摘要：The Biblical story of creation in which Adam and Eve are deceived by the serpent is recognized widely as one of the foundational stories of Western culture. The story's importance is asserted by many scholars, i ncluding Elaine Pagels in her groundbreaking study Adam, Eve and the Serpent : "[T] he biblical creation story, like the creation stories of other cultures, communicates social and religious values and presents them as if they were universally valid" (xx). In this same study Pagels suggests that Christians have interpreted the story of "Genesis" in various ways over the centuries, finding in it important teachings about sexuality, human freedom and human nature. Emilia Pardo Bazán's short story, "Cuento prim itivo," (1893) refashions the Biblical tale of Adam and Eve by incorporating some significant changes into the narrative. This was not a novel idea since many writers already had rewritten the story of Creation over the years, adding new layers of interpre tation to this foundational story. 1 In fact, it seems very likely, as Charnon - Deutsch has suggested, that Pardo Bazán wrote this story in response to Clarín's misogynist rewriting of the "Genesis" story, "Cuento futuro," which was published a year earlier than "Cuento primitivo" in 1892 ( Story 71). 2
