If Eve Had Overcome the Temptation

                TATYANA MARTIROSYAN (SELF-TRANSLATION)


Eve was running fast and effortlessly. She was rushing forward dodging branches, jumping over brooks and rocks, pushing with pleasure off the soft ground and springy grass. The trees began to thin as if parting to open a big glade. Here, she was supposed to slow down. Too late! She dashed out into the open space, ran a few more steps and stumbled over a sharp root. She screamed with pain and nearly fell, yet she kept her feet and did not ram into the Forbidden Tree. There it is, standing in the middle of the glade; and the air around it is less transparent, as though denser, than elsewhere. And the sunlight embraces it as if without touching neither the dark green oblong leaves nor the golden fruits. A truly special tree… A light breeze blew off the river, and Eve saw that, having dashed against the Tree, it stopped exactly as she did. And where its breath touched the branches, a shimmer began to dance on the very ends of leaves. Eve reached out her hand; the same glow surrounded her stretched fingers. She withdrew her hand. Away from here! She ran back. The turn, another, here is the Big Fig Tree; here the lemon grove begins; here she should turn to the right…
Just as she thought, Adam was sitting among the raspberry bushes, waiting for her. He had gathered berries and piled them on the lettuce leaves. How nice! Adam, how good, how handsome he is! Under the oblique rays of the setting sun his hair seems nearly raven black and his skin looks golden brown... What is he doing so absorbedly, without noticing her?
“What are you doing?”
Adam looked up, his stare vacant, a quiet fire of inspiration in the blue eyes. She came up closer. Adam beamed.
“Look here.”
“What is it—a stick, a tube? What for?”
“Ah, listen!”
He lifted the strange object to his lips.
A stream started running over the stones, rolling them and purling. Then the rustling leaves stepped in. Now angels began to sing. Now the wind echoed them, mourning…
While listening, Eve looked at his fingers twinkling over the miraculous tube and did not trust her eyes.
“How beautiful! Did you catch the wind with this tube? Or did you put a bird in there? Or maybe it’s a little angel sitting inside.”
“This is flute, Eve. This is music.”
“Flu-u-ute… Mu-sic… I love you, Adam!”
“I love you, Eve!”

***

In the morning they as always went down to the river bank. The sun was just starting to rise. It was so funny to play here: you just take a few steps into the fog and get lost. It is even a little frightful. You see nothing except the huge pink cloud which covers the river at nights and melts under the hot rays of the sun. Here it is, lessening and getting more and more transparent, while the sun becomes hotter and hotter. And the river is streaming so fast that it makes you dizzy.
“Let’s go, Eve!”
Adam led her down to the water. Hand in hand, they entered the river. The cold water refreshed her, erasing from her memory the night’s rustle, the shades and the confused thoughts. They swam, dove and splashed for a while. Then Adam found a thick branch on the bank and got it in the water. The branch did not sink. He tried to sit on it. The branch escaped his arms and floated downstream. Annoyed, Adam swam after it. Eve watched him for a while and swam in an opposite direction—against the stream. It was difficult. The water was pushing her back, hindering, as if forbidding her to swim. It vaguely reminded her of something. Ah, yes, it’s the Tree in the middle of the Paradise. The Forbidden Tree and its mysterious power… It put her in a bad mood. She climbed out of the water and called Adam. Adam turned back; he was walking slowly, stopping now and then and tossing his head bowed on one side. He was angry at the water left in his ears and at the disobedient branch.
“You see, I wanted it to carry me; I…”
“I’ve seen it,” Eve waved it off. “You have to think of some other way, but not now. Let’s eat first. And later…”
“What?”
“You’ll think of something.”
“And you?”
“I, well, I’ll go…”
“Where?”
Eve did not answer.
Adam frowned. He did not like her falling silent this way, when she had that incomprehensible, strange look. It vaguely reminded him of something. Ah, yes, it’s the Tree in the middle of the Paradise. The Forbidden Tree…
“You’ll go to the Tree, won’t you?”
She kept silent.
“I’ll go with you.”
Eve shrugged her shoulders.

