The Crafty Serpent (Teacher's notes)

Artwork: Sheila Hamil

The first story about people that we read in the Bible is a story about Adam and Eve, two people who had everything they could possibly wish for.

God told them they could eat from any tree in the garden, except the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Then a serpent came along and tempted Eve to eat the fruit and disobey God. She ate it, and she gave some to Adam, who also ate.

Question for children: What kind of things do you do wrong?

How do you know it’s wrong? What makes it wrong and not right?

Let’s listen to the song to find out what happens next.

Have you ever got into trouble because you did something you were told not to do? What happened and what lesson did you learn from it?

Find out what the word ‘temptation’ means. (being drawn like a magnet to do something wrong)
‘You can’t stop birds flying around your head, but you can stop them making a nest in your hair’ what do you think this Chinese proverb means?

Act out the song in a group or with puppets or wooden figures.

1 The Crafty Serpent : Genesis 3

The crafty serpent said to Eve

“Why not eat of the big fruit tree?

There’s no harm go on and eat!

Don’t stop!”

So she ate, it tasted sweet

Said “Adam, come and have a piece,

It’s so scrummy to eat, I cannot

Stop!”

God walked by in the cool of the day,

And they hid from him as he walked that way!

Then he knew they disobeyed!

He said “Stop!”

“HAVE YOU BOTH EATEN FROM THE TREE THAT

I COMMANDED YOU NOT TO EAT FROM?

“It wasn’t my fault it was Eve to blame!

She’s the one who brought me shame!”

“No t’was the snake!” said she and God

said “Stop!”

Out of the garden they did go

To work on the land in the rain and snow

All because they ate, and didn’t

STOP!

(* Teaching toddlers to respond to the word STOP, can be a life-saver.)