¹And he took me and led me where the sun goeth forth; and he shewed me a chariot and four, under which burnt a fire, and in the chariot was sitting a man, wearing a crown of fire, and the chariot was drawn by forty angels. And behold a bird circling before the sun, about nine cubits away. And I said unto the angel, What is this bird? And he said unto me, This is the guardian of the earth. And I said, Lord, how is he the guardian of the earth? Teach me. And the angel said unto me, This bird flieth alongside of the sun, and spreading forth his wings receiveth its fiery rays. For if he were not receiving them, the race of men would not be preserved, nor any other living creature. But God appointed this bird thereto. And he spread forth his wings, and I beheld on his right wing very great letters, as great as the space of a threshingfloor, the size of about four thousand modii; and the letters were of gold. And the angel said unto me, Read them. And I read and they ran thus: Neither earth nor heaven bring me forth, but wings of fire bring me forth. And I said, Lord, what is this bird, and what is his name? And the angel said unto me, His name is called

²Phoenix. And I said, And what doth he eat? And he said unto me, The manna of heaven and the dew of earth. And I said, Doth the bird excrete? And he said unto me, He excreteth a worm, and the excrement of the worm is cinnamon, which kings and princes do use. But wait and thou shalt behold the glory of God. And while he was conversing with me, there came as a thunderclap, and the place was shaken whereon we stood. And I asked the angel, My Lord, what is this sound? And the angel said unto me, Even now the angels are opening the three hundred and sixty and five gates of heaven, and the light is being separated from the darkness. And a voice came which said, Light-giver, give unto the world radiance. And when I heard the noise of the bird, I said, Lord, what is this noise? And he said, This is the bird who awakeneth from slumber the cocks upon earth. For as men do through the mouth, so also doth the cock signify unto those in the world, in his own speech. For the sun is made ready by the angels, and the cock croweth.