Old Testament Legends by M.R. James

"Old Testament Legends" by M.R. James is a collection of retellings of stories from the Old Testament, focusing on the lives of biblical figures and events. The work emphasizes the narrative style, bringing to life the characters and their experiences through vivid storytelling. It explores themes of faith, morality, and the human condition, while also providing insights into the cultural and historical context of the biblical texts. The legends are presented with a blend of reverence and literary flair, aiming to engage readers with the richness of the Old Testament narratives.

By M.R. James · First published 1913 · Genre: Religious Fiction, Mythology, Historical Fiction · 8 chapters · 38,200 words

First lines

When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, they were as helpless as little children. They knew nothing of day or night, heat or cold; they could not kindle a fire to warm themselves, nor till the ground to grow food. They had as yet no clothes to wear and no shelter against rain or sun. As long as they were in the garden, it was always light and warm, and their bodies were so fashioned that they had no need of food or sleep or of protection against the burning of the sun; but since they had eaten of the Tree of Knowledge, they had become like us. Moreover, all the beasts and birds were friendly with them; but now they knew that it was not so, and that they had no defence if any fierce animal chose to attack them; and, more than all, they knew that they had a cruel enemy lying in wait for them outside the garden, even Satan, who had hated them from the first, and had brought about their fall by means of the serpent. And so it was that when they came out of the gate of the garden and saw the earth stretched out before them, covered with rocks and sand, and found themselves in a strange land where there was no one to guide them, they fell down on their faces, and became as dead, because of the misery and sorrow which they felt. But God looked upon them and sent His Word to raise them up and comfort them; and showed them a place not very far from the garden where there was a cave; and told them that they were to live there. Now this was the cave which was afterwards called the Cave of Treasures.

• Open reader

What this Textopian page supports

Old Testament Legends is listed on Textopian as a novel by M.R. James, dated 1913 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: M.R. James
• Date: 1913 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Religious Fiction, Mythology, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Anthology
• Length: 38,200 words
• Structure: 8 chapters, 231 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for Old Testament Legends by M.R. James
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

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Genres

• Religious Fiction — The book explores biblical stories and themes, presenting them in a narrative form that reflects religious beliefs.
• Mythology — It delves into ancient legends and myths from the Old Testament, interpreting and retelling these foundational stories.
• Historical Fiction — The narratives are set in a historical context, drawing on events and figures from ancient history.
• Literary Fiction — The writing style is characterized by a focus on character development and thematic depth, typical of literary fiction.

Tags

Folklore · Mythology · Legends · Biblical · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Short Stories · Anthology · Classic Literature · Supernatural · Horror · Gothic

Contents

• Adam
• The Death of Adam and Eve
• Abraham
• The Story of Aseneth, Joseph's Wife
• Job
• Solomon and the Demons
• The Story of Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, and of the Death of Jeremiah
• Ahikar

More by M.R. James

• Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book (1894)
• Lost Hearts (1894)
• A Warning to the Curious (1925)
• The Mezzotint (1931)
• The Ash-Tree (1905)
• Count Magnus (1892)
• Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to you, my Lad (1900)
• The Treasure of Abbot Thomas (1904)
• All works by M.R. James