***

She quickly picked up some fruit: juicy sweet figs, cool yellowish bananas, bright and round like little suns oranges. The large pomegranate with its shining sour seeds she put separately; it was strangely pleasant for a change. She threw an armful of grass on the ground to make it softer and laid jasmine twigs among the fruits. That’s all. The food was ready.
Adam watched her, his face radiant with tenderness. He had already forgotten both the unsuccessful experiment with the branch and the disagreement with Eve.
The fragrance of jasmine, how captivating it is…
Ah, who is playing the flute? Whom heart is crying with inescapable grief? Adam is asleep. The flute is left among the raspberry bushes, forgotten… The birds, the wind, all are asleep. The stars above her head, beautiful like the eyes of angels, they are inaccessibly far away... Surely, it’s they who sing this song of grief. Well, anyway, she is happy with Adam. Calmed down, she fell asleep.

 ***

For three long days Adam had not been paying much attention to her. He spent most of time on the riverside, occupied with the branch. He forgot about music as well, though Eve had found the flute among the bushes and carried it around everywhere. She even tried to play, but failed. In the daytime she hung around the bank, now and then casting a glance at Adam, waiting for him to call her. At nights she listened to the song of stars, and her heart was breaking with anguish. Only mornings brought her joy. But mornings are so short!
On the fourth day she went to the Tree. She was moving slowly, carefully, but without fear. There it is, with its fruits glowing among the green leafage. And the invisible barrier is present, as always. But she can overcome it: the only thing to do is to go forward paying no attention to the mysterious force that hampers her advance as well as to the growing pain in her chest. But having approached the Tree, she stopped. Something was wrong. Something had changed. She tilted her head back and peered into the thick crown. Up there, the leaves were slightly trembling: the Serpent was slipping down the trunk. It was not the first time that Eve had seen the Serpent, but only now she noticed that his skin gleamed with dull gold matching the color of the forbidden fruits, and his little green eyes were shining restlessly but in the same time enchantingly. “He himself is like this Tree,” thought Eve. Meanwhile, the Serpent welcomed her and, having reached the level of her face, looked straight in her eyes.
“Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
Eve was surprised.
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’”
“You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
The Serpent twined the tip of his tail around the ripe golden fruit, plucked it and offered it to her.
“You will be like God, knowing good and evil,” repeated Eve. “Does this fruit give knowledge? If I just eat it, I’ll get to know everything—all the answers for all the questions that torment me at nights? And Adam, will he learn how to cope with the river and many other things?”
“Oh, yes,” nodded the Serpent, “this and many other things—everything.”
“Really, everything?”
She looked around. The flowers were nodding affably. The birds were twittering flying from place to place. High above her head the sun was shining. And the pure azure of the sky was caressing her soul. The world around her was beautiful. And somewhere near the river Adam was working at his branch. Just as Eve thought of him, she heard his footsteps. Adam came up and stood beside her without a word. He looked confused. For some reason, she glanced at his hands. They were empty.
“Have you succeeded in your work?” she asked hopefully.
“No,” he sadly admitted. “I felt hungry and went after you.”
“And I’m here…” Eve waved her hand to the Tree.
The Serpent nodded willingly and started wriggling while balancing the ball-like fruit on the tip of his tail; then he again lowered it.
All of a sudden, everything became clear to her. Eve burst into laughter.
“How can you say that all the world—the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars, our garden to the last blade of grass—everything is in this ball? Do you mean that this tiny ball can hold the whole world created by God?”
“Exactly so; God has concealed the knowledge of good and evil which is the complete knowledge about the world in this fruit. You don’t understand it, but taste the fruit, and you’ll comprehend everything.”
“May be so; perhaps the precious knowledge is really as accessible as you say, but… no.”
“Why?” asked the Serpent, bewildered.
“Because God loves us. He appointed us to rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
“You’re stupid, woman! You don’t understand what you’re talking about. It has nothing to do with this.”
“No, you’re the one who doesn’t understand. We have something better than any knowledge.”
“What can be better than knowledge? I say, it will make you equal with the Lord God Himself!”
 “May be so; I don’t know. But what I know for sure—because I feel it in my heart— is that we will loss the love of God if we violate His prohibition. I don’t know what death is, though I’m afraid of it, but I know very well what love is. And if I acquire all the knowledge of the world thus losing His love, let me die on that very day, as God said.”
“But you won’t die! The matter is that you won’t die of it,” the Serpent exclaimed in despair.”
Eve gave him a contemptuous look, took Adam by the hand and pulled him away.
Adam was still silent.
“Well, aren’t you going to say anything? Why have you been remaining silent and waiting for me to talk?”
“It’s offence and anger.”
“Stop talking in riddles.”
“I was in anger at the offence, and it sapped my strength.”
“And why did you get angry?”
 “I’ve tried every way to realize my idea, but in vain; I can’t do anything.”
“But the flute, you’ve invented the flute; here, play.”
Adam glanced at her with gratitude, and her heart panged with compassion. She closed her eyes. What does it remind of?—neither of birdsong nor of angels singing. Birds are carefree, and angels are always joyful. Ah, it’s the song of stars—the song of grief on high.
Adam abruptly ceased playing. He sat down next to her, but was far away, alone in his despair.
What’s to do? Eve clapped her hands.
“Hey, Adam, how smartly we’ve managed to defeat the Serpent! How silly he looked, indeed, when he opened his mouth and started wagging his tail, as if he was going to swallow it down.”
Eve stuck her tongue out and began to wag her curved finger, mimicking the Serpent. Adam burst into laughter.
“And when you said that God loved us, he got furious! And you’re right: the best thing we have is love. Wait. I’ve got it! Now I know what to do…”
“What?”
Without answering, he ran towards the river. Eve followed him.
Having reached the edge of the bank, Adam stared at the stream for a moment; then he walked on the water.
Rooted to the spot with the mixture of delight and horror, Eve gazed after him. Adam reached the other bank of the river, turned and waved to her. He stood calmly, with his arms spread wide, to show her how easy it was. Eve dared not follow him. Adam laughed and moved towards her. No, no! Eve laughed in her turn and glided over the waves to meet him. An unexpected and unknown feeling of lightness overfilled her, as if she was miraculously released from some burden which had been bending her down the earth and of which she had never had any suspicion.
Ah, what a happiness!
In the middle of the river washing their Paradise, Adam and Eve met and embraced.
Blessed are You, our Lord God, Creator of the universe. Glory to You forever and ever!

