Black Books

Soul: Tell me, why did Atmaviktu become a man?

Serpent:  It was unavoidable.

He became sick from longing for man.

His head hurt, because he could not think what he did.

Therefore he became a man for the sake of healing.

He remained in this state, and that was his error, since no one can become their own mantle.

He realized this and died, in that he went into the forest and became a bear.

Through this men became more human and began to build castles and left the forests to the bears.

As they spread and increased their power, they cleared out the woods.

Then Atmaviktu Died for the third time and drew himself back as an otter into the water.

Once more men spread themselves and built ships and headed to new shores.

Then Atmaviktu died for the fourth time and became a black newt and drew himself back into the waters under the earth.

But men conquered the whole earth and flooded everything with their might.

However in the darkness Atmaviktu found his own self again, namely, myself, the white, self-illuminating serpent, which feeds on fire and has also swallowed the last error of Atmaviktu. ~Serpent, The Black Books, Vol. VI, Page 291-292