In the house of Rabbi Elazar a filly was born which killed everybody who came near it. He presented it to the king. There it only permitted Jews to attend it. It was used by the king in battle, and helped him to victory, but was unmanageable afterwards. He therefore returned it to Rabbi Elazar. The horse suddenly spoke with a human voice and told its story. It was possessed of the soul of a certain Abiathar, a priest who had led a wicked life. He had died through a fiery snake coming out of his body and killing him. After death he had suffered all kinds of punishment in Hell [described in detail] and had been reborn as a hare and after death had again been punished in Hell. While there he witnessed the triumphant
progress of the pious to Paradise, hoping that they might rescue him. The soul of Abiathar was then again sent up to the world and entered the body of a young man. It was exorcised by Rabbi Nathan Jerushalmi, and then entered the horse. It was exorcised again by Nathan Jerusalmi, and the spirit came out like a fiery flame, destroying everything. The dead horse was buried properly. War again • broke out in that country, and the king was taught by Rabbi Elazar to recite the Shema and other biblical verses. A man with a white beard on a grand horse won the battle for him; it was the Prophet Elijah.