D E M O N O L O G Y

AN D

DEV IL LO RE -

M ON C U RE DA N I E L !
CO NWAY ,
M A
. .

B D . O ? D I V I N H Y C O L L E G E, HA RVA R D U N I V E RS I TY

tT T
.

“ RM B B R O F T HE A N T HRO P O LO G IC A L I U T E . LO N DO N

PV7 777 I VLUMQER19 65? I LJLLEETRU4 YYCUVST

VTDI I .

N E W YO RK

HE N RY HO LT A N D C O M P A NY

18 7
9
 P R E FA C E .

THRE E Fria rs, says a lege n d hid them s elves ne a r the

W it
,

ch Sa bb a th orgies th a t they might count the devil s ;

but the Chie f of these discovering the fri a rs sa id R eve

, ,

rend Brothers our a rmy is such th a t if a ll the A lp s their

, ,

rocks a n d gl a ciers were e q u a lly divided a mong u s none

, ,

would h ave a pound s weight This w a s in one A lpine

’
.
’

va lley A ny one who h a s c a ught but a glimpse of the

.

world s Wa lpurgis N ight a s revea led in M ythology a n d

’

Folklore must a gree th a t this courteous devil did not

,

oversta te the c a se A ny a ttempt to ca ta logue the evil

Spectres which h a ve h a unted m a nkind were like trying t
.

count the sh a dows c a s t u pon the ea rth by the ri s ing s u n

This conviction ha s grown upon the a u thor of this work a t
.

every step in his studies of the subject .

I n 18 59 I contributed a s one of the A meric a n Tra cts

,
‘

for the Times a p a mphlet entitled The N a tur a l History

’ ‘
,

of the D evil Proba bly the chie f va lue of th a t ess a y w a s

’

to mysel f a nd this i n th a t it
.

, s prep a ra tion h a d reve a led

to me h ow pregn a nt with interest a n d importa nce w a s

the subject selected S ubse q uent rese a rche s i n the sa me
.

direction a fter I ha d come to reside in E urope reve a led

, ,

h ow slight h a d been my conception of the va stnes s of the

dom a in upo n which th a t ea rly venture w a s m a de I n .

1872 while prep a ring a series of lectures for the R oy a l

,
 vi P R E FA CE .

I nstitution on D emonology it a ppea red to m , e th a t t he

best I could do was to pri nt those lectures with some
notes an d a dditions ; but a fter they were delivered there
still rem a ined with me unu s ed the gre a ter p a rt of m a teri a ls
collected in m a ny countries a n d the ph a nta sm a l cre a tures
,

which I h a d evoked would not permit me to rest from my

la bours until I h a d de a lt with them more thoroughly
Th e fa ble of Thor s a ttempt t
.

o drink u p a sm a ll spring
’

a n d h is fa ilure bec a use it w a s fe d by the oce a n seems

at such e ffort
,

a imed s a s mine But there is a nothe r

.

a spect of the c a se which h a s yielded m e more encoura g e

/
ment These ph a ntom hosts ho wever unm a n a ge a ble a s
,t ,
.

o number when closely ex a mined present comp a ra tively

fe w types ; they co a lesce by hundreds ; from being a t

, ,

fi rs t
overwhelmed by their multiplicity the cl a ssifier finds
himsel f a t
,

length be a ting bushes to s t a rt a new v a riety .

A round some single form the physiognomy it may ,

be of Hu nger or D iseas e of L ust or C ruelty ignora n t

, ,
—
i m agin a tion h as broken up n a ture into innumera ble bits
which like mirrors of v a riou s sur fa ce reflect the sa me in
, ,

endles s sizes a n d d i s tortion s ; but they va nish if th a t

i c ent ra l fa ct be withdra wn

I n trying t
.

o con q uer as it were

, these i m a gin a ry ,

monsters they h a ve somet imes swa rmed a nd gibbered

,

a round me in a m a d comedy which tra vestied their tr a gic

s wa y over those w ho believed in their re a lity Ga rgoyles .

extended their gri n over the fine s t a rchitecture cor

nices coiled t
,

o serpents the very words of spea kers

,

sta rted out of their convention a l sen s e into im a ges th a t

tripped my a ttention Only a s wh a t I believed right
.

solutions were given to their problems were my sphinxes

l a id but t hrough thi s psychologic a l experience it
 P R E FA CE . v ii

a ppe a red th a t when on e w a s s o l a id h is or her legio n

dis a p pe a red a l s o L ong a go such ph a nt a sm s ce a s ed to
.

h a unt my n erves bec a use I di s covered their u nrea lity

,

I a m n ow venturin g to believe th a t their mythologic

form s ce a s e to h a unt my studies bec a use I h a ve fou n d
ou t
,

their re a lity .

