“And Cain also, being moved by jealousy (_per astia_), wished to become a grazier, but the wheel did not turn for him as it did for Abel. “And Cain also was a good man, and set himself contentedly to work, believing that he could become as rich as his brother, but he did not succeed in this, for which reason he became so envious of Abel that it resulted in tremendous hate, and he swore to be revenged. “Cain often visited his brother, and once said to him, ‘Abel, thou art rich and I am poor; give me the half of thy wealth, since thou wishest me so well!’ “Then Abel replied: ‘If I give thee a sum which thou thyself couldst gain by industry, thou shouldst still labour as I do, and I will give thee nothing, since, if thou wilt work as I do, thou wilt become as rich.’ “One day there were together Cain, Abel, and a merchant, whose name I forget. And one told that he had seen in a dream seven fat oxen and seven lean. And the merchant, who was an astrologer or wizard, explained that the seven fat oxen meant seven years of abundance, and the seven lean as many years of famine. “And so it came to pass as he foretold—seven years of plenty and seven of famine. “And Cain, hearing this, thought: ‘During the seven years of plenty Abel will lay by a great store, and then I will slay him, and possess myself of all his goods, and thus I will take care of myself, and my brother will be dead.’ “Now, Cain greatly loved God; he was good towards God, more so than Abel, because Abel, having become rich, never spoke more unto the Lord; and Abel would gladly have become a wizard himself. “Then Cain began to think how he could slay Abel and become a merchant in his place, and so went forth to cut wood. “One day he called his brother Abel, and said to him: ‘Thou art so rich, while I am poor, and all my work avails me little.’ And with that he gave Abel a blow with a knife, and dressed himself in his garments, and took a bundle of thorns on his back, and thus clad he took Abel’s place as merchant, believing that no one would recognise him as Cain. “And while thus buying and selling he met the merchant-wizard who had foretold the seven years of famine and of abundance. And he said, ‘Oh, good day, Abel,’ to make Cain believe that he was not discovered. But the oxen who were present all began to chant in chorus: “‘Non chiamate questo, Abele! E Chaino, non lo vedete, Per la gola della monete Il fratello ammazato, E dei suoi panni e vestito. O Chaino or siei chiamato Alla presenza del gran Dio, Che a morte ti ’a condannato Che di richezza eri assetato.’ “‘Do not call that person Abel; It is Cain, do you not see it? Cain who, for the greed of money, Treacherously slew his brother, And then clad him in his garments. Now, O Cain! thou wilt be summoned Speedily unto the presence Of the Lord, who has condemned thee Unto death for thy great avarice.’ “Cain came before God.