Mexico
Female Figure. Clay, paint. Jalisco, 200 B.C.-250 A.D.
On
the next day it began to rain. Noah and his sons awoke to the
pitter-patter sound of the rain striking the side of the freshly
waterproofed ark. Noah awoke as he had the day before and
surveyed the new rain that had just arrived. Noah believed that
this was just the precursor to what was to come. The rain in the
days to come would be much harder and in much more quantity.
Noah again sent his sons off into the wilderness but gave a terse
warning to them also. He bade them to stay within a short
distance of the ark because the rain could start to pour at any time
and they would be needed to finish loading the ark with the animals and
to close the giant door and waterproof it. Noah wanted no one
predestined by god to be left to swim for their life. Noah went
about his daily chores and he knew that what had happened yesterday and
the days before would continue to happen until the time of
departure. Noah noticed that everyday there were more and more
people that yearned to hear the tales that Noah told. Noah paced
himself in his work for he knew that come lunch time he would have to
put down whatever he was doing and turn to the masses. Noah
purposely told his oldest son Shem to stay and help his old gray haired
father so nothing would be overlooked in preparing for their
journey. So Noah could tend his flock.
At the lunch hour Noah emerged from the Ark on one of the upper decks
that had been built to withstand tsunami type waves. He seemed
even older than the day before as he wearily stood at the railing
holding both of his arms toward the heavens. With his deep bass
voice Noah started the day's tale: "When the flood fell upon the
earth, God told a man to build a castle. God told the man to put
as many man and animal as he could into this large castle. When
the
man finished his house it started to rain. When the flood rained
down on the wicked they tried to press their way into the man's
house. The people who made it to the refuge of the castle lived
but the ones who did not drowned because the whole earth was covered by
water and no land remained to be seen above the surface.
The man's house could float. The rains continued for six
months. The house floated on the waters for many days and struck
the sky three times before the waters began to recede. When the
flood waters ebbed one of the survivors sent out a raven into the
unknown to bring back some sign of life or earth. The raven never
returned, having found a feast of all the dead bodies that had been
floating around and now had beached on some land somewhere. The
man next sent out a dove to report on the happenings of the
world. When the dove returned he reported all the raven had done
and so God cursed the raven by making him continue to eat carrion for
all the rest of the days. When the waters had receded enough to
disembark on a soggy piece of land the voyagers complained of
hunger. God told the people not to eat anything but the people
did not listen and they started to cook anyway. They cooked up
some tortillas inside the house and when God heard of the events he
sent an angel with a message for the survivors. God had said that
it was not yet time for a fire to be lit. The people once again
ignored him so God sent Saint Bartholomew to investigate what was
smoking. Saint Bartholomew returned to heaven with the news that
the people had turned a blind eye to God and his mercy. God told
Saint Bartholomew that if the people still did not take heed in his
words that he would give them a swift kick to the behind. Once
again Saint Bartholomew witnessed the people's transgressions and he
booted the people in their rump. When he kicked them they turned
into dogs and buzzards and they cleaned the earth of all of the rotting
and decayed bodies!"(Horcasitas)
After Noah had concluded the heavens clapped a dramatic burst of
thunder and the crowd started to disperse. Noah noticed that the
rain had begun to steady and worsen. Noah called his family
together and they returned from their various locations and their
various tasks. Noah warned his family again how the rain would be
the death of many and with that Noah scampered to his spot and rested
his weary head. As Noah drifted off to sleep his final thoughts
were of the plethora of people that would not be as lucky as he, and
the great death that would soon smother the earth.
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