Translation:Collection of Slavic Folk Tales/XII

XII

THE ORIGIN OF MAN

(CROATIAN TALE)

In the beginning, there was nothing but God; now God slept and dreamed. This sleep lasted for centuries. The moment set for his awakening arrived. He woke abruptly, looked around, and each of his glances created a star. God was astonished and began to travel to see what his eyes had created. He traveled; he traveled, without end or term. He reached our earth; but he was already weary; sweat dripped from his forehead. A drop of sweat fell to the earth; this drop came to life, and it was the first man.

Thus man was born of God; but he was not created for pleasure, he was born of divine sweat, and from the beginning, he was destined to toil and labor.

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