'Then said Abraham: "O father, what shall I do if I shall serve one god and another shall wish me evil because I serve him not? In any wise there will come discord between them and so war will arise among the gods. But if perchance the god that willeth me evil shall slay my own god, what shall I do? It is certain that he will slay me also.
The old man, laughing, answered: "O son, have no fear, for no god maketh war upon another god; nay, in the great temple there are a thousand gods with the great god Baal; and I am now nigh seventy years old, and yet never have I seen that one god hath smitten another god. And assuredly all men do not serve one god, but one man one, and another another."
'Abraham answered: "So, then, they have peace among themselves?"
'Said his father: "They have."
'Then said Abraham: "O father, what be the gods like?"
'The old man answered: "Fool, every day I make a god, which I sell to others to buy bread, and thou knowest not what the gods are like!" And then at that moment he was making an idol. "This," said he, "is of palm wood, that one is of olive, that little one is of ivory: see how fine it is! Does it not seem as though it were alive? Assuredly, it lacks but breath!"
'Abraham answered: "And so, father, the gods are without breath? Then how do they give breath? And being without life, how give they life? It is certain, father, that these are not God."
'The old man was wrath at these words, saying: "If thou wert of age to understand, I would break thy head with this axe: But hold thy peace, because thou hast not understanding!"
'Abraham answered: "Father, if the gods help to make man, how can it be that man should make the gods? And if the gods are made of wood, it is a great sin to burn wood. But tell me, father, how is it that, when thou hast made so many gods, the gods have not helped thee to make so many other children that thou shouldest become the most powerful man in the world?"
'The father was beside himself, hearing his son speak so;
the son went on: "Father, was the world for some time without men?''
" Yes," answered the old man, "and why?"
"Because," said Abraham, "I should like to know who made the first God."
"Now go out of my house!" said the old man, "and leave me to make this god quickly, and speak no words to me; for, when thou art hungry thou desires bread and not words."
'Said Abraham: "A fine god, truly, that thou cuttest him as thou wilt, and he defendeth not himself!"
'Then the old man was angry, and said: "All the world saith that it is a god, and thou, mad fellow, sayest that it is not. By my gods, if thou wert a man I could kill thee!" And having said this, he gave blows and kicks to Abraham, and chased him from the house.'