..A. CREATION
...B. CREATION AND THE FLOOD
...C. THE CREATION OF MAN
...D. AND E. THE FLOOD
...F. THE MANDAEAN NATION
...G. ANOTHER VERSION OF THE RED SEA STORY
#2--OF ABRAHAM AND YURBA
#3--HOW HIBIL ZIWA FETCHED RUHA FROM THE DARKNESS
#4--THE STORY OF QIQEL AND THE DEATH OF YAHYA
#5-- NEBUCHADNEZZAR`S DAUGHTER
#6--SUN STORIES
#7-- THE BRIDGE AT SHUSTER
#8-- THE FIRE-WORSHIPPER AND ADAM BUL FARAJ
#9-- HOW DANA NUK VISITED THE SEVENTH HEAVEN
#10-- THE MILLENNIUM
#11-- CONCERNING THE MOUNTAIN OF THE MADDAI AND HOW THE TURKS CAME TO TAKE IT
#12-- HOW THE MANDAI AND THEIR GANZIBRA LEFT THE MOUNTAIN FOR A BETTER COUNTRY
#13-- THE CHILD CONCEIVED ON THE 29th NIGHT OF THE MOON
#14-- THE KANSHI UZAHLA
#15-- THE HAUNTINGS
#16-- THE PLAGUE IN SHUSTER
#17-- THE STONE-THROWING
#18-- THE KAFTAR
#19-- BIBI`S SONS AND THEIR STRANGE ADVENTURE
#20-- SHAIKH ZIBID
#21-- OF BEHOLDING EVENTS IN TRANCE
#22-- HOW EVIL SPIRITS ABUSE THE DEAD, ETC.
#23-- MEN WHO HAVE RETURNED FROM DEATH, ETC.
#24-- OF THE POWER T0 SEE SPIRITS
#25-- THE SIMURGH: THE TRUE HISTORY OF RUSTAM AND HIS SON
#26-- HIRMIZ SHAH
#27--THE MAN WHO SOUGHT TO SEE SIN THE MOON
#28-- THE SIMURGH AND HIRMIZ SHAH
But I will tell you how Ruha came to the upper worlds. Once the melki and the 'uthri, twelve thousand of them, wished to see Melek Ziwa (the Light King), the great god of all, for each had a question to ask about the created world, such as 'Why are the trees green?’ 'Why does this happen, and why that?' and so on. Each one of them had a question. They mounted vehicles like ships that moved by electricity and they rose from Awathur until they reached the highest heaven. When they had attained the highest heaven, a blinding light fell upon them, and they could not gaze, but fell on their faces.
Only Hiwel Ziwa, who was with them, remained upright. Now with Melek Ziwa are two mighty spirits called Shishlam Rabba, the Road-Opener, and Yawar Rabba. Hiwel Ziwa begged Shishlam Rabba to open him a road through the barring light so that he might approach Melek Ziwa, Lord of All Things, and Melek Ziwa gave Shishlam Rabba permission, saying, 'Go, bring Hiwel Ziwa to me!’ The others could not approach, but remained prostrate; but the answers to their questions came into their minds without the asking. Moreover, when the 'uthri and melki yearned to see the Lord of All, they beheld in their minds a Countenance of Light, which was the likeness of God, whose other name is Parsufa Rabba ad 'Iqara (Great Countenance of Glory). This is his secret Name, which none but the initiated know. I have declared this sacred name to you! When they saw this vision, the melki and the 'uthri began to pray and worship. As for Hiwel-Ziwa, who had approached nearer than they, he received such sovereign power that whatever he sought, he obtained.
He told the melki, 'I am going to descend, and to build a world called Olma ad eHshukha' (World of Darkness, i.e. the physical world). He descended, and went lower and lower and lower, for years and years, until he reached Akrun T'ura ad Besera (Krun, Mountain of Flesh) in the depths of creation. The whole visible world rests on this king of darkness, and his shape is that of a huge louse. When he saw Hiwel Ziwa, Akrun said, 'Why hast thou come to our realm? How didst thou travel hither? Now I will swallow thee up!' and he opened his mouth wide. The throat of Akrun is vast, and it has such power of suction that everything is drawn into it. Now Melek Ziwa had sent two powerful spirits to protect Hiwel Ziwa, for in the realm of spirits one is more powerful than another, and these fought beside Hiwel Ziwa.
When Akrun wished to shake Hiwel Ziwa from his place and swallow him, these thrust a light like a sword into the throat of Akrun, and the latter feared, knowing that a mightier than he had come and that the power of Hiwel Ziwa was from the King of the Light of Day. For Ziwa means the pure light of the day, while Anhura means the light of the moon.
When Hiwel Ziwa saw that Akrun, Lord of Darkness, was thus smitten, he said, 'This is the work of Melek Ziwa!' and he commanded Akrun, saying, 'I have come to take Ruha. Let Ashdum, her spouse, give her up.' Now Ruha is the breath of life in the created world, and our breath is from her.
Then the powers of darkness gave Ruha to Hiwel Ziwa, and, at that time, she was pregnant. With her, Hiwel Ziwa took a talisman, a seal, upon which were depicted the likeness of Gaf and the scorpion Had. This was to protect Ruha when she set out on her journey to the upper worlds.
Ruha asked Hiwel Ziwa, 'Whither takest thou me?’ He showed her the path. Now, Ruha had a sister, named Zahariel. When she beheld Hiwel Ziwa, Zahariel loved him, and, as nothing was hidden from him, he knew that she yearned for him. So he took her also, with Ruha. She bore him a son, Pthahil. So Pthahil, who takes souls to be weighed and sends his spirits to fetch souls from their bodies, is the child of both Light and Darkness.
Narrator: Drower does not identify