Why sl a y the sl a in ? S uch ma y be the q uestion th a t

w ill a ri s e in the mind s of m a ny who se e this book A
Th e D evil is de a d a n d buried a t
.

S cotch song s a ys , ,

Kirkc a ldy ; if s o he did not die until he h a d cre a ted

’
,

a world in h is im a ge The n a tura l world is overl a id

.

by a n unn a tura l religion breeding bitternes s a round ,

simplest thoughts obs truction s to science e s tra nge

ments not more re a son a ble t
, ,

h a n if they resulted from

v a rying notion s of lun a r fi gu re s — a ll derived from ,

the D evil beq ue a thed dogm a th a t cert a in belie fs a nd

-

d i s belie fs a re of in fern a l instiga tion D ogm a s moulded

a ke the found a tion of in s t it
.

in a fossil demonology m u

tions which divert we a lth lea rning enterprise to fictitious

, , ,

e nd s I t h as not there fore been mere intellectu a l

curio s ity which h as kept me working a t
.
, ,

this subject
the s e m a ny ye a rs but a n incre a s ing conviction th a t the
,

s e q u e lmo f s uch superstitions a re exercising a still form id

a ble influence .When Fa ther D el a port e l a tely published
h is book on the D evil his Bi s hop wrote ,R everend Fa ther ,

if every one bu s ied him s el f wit h the D evil a s you do

t
,

h e king d om of God would ga in by it Identi fyi ng the ’

.

kingdom here spoken of as th a t of Truth it ha s been ,

with a cert a in concurrence i n the Bi s hop s sentiment ’

th a t I h ave bu s ied mysel f w ith the work n ow given to

th e public.
 C O N TE N TS O F V O L . I .

P A R T 1 .

C HA P TE R I .

DU ALI SM
E
.

O igi of D i m—E ol t th f t t tt
P AG

io f om h —I llus ra i ons fro m

hc ft
r n e s v u n r e ar o e n ear

Wit — Th p im
c it
i P
ra th m Th
i — e r ve an e s e d a wn of Dualis m

C HAP TER I I .

THE G ENES I S OF D EM ON S .

Th e ir goodmes e phemi t
na ic—Th i mi d h
u t
e —I llu t
at
sio e r xe c a ra c r s r ns

B l b b Loki—Demo ge m—Th k ow l d g of good d

ee ze u n- r s e n e e an

i t
il— D i t io bet
,

ev ween D em
s oncd D il
n n an ev

C HAP TER I I I .

D EGR ADATI O N .

The d egrad a ion t of t mes—Leg nds of t

D ei ies—I nd ica t
d iheir fall
cid ent
e n na e
—I n al sign s of t
he d i ine o igin of D emons and D evils
v r

C HAP TE R I V .

THE A BGO TT .

The e x god —Deit

ies d emonised by con ques t
— Theological animos it
y
i f mt t
-

I llus ttra h A —D
on ro e ves a ev il- w ors hip a n a rres ed tD i e srn

Sh e i
k A d —
i Why De mo ns were pain t
d gly— S
e u urvivals of t
h i e r

b ea u t
y
VO L . 1 .
 C HA P T E R V .

C LASS I FI CATI O N .

A E
tl
P G

The b tt
o s ruci ons of man — The we ve chief classes —M od ifica t
ions of

par t
i l cu ar for mfo
s r va rious t T
fun c ions — he ological D e mons

P A R T 1 1 .

C HA P TE R I .

H U NG ER .

Hunger d e m- ons Ke ph Mni K g R a

ruh t
h Hi d a u ra u e n u su n

d e vou re r—The ear thm t t P l ll— A F

ons e r a i tm e sa rancon an cu s o

S he i a nt m as Hin d u ofle rings o he dead — G houl

oon -d evourer— tt
G b
o lin — Va mpy res— Le an nes s of d em o ns— O ld Sc o ch c u s om t t
The origin of sac ri ces fi

C HAP TE R I I .

H EAT .

De mons fi of re
s —Agn
eu s i—A m
ro eod — P mt
e us — hFea st of fi re

M oloch—Toph et Ge nii of the lam — — H

’

p Be l fi res a llo w e en -

N egro s u pers it
ti — Ch i
ons nes e fi re god — Volca n ic an d incen d iar
-
y
de mons - -
r M anga ian fi re dem -
’
m
on— D e ons fear of w a e r t
C HA P TE R I I I .

C O LD .

