Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

THE WELL OF THE WATER OF LIFE. 26
"the sea of fire, and some in the sea of ice; and
"these never cease from crying, Holy, Holy, Holy,
"and from praising Him."
And it came to pass that when the Two-horned Alexander's
heard this, he wept with an exceedingly great
weeping, and he cried, "Glory and praise be unto
"Thee, O my God and Lord, for great are Thy
"power and dominion, and we are abjects and of
"no account whatsoever in the presence of Thy
"praise." The angel said unto him, "What maketh
"thee to weep?" The Two-horned said, "I desire
"to make a petition unto my God for a thing
"which no one hath asked before me." The angel
"[p. 150] said unto him, "Dost thou desire this.''"
And he said "Yea." The angel said unto him,
"I will tell thee of something whereby thou mayest
"live and not die." And the Two-horned said,
"Tell me." The angel said unto him, "God Al-
"mighty hath in the land of Arabia the blackness
"of thick darkness wherein is hidden the store-
"house of His knowledge. There, too, is the The water
"fountain of water which is called the 'Water of
"Life,' and whosoever drinketh therefrom but one
"drop shall never die. By drinking this water a man
"shall attain unto the knowledge of God Almighty,
"which no one before him hath attained, and
"he shall fly through the heavens, even as the
"angels fly, and he shall abide for ever, even until
"he crave for death from his God." The Two-
horned said unto him, "In which quarter of the
"earth is this fountain of water?" And the angel