~读到这里:这是埃瓦拉的故事——人——在海洋之外的土地上的众神创造者。因为城市给了他金子，因为商队带来了绿松石，因为他的生命受到国王的庇护，所以没有人会伤害他，没有人会偷窃，或者在街上喋喋不休地打断他的休息，当他劳累劳累后，他用黄金和珍珠制作了他的上帝的形象，戴着绿松石的冠冕和人类的眼睛，在阳光下的奇迹，远远地知道，并被国王崇拜;但是，因为全城的人都为上帝向他鞠躬，他洋洋得意，就在神龛的上方写道:“神是这样造的，不然造他的必死。”全城的人都称赞他. . . .然后他死了。~在这里阅读埃瓦拉的故事——人——在海洋之外的土地上的众神创造者。因为那城没有财宝可给，因为商队在远处被抢夺，因为他的性命受到王的威胁，以致所有人在街上都藐视他，他就用汗水和眼泪砍下活岩，立了一个神来抵挡晨金，在阳光下的恐怖，远远看见，被王崇拜;但是，他陶醉于骄傲之中，因为这座城市奉承着要把他带回来，他在基座上刻着:“神就是这样被造出来的，否则造他们的人必死无疑。”~”所有的人都称赞他. . . .然后他死了。~在这里阅读埃瓦拉的故事——人——在海洋之外的土地上的众神创造者。因为他住在淳朴的乡民中间，因为他的村庄在群山之间，因为他把母羊的血抹在脸颊上，他从一棵倒下的松树上砍下一个神像，在它的脸颊上抹上血，在它的眉毛上塞了一个贝壳做眼睛，给它配上苔藓的头发，编成稻草做王冠。 And all the village praised him for this craft, And brought him butter, honey, milk, and curds. Wherefore, because the shoutings drove him mad, He scratched upon that log: "~Thus Gods are made, And whoso makes them otherwise shall die.~" And all the people praised him. . . . Then he died. ~Read here the story of Evarra -- man -- Maker of Gods in lands beyond the sea.~ Because his God decreed one clot of blood Should swerve one hair's-breadth from the pulse's path, And chafe his brain, Evarra mowed alone, Rag-wrapped, among the cattle in the fields, Counting his fingers, jesting with the trees, And mocking at the mist, until his God Drove him to labour. Out of dung and horns Dropped in the mire he made a monstrous God, Abhorrent, shapeless, crowned with plantain tufts, And when the cattle lowed at twilight-time, He dreamed it was the clamour of lost crowds, And howled among the beasts: "~Thus Gods are made, And whoso makes them otherwise shall die.~" Thereat the cattle bellowed. . . . Then he died. Yet at the last he came to Paradise, And found his own four Gods, and that he wrote; And marvelled, being very near to God, What oaf on earth had made his toil God's law, Till God said mocking: "Mock not. These be thine." Then cried Evarra: "I have sinned!" -- "Not so. If thou hadst written otherwise, thy Gods Had rested in the mountain and the mine, And I were poorer by four wondrous Gods, And thy more wondrous law, Evarra. Thine, Servant of shouting crowds and lowing kine." Thereat, with laughing mouth, but tear-wet eyes, Evarra cast his Gods from Paradise. ~This is the story of Evarra -- man -- Maker of Gods in lands beyond the sea.~