D escen tf I hti tH d
o s ar n o a es — B dim
ar —B s a ld u r—Herald s —Ch rist
S i l ft
h F
u rv va s o Gi t
t i Sl v i
e d t
ros h an n a on c an o t
er coun ries — The

C l i —
av e Th F H ll
e— Th N t h
rozen bd e e or ern a o e of De mo ns

N t h id
or sf h h e o c urc es

C HAP TE R I V .

E L EM EN TS .

A Sco t
t ish M un sa — Ru d ra — Siva s ligh ti g y — Th
’
n n e e e fla ming sword
tm H li
a

Limping D mons—D e e m ft
hons o e s or -
e os. E lias, P erun
 C ON TE N TS xi

A E
Tho ow Th Bob t
P G

r arr il d D go
s W hi lw i d J p
e -
a e ra n r n a anese

Th d God — Ch i t
un er i i l — J i i— I d ti
rs —N o h an su rv va s nn n un a ons a

N ih N i h l O ld N i k— N i i Hyd
, c o as, D m o f th c x es ras e ns o e

D b — Tid —S i l i R i d E gl d
an u e es urv va s n us s a an n an

C HAP TER V .

AN I M ALS .

An i ml d mo
a e d is ing u i
s
ns h ed — t riv ia l so u rces of M h olo g T— H ed ge yt y
—
hog Fox— ran s ig ra Tion s in am t
p an — H o rses e w i ch ed — R a s J b t t
t
— L ions—Ca s — The Dog— Goe he s h orror t ’
of d ogs —Supera t
i
t
ions of t
h P e a rsees, mi N g o p p
e o le o f T ra vancore, a n d A er ca n e r es,

R d I di
e &c —Cy o ph loi—Th W olf—T d it
n a ns, io of t
he n ce a e ra ns

F bl —Th e Bo — Th e B a —Se p t
.

N ezP — F i —
e rces e nr s a es ar e r r en

E y iml pow t
ver an oh md mo i d — Ho
a er ar e n se rns

C HA P TER V I .

ENEM I ES .

y
Ar as, Dasyus, N agas —Va kkh — Ly i os c ans — Et
hiopians—Hirpini
t
P oli es — Sos ipolis —W ere w olve s— -
G ot
hs and Sc hi —
yt Gi t
ans an s

an d D warfs —Berse kers—B r t

ri ons — Iceland M im
— acs —Gog a nd

M as os

C HAP TE R V I I .

BARR EN N ESS .

I ndian Fa mi en and t
—S
Sun -s po s un - w orsh ip —De mon of t
h D t e ese r
—The Sph inx an — Egypt Pl g
a ues d esc ri ed
i b by L e ps ius : Loc t
us s ,

Hurrica ne, Flood , M ice, Flies—The She ikh s’

rid e —Abad d on
Se t
—Typh on —The t
Cain wind — Se h— M irage—The D ese r Ed en t
Am e l— Ta w isca ra an d t
h W ilde -
rose

C HAP TE R V I I I .

OBSTACL ES .

t
M eph is opheles g
— E m M
on cra s d — R k i A lp i ers on on ona noc us n on ne

p t
easan s H ly d h ly m oti Th D
an i l P lpti
un o ou n a ns e ev
’
s u

M t d T T j —T i h — A t il — T y l
’
on a n a r s
g p a rns
q en o a -
s an oca e u ro

esel g d —R k d l—S yll

e en s d C h ybd i —S t
oc i h gi t
t
or ea c a an ar s co s an s
—P t D il b idg —L gé t
’
if
on ex-
evYé s r es e an ou s
 C HAP TE R I X .

I LLU S I O N .

ra c e

Ma ya — Na tlT u ra —M is lea d ers—G lam

rea cherie s our— Lorele i—C hinese

M erm ai d — T r ans fo rm a t
ions— Swan M aidens— P igeon M a id ens
The Se a l sk in — N -u d ity
— T e u fe lse e —Gohli see J a panese Siren t -

— D ropping Cave Ven us be rg Godiva W ill d W is p—Holy

t
- -

Frau le in— T he F o rsa k en M e rm an — The W a er M an —Sea P ha n -

tm— S
o u nken T reas ures —Su icid e

C HAP TER X .

D AR K NESS .

Shad ows— Nigh t D iti — Kb ld —W lp gi

e —N igh t Ab t
ht
es o o s a ur s na c as s

t f E il d —N ight
or o v m —D m—I i ibl F —J b
-
oers are rea s nv s e oes ac o

and h i P h stm — N t
t— Th P i
an o f D k — Th B d f
o e r nce o a r ness e roo o

M id igh tS
—
n d Sg
i h t
— Sp t f S t F ll— Th M
ec on ec res o ou e r e e oon

f D t
-

hi V m
s ne py — G
a l m — G l m
re d G tt
i —A S t
a y our a an re r or o ar

moo r

C HAP TE R X I .