***

“How did you come up with that idea?”
“I don’t know. I just thought, ‘Why do I need a branch? If I want to move on the water, I can simply walk.’ It’s so easy! I simply realized that this was the best way. Oh no, this is the only true way,” he corrected himself. “And how have you made up your mind to do it?”
“I just thought, ‘If you managed to do it, I will manage as well’ Why, I’m the flesh of your flesh, am I not?” she added coquettishly, paused a little and continued, “Weren’t we told, ‘And the two will become one…one…’” she hesitated.
“One what?” Adam smirked.
“One tree!” Eve blurted out and immediately regretted it.
Adam made a long face.
“You aren’t going there any more, are you?”
She shook her head.
“Never. Not for anything. I’d better…”
“What?”
“Let’s go to the other bank and see what’s there.”
“Let’s leave it for tomorrow. I am tired and hungry. And night’s falling.”
So their last day on their native bank passed.
 The night fell on their garden like a gigantic bird whose feathers shone like black agates, whose eyes could see well in the dark because they were ruled by heart, and whose songs were ever ravishing.
Like nestlings, Adam and Eve got under her worm wings.
The other bank, yesterday inaccessible and therefore mysterious, turned out a complete copy of their native one. They walked for a long time along the river; then they went inland, but did not see anything strange or unknown. The Paradise was absolutely symmetrical, like their faces. Perhaps the Paradise is the face of the earth. But what is beyond its borders?
“Why would we go beyond the borders of the Paradise? Don’t we live comfortably here? And there are plenty of wonderful things here… We even have not tasted all the fruits.” Eve frowned in the search of yet more convincing words. “And the Lord our God did not say that we are allowed to go beyond the Paradise.”
“But He did not forbid it.”
“But what if…”
“What?”
“I don’t know. But what if…”
“Don’t be afraid of anything, sweetheart. I’ll be with you, won’t I?”
“Promise that you won’t go anywhere without me.”
“I promise.”
“Never!”
“Never.”
Something rustled among the bushes; then a derisive giggle came from there. The next instant someone hushed them—whoever they were—angrily, and all became still and silent. Adam and Eve grew quiet, not daring to move, but soon they felt hunger and set to prepare supper.
“The figs and bananas here are even testier than on the other side.”
“You’re just too hungry.”
“I’m not anymore.”
Adam yawned and stretched out on the fragrant grass warmed by the sun, which he and Eve had picked together.
“And the grass is softer here,” he smiled playfully, “come on up to make it sure.”

