LEGEND by Jorge Luis Borges Cain and Abel came upon each other after Abels death. They were walking through the desert, and they recognized each other from afar, since both men were very tall. The two brothers sat on the ground, made a fire, and ate. They sat silently, as weary people do when dusk begins to fall. In the sky, a star glimmered, though it had not yet been given a name. In the light of the fire, Cain saw that Abels forehead bore the mark of the stone, and he dropped the bread he was about to carry to his mouth and asked his brother to forgive him. Was it you that killed me, or did I kill you? Abel answered. I dont remember anymore; here we are, together, like before. Now I know that you have truly forgiven me, Cain said, because forgetting is forgiving. I, too, will try to forget. Yes, said Abel slowly. So long as remorse lasts, guilt lasts. (Translation : Andrew Hurley, Collected Fictions)
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 05:08:50 +0000