GeneralpatternsHistoricalperiodsPartoneAlliterationuseofthesameconsonantorvowelatthebeginningofeachstressedsyllableinalineofverseTheStoryofCainandAbelSometimeswhenwereadtheBible,wewonderwhyGodcaredaboutsomeofthethingsHecaredabout.ThestoryofCainandAbelisoneofthosestoriesforsomepeople.Alongtimeago,justafterAdamandEvehadtoleavethegardenofEden,theywereverysadaboutdisobeyingGod.TheyaskedGodhowtheycouldshowHimhowsorrytheywere.GodtoldthemthattheycouldshowHimhowtheyfeltbysacrificingalamb,whichtheydid.Afterawhile,AdamandEvehadtwosons.TheirfirstsonwascalledCainandtheirsecondwascalledAbel.Cainwasafarmer.Hegrewvegetablesandgrains.Abelwasashepherdwholookedthefamily'sherds.CainandAbelwerelikemostsiblings--theydidn'talwaysgetalong.Buttheywerebrothersandlovedeachotherverymuch,despitetheiroccasionalfights.AdamandEve(theirmomanddad)toldCainandAbelaboutthemessageGodgavethemthattheyshouldsacrificealambtoGodtoshowhowmuchtheyappreciatedallHe'ddoneandhowsorrytheywerefortheirsins.AbelwasveryconcernedthathissacrificebespecialtoGod.HechosehisfirstandbestlambandofferedittotheLord.ItwashardforAbeltogiveuphismostprizedpossession,butitwasimportanttohimtotryhisbesttodoasGodhadasked.Cainthoughthislittlebrotherwasabitsillyforgivinguphisbestlamb."Goodgrief,"hethought."Weneedthatlamb,Goddoesn't.I'msureHe'dbejustashappyifwesacrificedtheruntofthelitter.Infact,whydoesitneedtobealambatall?I'mafarmerandit'sbeenagreatyearformywheatcrop--Ican'tuseeverythingI'vegrown.Whydon'tIjustburnsomeoftheextrastrawIhave.Thatway,Iwon'tbewastingany."Cain'sreasoningsoundsprettygoodwhenyoufirsthearit,doesn'tit?Cainwatchedasthelambburntupcompletelyonthealtar,whilehisleftoverstrawjustsmolderedabitandneverreallycaughtfireatall.Thatcouldmeanonlyonething!GodpreferredAbel.Cainwasjealous!Hedidn'ttakethetimeortheresponsibilitytorealizethatitwashisdecisiontosacrificestrawthatcausedthedifferenceinGod'sresponsetotheirsacrifices.Instead,hejustgotangryathisbrother.CainaskedAbeltogoforawalkwithhim,andwhilehewasstillangry,Cains