***

“And the two will become one flesh,” the exile repeated thoughtfully. “That’s what they said, didn’t they?”
“Exactly so, my lord,” the Serpent obsequiously bent.
He felt ashamed of his failure and wanted to justify himself, but despite all his cunning could not think of anything that would suit his master.
Until the early hours of the morning the dark forces of evil had been holding council on how to tempt people and ruin them forever, thus ruining the God’s plan.
When the dawn was barely waking up shaking rose petals off her hair and dropping pearls on the grass, the Serpent soundlessly crept up to the sleeping couple. He kept repeating to himself the instructions of his master in order to precisely fulfill them and this time not to disgrace himself. He was supposed to waken Adam alone and to tempt the half-asleep man to leave the Paradise while Eve was still asleep, and when she woke up, to send her to look for him, but in the opposite direction.

***

Breathing heavily, with pounding heart, Eve had been running until she couldn’t move anymore. Her sweetheart was nowhere to be seen. “I went after him, but I did not come hear him; I said his name, but he gave me no answer,” she whispered sorrowfully, looked around and froze in astonishment. Somebody was sitting under the cypress, leaning against the trunk and looking at her sadly and severely. The stranger had beautiful face, eyes sparkling like stars and shoulder-length fair curls reminding of the patches of sunlight. And he himself was shining like the sun. And when he started to speak, it seemed as if an angel was speaking to her.
“Why are you crying, woman?”
“My loved one is gone. He left me while I was asleep. His words, his promises have faded away, and now I am alone; my native bank is far from here, and I don’t know where to go.”
“I know all that,” the stranger snapped, “and it is not worth tears.”
“But I love him.”
“What is love?”
Eve kept silent looking at him with amazement. Adam’s treachery shuttered her faith in what yesterday seemed pure and indisputable truth.
“Well, you don’t even know what love is, so why to cry? Is not it stupid?”
This offended Eve, but she could not find the right words.
“I can tell you what love is. I will show you all its gifts; and you will see how ephemeral and therefore senseless they are, since they pass quickly leaving only the echo of promises. You will see also that it requires sacrifices, innumerable and senseless as well, because you will find only ingratitude in return for them. I can show you much more. I have power over everything on the earth; all the elements obey me, and all the mysteries are open to me. And I will show you everything and give you whatever you want.”
“Do you know everything?”
“Yes.”
“And you are going to show me everything, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And you are going to give me whatever I want, aren’t you?”
“Yes. But you must say that you want it.”
“I only must say that I want…”
“And you must follow me.”
“And follow you…”
“And you must call me ‘my Lord’.’’
The eyes, bright like stars, were gazing at her fixedly. Enchanted with their glitter, Eve made a step towards the stranger, then one more step, and more, more… It seemed, she was about to fall into those eyes. There, in the depth, an abyss was yawning, and a black mist was curling in there, eager to break away.
Eve shrank back.
The stranger frowned.
“What’s the matter?”
“First, answer…” she hesitated.
Lucifer was sitting silently, arms across, regal head leaned back.
“If you have all the knowledge and can do what you’ve said, why are you unhappy?”
“What?!” Lucifer jumped up—wrathful giant—tall and slender like cypress under which he settled down.
“Why are you unhappy? You are lonely and unhappy. You know what love is, but you yourself don’t have it.”
She wanted to continue, but did not have time.
A roar of a wounded beast shook the stranger. The shine grew dark. The giant crashed to the ground and fell to small pieces which turned into slugs, worms, spiders and crawled away.
Lucifer was gone.
Stunned, Eve stood for a long time as if petrified. She tried to walk, but the feet did not obey her. She yelled in terror, but did not hear her cry.
“Adam, Adam, where are you?” screamed her soul. And suddenly she heard, “I’m coming.”
But it was not the voice of Adam. It was not a voice at all. It popped into her head as though she herself had thought it, but she had not.
“This is me who thinks; I’m answering you this way.”
“What way?”
“Mentally, Eve. You hear my thoughts, and I hear yours.”
“But why couldn’t we talk like this before?”
“We could, but we didn’t know that we could. This is like walking on the water.”
“But now I can’t walk at all; I can’t even move a finger.”
“That’s all right. That’s because of fear. It will be over very soon. I know what to do.”
The last words were uttered by his real voice, and as soon as she saw him, life returned to her.
So much had they undergone that they did not wish even to think about mysteries and discoveries anymore. One should be satisfied with what one possessed. Let us be meek and humble. Let us be thankful to God Almighty for everything He had given us. Thus spoke Adam and Eve. And they thought what they spoke and they spoke what they thought, since now they heard the thoughts of each other even when they parted. And everything that was hidden became revealed. However, now they parted seldom and for a short while. And they talked very little. Not because they already could manage without words but because they feared to attract attention of another monster by incautious remark. To think seemed more secure. And when fearful memories were somehow brought back, they soothed each other with caresses and kisses. Their life came down to everyday concerns. Adam cultivated the garden; Eve helped him. When they felt hunger, they prepared some simple food together. Then Eve wove wreaths while Adam lay in grass looking up at the sky and only frowned when some bird crossed the pure azure. He did not play flute anymore. The flute lay in the hollow of cedar, covered with leaves. Sometimes, in the twilight, he took it, examined and carefully laid back. The leaves were always fresh, which means that Eve also came here. It lasted long, and they began to get used to that routine when every day was the same and when night passed like an instant in the worm dark without dreams or conversations with stars.

