Fire and Lightning
The secret of fire and the legend of heavenly punishment
Once upon a time, stones and trees moved, spoke, ate, and drank just like humans. Seeing this, the Devil came to God and asked for the right to create something of his own. God smiled wryly and said, “If you are able, then create.”
The Devil went to the stones and, seeing that they had crowned gold as their king, said, “Flint is far more powerful and would make a better king than gold.”
To prove his words, he filled a house with grass, wood, and kindling, and then urged the flint to strike against iron. The flint and iron clashed, producing sparks. The sparks fell upon the dry grass inside the house, catching fire and bringing forth flame. Humans and stones gathered around the fire, pulling out roasted fruits and meat to eat. They delighted so much in the taste that they began carrying the fire back to their homes to build hearths and cook their meals.
God grew angry at the Devil for revealing the secret of fire to humankind and said, “Mark my words, because of you I shall create a fire that will strike terror into the hearts of men.”
And so, He created divine fire—lightning—and hurled it down to earth. From its very first strike, ten people perished. Terrified, the Devil fled, never to show his face before God again. God then punished the stones, stripping them of their ability to move and eat, because it was through flint that humans had discovered the secret of fire. God punished the trees in the exact same manner, for they had willingly allowed themselves to become fuel for humankind.