Beauty was everywhere when the man first awoke. A gurgling river meandered through the aroma of bright flowers and tall grasses, and under the shade of pleasant trees whose leaves danced before the breeze. Birds were perching in the trees’ branches, swimming on the water, and flying through the air, crying out glorious songs. Animals danced all around, purring, bleating, neighing, barking, calling, roaring with delight. That is what the man beheld, the moment when he heard Áronyeh speak to him and he opened his eyes.
“Rayôn.”
The man knew in his heart that Rayôn was his name, and that the One who created him, the One who eternally is, was speaking to him. He turned the thoughts of his mind into words on his tongue. “Áronyeh,” said Rayôn. And he beheld his Creator, whose glory exceeded far beyond all the stunning array of his creation around them. Áronyeh smiled; love and joy flowed from his radiant countenance, and the man felt his warm embrace. Rayôn returned the love and joy to his creator, and leapt up and sang and danced before him.
Áronyeh took the man by the hand and led him through the trees, and around the animals, and up to a hill nearby. “All that you see, I created for you,” said Áronyeh. “All the world – Arah – you are to rule it, and tame it, and care for it, and cultivate it. Come, see it all, everything that I’ve made for you!”
And so, Rayôn went to see it all. He went down the hill and ran into the midst of the animals, and they all turned and came to him. He laughed as he saw the beauty and variety that Áronyeh had made. “Áronyeh,” he said, “what are their names?”
“That is your task,” said Áronyeh. “Have a look at each one, and see what names fit them. All these creatures are under your care. Learn to understand them, and teach them to understand you. After a time, you will discover how to reason with them, and give them the gift of speaking. The first word they will know is what you call them, so name them wisely.”
Rayôn thought, and then named them, each one he saw: the majestic lion, the noble horse, the giant eagle – king of the birds; the playful monkey, the great dragon, and the giant behemoth, the gentle king of the beasts. And this was just the beginning. There were many more – more than he could name in one day. Everywhere Rayôn went, he saw that there were two of each creature; one was larger and stronger, and the other was softer, more graceful – he could not describe exactly the nature of the difference between the two in each pair, but it was the same for each kind of animal. Each of the two was glorious in its own way, and fit the other one with such grace and beauty, that it delighted Rayôn to see it. He didn’t know how to describe it – this thing that struck him so profoundly; so he made new words on his tongue. “He and She,” he said. And he danced with joy. Rayôn saw more animals, swinging in the trees, swimming in the water. So he climbed the trees after them, and then waded into the river to find more. He fearlessly went in over his head, and then found himself swimming along with the beavers, the ducks, the swans, the fish, the river-dragons, and many other creatures. Every minute was a delight as he discovered more. But as he named the animals he found, he felt a growing sense of something – he didn’t know what it was. But it nagged at him. And the more he named the animals, the more the feeling grew. Something wasn’t complete. In all the beauty that he saw, something was missing, and though he strained his mind hard to understand it, he could not. He turned to his Creator with puzzled eyes. “What is it I feel, Áronyeh?” he said. “I see nothing that lacks, but I know something does.”
Áronyeh laughed gently. “It is you, Rayôn! You are the one who is lacking,” he said. And suddenly, Rayôn understood. In spite of all his joy and wonder, he became aware of a loneliness that grew in his heart. “I have no she.”
“Still, then, this one thing is not yet good,” Áronyeh said. “Come with me, Rayôn.” He took the man by the hand again, and led him up the stream to a shady grove. There, he laid the man down, and the man drifted into a deep sleep. As his eyes were closing, he was aware of Áronyeh working around him, and singing a song – a beautiful song; he was sure he understood the words, but the minute a line was sung, he could not recall their sound or meaning to his mind, but only their beauty. He was unaware of how long he slept, yet he was aware that Áronyeh was taking something out of his side. Whatever it was, it was still there, next to him, and Áronyeh was molding it, and still singing – tender words, lovely words, growing ever more beautiful, although the memory of their meaning was as allusive as ever. And then, the man awoke. Áronyeh lifted him up by the hand. “Rayôn,” he said. “You are complete.” And then Rayôn saw her. His she. She stood before him, Áronyeh’s other hand holding hers. She was beautiful – so much like him, and yet also so unlike him; and she was perfect in every way. Her sparkling blue eyes met his deep, dark brown ones, and Rayôn’s heart leapt into his throat; he could not find his voice. Yet, she had hers, and she spoke to him. “Rayôn,” she said, and her voice was a delight to his ear; it was like his but higher, lighter, more lovely. He gazed at her, and she at him, and she smiled – a soft, sweet smile. Rayôn was overcome with love and joy for her. He had to think of a name – something special, something completely different and wonderful. The man gathered his mind; his tongue came back to him, and he sang:
“Of everything Áronyeh’s made,
Most lovely of them all is she.
She’s from my flesh, my very bone,
The first of women she shall be.
I name thee Qeyrah, lovely aid,
For thee He made to finish me;
The best creation for my own,
In all his works and majesty!”
The woman carefully pronounced the name that her husband gave to her. “Qeyrah.” She smiled again with pleasure at the sound. Áronyeh brought her close to him, and placed her gentle hand into his, and said to him, “Take Qeyrah, your wife. Love her. Cherish her. Delight in her. Let her love satisfy you always.” Then to both of them he said, “Delight in each other; delight even more in me. For by this shall your love for one another be ever strengthened: by loving me above all. So find your joy in my love! Have pleasure in the Creation which I’ve given to you, and find your satisfaction in my glory and majesty!” Áronyeh then proclaimed, “What I have joined together, let no one split asunder!”
And thus Rayôn and Qeyrah, our first parents, were joined, in complete and perfect joy and love, when all of Arah still knew no shame. They delighted in Áronyeh, and Áronyeh delighted in them. Áronyeh blessed them, and commanded them to have children, and to multiply across the land, and to rule it; to care for his creation, and to learn to understand the beasts and birds, and to teach them to reason and speak. These things are written in The Generations of Arah and in The Generations of Rayôn. And, as Áronyeh himself wrote in The Generations of Arah, “He saw everything that he had made; behold! It was very good.”