“But if God were to ask of thee some further sacrifice, wouldst thou grant it?”
“Of a truth would I,” answered Abraham.
“Thy piety is folly,” said Satan impatiently. “To-morrow God will punish thee for this murder thou art about to commit, since thou wilt shed the blood of thine own son.”
But when Satan saw that Abraham was not to be moved from his purpose, then he took the form of a blooming youth, and joined himself to Isaac, and asked him the object of his journey.
Isaac replied that he was going to receive instruction in the law of the Most High.
“Art thou going to receive this instruction living or dead?” asked Satan, scornfully.
Isaac.—“Can a man receive instruction after he is dead?”
Satan.—“O thou son of a mother much to be pitied, knowest thou not that thy father is leading thee to death?”
Isaac.—“Nevertheless I shall follow him.”
Satan.—“Then all the tears and prayers of thy mother, beseeching Heaven to grant her a son, end in this! All the pains and grief in childbearing! All the afflictions she laid on Hagar and Ishmael! All the care she has taken of thy youth! All the love she has expended upon thee! All these things for nothing!”