***
 
Other inhabitants of the Paradise did not care a straw. They ran, flew, swam feeling the rapture of being alive. It was pleasant to watch their bustling carelessness. Eve became so interested in it that began to tell many birds and beasts. She gave them endearing nicknames and played with them. When any of them got hurt, she cleaned the wound with spring water, wrapped it with a special leaf and handfed the sick animal until it recovered. She did all this willingly and was getting more and more attached to her world. Tranquility, quiet tenderness, peaceful sleep—such was the life of the spouses now. Eve did not remember the Tree anymore. Once she passed very close to the sinister place, but did not even notice it. Only having caught out of the corner of her eye the restless shimmer emitted by the twigs fluttering on wind, she remembered its fruits formerly so attractive. But why does she need knowledge? It brings nothing but trouble. Knowledge is the greatest of temptation. The shining stars attract you, luring into the dark and cold precipice; then the colossus falls revealing void and abomination. The vision of the loathsome creatures crawling away appeared in front of her again. Terrified, Eve rushed back throwing caution to the wind. And the monotony of their life recommenced.

***

Adam was digging around trees, and Eve went to see the wounded kid that broke his leg hopping from rock to rock the day before. She left him sleeping near the rock from under which the spring came out, and now she was hurrying up having heard his mournful bleating. But what’s that? It’s not bleating at all; it sounds like human groans. And indeed, someone is lying there, in place of the injured kid, some stranger with awful wounds, groaning in anguish.
“Who are you and what’s the matter with you?”
“Don’t you see that I’m suffering terribly? Help me like you help any dumb animal.”
“Do you want me to clean your wounds and to wrap them with special leaves? Well, I will do it, because you are suffering terribly.”
“No, woman, I’m thirsting for another help,” the poor wretch fell silent and went into convulsions. When the pain abated, he crouched and began to whine.
“Why don’t you tell me what help you need? What am I supposed to do?”
“You’ll have to make a great sacrifice, to give up something precious.”
“Give what?”
“Give me the fruits of the Forbidden Tree for I could eat them and recover. It would be a good deed; you would be rewarded for that.”
“How should I know that it’s good? I know neither good nor evil.”
“Bring me those fruits, and you will know everything.”
“Don’t you know that God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’?”
“Yes, I do. And that’s why I’m asking for sacrifice. Will you really leave me helpless?”
The poor wretch again started convulsing and groaning. But while writhing, he never took his sharp eyes off her. That piercing cold stare did not even remotely resemble to the entreaty that she saw in the eyes of her patients. Eve shrugged her shoulders.
“But why do you ask me for help?”
“Don’t you see that I can’t reach the Tree myself?”
“Ask God.”
The stranger started convulsing even more intensively and stretched out his trembling arms to her. But Eve was inexorable.
“Ask God, and He will help you. Also, in this case I will not violate the prohibition. For I think that God desires mercy, not sacrifice.”
She turned her back to the sufferer and walked off. Having found Adam, she told him all about the stranger, but when she mentioned her last argument, repeating ‘God desires mercy, not sacrifice’, Adam became thoughtful.
“You behaved well. However, how do you know what God desires?”
Eve did not answer.
And Adam continued.
“We know only the limits of what we are allowed to do, and we observe them. Never have we violated His will, but… I feel that… our life lacks truth. We live in fear, and it is not the fear of Lord. We’re afraid of what we’ve experienced and of what lies ahead. We’ve forgotten our dream. We no longer want to know what is there, beyond the Paradise. We no longer need music. We’ve ceased to go to the river and content ourselves with the spring. We’ve lost joy. We’re afraid to live.”
“What should we do? Do you know what to do?”
“Right now, we need some sleep. Let’s leave it till the morning.”

