Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

ALEXANDER AND AN ANGEL CONVERSE. 245
with the angel. And he lifted up his head, and The angei
spake to the angel, saying, "O thou angel to whom "ith^AiL-
"dominion is given over all the ends of the earth, ^"'^"^
"what doest thou.?" And he said, "Dost thou keep
"hold upon this mountain? Doth it desire to leap
"out of thy hands?" The angel answered and
spake unto him, saying, "Who art thou? and for
"what reason art thou here, O man? for thou art
"of the children of Adam. And how is it that
"thou hast been able to come into this darkness,
"into which no other man hath been able to
"penetrate? Tell me, whence comest thou? and
"who guided thee unto me?" The Two-horned
said unto him, "It is God Almighty, my Lord and
"thy God, Who hath guided me until I came unto
"thee. He hath given me strength, as thou mayest
"see, and I have come into the land wherein my
"feet [found] neither stone nor stumblingblock; and
"I have arrived in this [p. 140] place, which is
"Paradise, by the command of the glorious God,
"for it is He Who hath given this unto me, and
"He it was Who wished to reveal to me this
"mystery." The angel said unto him, "O man,
"boast not thyself before me with such words as
"these, and say not concerning God Almighty that
"it is because He loveth thee that He would reveal
"this mystery unto thee.' Moreover, thou art a
"sinful man, and thou art the son of Adam, the The fan of
"sinner, and God brought thy father Adam out
' Read hilf- ' Ah s