fall is denoted by the
transgression of both these commands, especially through the use of
implements of tillage, to which the _woman_ is tempted by a female
friend who is given to her. From that moment man fell _and became
mortal_, so that, as the Bible story has it, he can eat bread only in
the sweat of his face. There agriculture is a curse, a fall from a more
perfect stage to a lower and imperfect one.[11:1]

Dr. Kalisch, writing of the Garden of Eden, says:

"The _Paradise_ is no exclusive feature of the early history
of the Hebrews. _Most of the ancient nations have similar
narratives about a happy abode, which care does not approach,
and which re-echoes with the sounds of the purest
bliss._"[11:2]

The _Persians_ supposed that a region of bliss and delight called
_Heden_, more beautiful than all the rest of the world, _traversed by a
mighty river_, was the original abode of the first men, before they were
tempted by the evil spirit in the form of a _serpent_, to partake of the
fruit of the forbidden tree _Hom_.[11:3]

Dr. Delitzsch, writing of the _Persian_ legend, observes:

"Innumerable attendants of the Holy One keep watch against the
attempts of Ahriman, over the tree _Hom_, which contains in
itself the power of the resurr