***

Morning in the Paradise is more beautiful than any human dream. No one can guess when it comes. Whether it begins with the first warble of birds or with the languorous smile of the dawn, or with the last rays of stars, or with the fresh wind that banishes sleep. But when you open your eyes, you understand: the morning has come.
And the decision comes in the same way.
Having woken up, Adam and Eve already knew it.
Hand in hand, they went to the river, bathed with quiet solemnity, climbed out on the bank, raised their eyes to heavens and prayed to God.
“Lord, set us free from fear,” whispered Eve.
“Teach us how to go on living, make us see the truth, since we are ignorant, and our days lack joy,” echoed Adam.
Hearing and continuing the thoughts of each other, they weaved them into the song flying to the sky. And blissful warmth began to flow upon them from up there; the caressing stream embraced them from heads to toes, rocking them slightly and filling them with joyful peace.
And when Adam and Eve came to their senses, they saw Him.
He started talking, and His speech flowed like pure verbal milk.
“The Lord is good, and He sent Me to rescue you, His beloved children, who have never violated His will, nor contradicted Him, nor reproached Him for anything. You have overcome the temptations. However, you became weak battling against the forces of darkness, therefore the light in you began to wane, thus allowing despondency to fill your hearts. You have become the slaves of fear, and scared people are easy target for Satan. But since you have got over yourselves, you have surmounted your weakness and despondency weighing you down, and since you have asked God for mercy, you will receive what you asked for. And you will be given more than that. You will cognize truth, and it will make you free.
I am the way and the truth and the life. Through Me you will come to the Father. But you have a long way to go. You must leave the garden where you have undergone your first trials. And you will have to learn to live beyond the Paradise. You will face problems that you have not experienced before. And you will encounter new temptations. But you are able to overcome them. And you will give birth to children and populate the earth. And be aware that Father your Heavenly in His great mercy has given you a shield for all time. When He created you, a man and a woman, He wrote the Code of Life in your hearts. And the key to that code is a prayer. And this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven…’”
Jesus Christ spoke at length teaching and encouraging them to fulfill the God’s plan. Then, He led them out of the Paradise and stationed an angel with flaming sword to guard the entrance so that no one would be seduced by the dream of the carefree life in the garden. And He gave them leather clothing for protection from the cold and full water-skins for the road. But when the Rescuer was going to leave, Adam took heart and said, “Lord, it’s good to be with You, but now You are leaving, while we remain in the unfamiliar land among unknown dangers. How should we distinguish good from evil?”And Jesus smiled and answered, “You of little faith, why are you afraid? Haven’t you understood that the knowledge of good and evil is (and has always been) in your hearts? And you knew what good is when you listened to your hearts. That’s how you learned to heal wounds, to hear thoughts, to walk on the water. And you will learn yet many things. Also, you knew what evil is when you did not believe the tempter. And you will be rewarded for that. I came to you to proclaim truth. And I will come again— to you, to your children and to the children of your children. And you will populate all the earth and will become masters of the earth. And the earth will last forever. Amen.”

YEREVAN, 2002