Melchian brought one sheep from his flock to altar at the center of the settlement. The two attendants there said, "You cannot bring this one for a sacrifice!"
Melchian responded, "What do you mean? I certainly get to make a sacrifice to the High One too."
The one there of the two who went on speaking told him, "It is not about whether you can make a sacrifice. This animal is scrawny and weak, and even looks sick. That is not good enough for a sacrifice. You should look for one that might be the best from your flock, that it would be worthy of a sacrifice."
Melchian said, "I never knew about that. It seems to me there are more and more things to know about making a sacrifice."
"It still must be a worthy sacrifice."
Melchian went back leading the rejected sheep back. He returned eventually with another one.
"So this is your best one? It will do. Hold it here, and I will get the sharp blade to cut off its head."
After the bloody slaughter of that sheep, its body was carried to be lain over the fire at the altar, on the grating for that. Melchian called out petitions he had thought of for this, and when the needed rituals were over, he departed again. But after a some length of time, when questions came to his mind, Melchian returned. "What if I had used the other sheep I have, and I only had the one you said was not good enough. It would be the best I have then, right? Could I not make a sacrifice then?" He then saw what he could not believe. "What are you two doing?? Is that not flesh of the animal I brought to sacrifice? And you are eating it?"
Sacrifices started and at some time became more regular, though among the people God was not always remembered in sacrifices being made. Meat from animals had not been permitted, and people still ate from what had been sown and gathered in the fields, by the sweat of the many working there, and animals were kept for having wool for materials and clothing that was desired, and the gathered grains, vegetables and fruits were still better than what was farmed for later. Some had luster for the flesh of sacrificed animals though.
Melchian responded, "What do you mean? I certainly get to make a sacrifice to the High One too."
The one there of the two who went on speaking told him, "It is not about whether you can make a sacrifice. This animal is scrawny and weak, and even looks sick. That is not good enough for a sacrifice. You should look for one that might be the best from your flock, that it would be worthy of a sacrifice."
Melchian said, "I never knew about that. It seems to me there are more and more things to know about making a sacrifice."
"It still must be a worthy sacrifice."
Melchian went back leading the rejected sheep back. He returned eventually with another one.
"So this is your best one? It will do. Hold it here, and I will get the sharp blade to cut off its head."
After the bloody slaughter of that sheep, its body was carried to be lain over the fire at the altar, on the grating for that. Melchian called out petitions he had thought of for this, and when the needed rituals were over, he departed again. But after a some length of time, when questions came to his mind, Melchian returned. "What if I had used the other sheep I have, and I only had the one you said was not good enough. It would be the best I have then, right? Could I not make a sacrifice then?" He then saw what he could not believe. "What are you two doing?? Is that not flesh of the animal I brought to sacrifice? And you are eating it?"
Sacrifices started and at some time became more regular, though among the people God was not always remembered in sacrifices being made. Meat from animals had not been permitted, and people still ate from what had been sown and gathered in the fields, by the sweat of the many working there, and animals were kept for having wool for materials and clothing that was desired, and the gathered grains, vegetables and fruits were still better than what was farmed for later. Some had luster for the flesh of sacrificed animals though.
