Her body accepted my brutal seed and took it to swell within, just as the patient earth accepts a falling fruit into its tender soil to cradle and nourish it to grow. Came a time, just springtime last, our infant child pushed through the fragile barrier of her womb. Her legs branched out, just as the wood branches out from these eternal trees around us; but she was not hardy as they. My wife groaned with blood and ceased to breathe. Aye!, a scornful eve that bred the kind of pain only a god can withstand.

Summary

This quote portrays a disturbing and vivid description of a woman's pregnancy and childbirth, drawing a comparison between the woman's body and the earth's ability to nurture a seed into growth. It depicts the brutal act of impregnation and then emphasizes the fragility of the woman during labor, contrasting her vulnerability with the supposed strength of trees. Although the quote uses poetic language, it ultimately presents a tragic and sorrowful scene, highlighting the pain and loss experienced by the narrator's wife during childbirth.

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