D I SEAS E .

The P lagu e P han o m— D e v il d a n t

ces — D es roy ing A n gels— -
Ah r im an t
i As t
n r l
o og y Sa t
u rn— S a t
a n a n d j ob — Se t— Th e F a ta l S e v en

ty
"

V akseyo The Singha lese P re M aha Sohon ra a Rec i t

M o o oo
r — L uthe r on D i
se a se dte mon s —G po
o lu— M a d a n — Ca le -
t
t
d em i
on in Russ a — B hl
i w e i
s en — The lough P

C HAP TE R X I I .

The t
t
Ven d e f D th— T
a o y m iq i— D mea f S p t— D th eo ao u e on o e r en s ea

on th P l H e —K W g d —S t D t
li—
a e orse h— D t h a a r- o s a an a s ea ea

b d —Th t—Y m— Y imi— T w

e s ana os f Sil — Al t
a i a o e rs o en ce ces s

H kl era C h i t d
es ,D th— H ll—
r sS lt
—A é l D tanh d ea e a zra ea an

fD t h— D t
-

t
,

h C bbl —D
e o er h F d
an ce o F i d ea ea as oe an as r en
 P A R T I I I .

C HA P TE R I .

D ECLI NE O F D EM O N S .

s ac s

The Holy T ree of T ra vancore —The growt

h of De mons in I nd ia, and

th i d li —Th N p l I
e r ec l t
ne —M l M d em l e au conoc as ora an an un o ra

N t—M p
a u rehy i l d m t l mi t
i
an s
g
'
— H i G d
s ca an en a ra on s e ne s
’ ‘
o s

i E il
n Th G b
x e S —M tSmit h— A G
e k i t
o an a or as e r ree ca r ca u re

f t y d D il—E tmi t
-

o h G d —Th C p t D it
e o s e i a r en e r v ev na on

f D m —Th Gi t d
e an x er

f t d t
.

o h W w lf— R f g o e u es o ons

l P pl —D it
e e re e e an s re uce o

Litt e i d D m
eo ti g t t
e e es an e ons re urn n o na ure

C HAP TE R I I .

G ENE RAL I SATI O N O F D EM O N S .

Th e D emons t tt h i
’
q bq e u es o e r con ue rors — No d ipts—E n escr xaggera

t
i f T d it
ons o i —S i Th y
ra on a u r an eor of D ragons—The Dragon no t
p imi
rti i M y t
h l
ve
gy — M t n oo ons e rs of t
Egyp ian , I ra nia n, Ved ic,
an d J sh
ew i M yt
hologi es —Turne r s ’
D ra gon—De lla Bella—The
C onven ional D ragon t

C HAP TER I I I .

S ERP ENT
THE .

The be t
y of au t
h S e erpen t
— E mr o o id e s n n eal for m— M i h
s c ele s t ’

h gh t t
t ou h s on e v ipe r s
’
h ea d — U n i q ue c ha rac ers oft t h S p e er en t
Th e M onkey s h orror of Snak es—The Se r
’
p tp t
ent d by ro e c e su pe r

s t
it
i on Human d efencele ssn ess aga ins tit bt
l p w s su e o e rs

Dubu fe
’
s pic t ft
h F ll
u re o e a of Man

C HAP TER I V .

THE W O R M .

t m i Am i —Th V il d S p t
A n African Serpen -dra —Th A k a n er ca e e e er e n e r

of th C e t A R d —Th
ove nan W m— A E pi d t
h a ron s
’
o e or n so e on e

t
-

D ii I l ti—Th S
nv o u
p
— Th B mb i tR m S p
e era es e a no a o e e r en

t f mt
rans or i a on s
xi
v C ON TE N TS .

C HA P TE R V .

A P OP H I S .

A
t Th S p tf Tim Epi
GE

t
P

Th e N i T h
a u ra lis y A
f p p hi — c eor o o s e e r en o eh -
c of

t
h W me —Th A p f M lit
or —V q i h f Tim— N h e s o e e an u s e rs o e ac as h

B i h —
e r ac Th S p t Spy T
— d g S p te er en -
rea in on e r en s

C HAP TE R V I .

THE S ER P ENT IN I ND I A .

t
The Kan ka o n a—The Ve d ic Se rpe n s no w orshipfu l—A n an a and tt t
t
S e sh a — The Hea ling Se rpe n —The gu a rd ian of reasu res— M iss t
B uckland s
’
t y P imit
h — eori ti li m—U d r v e ra on a s n er w ld pl t y
or u ocrac

— Ra in a n n n d ligh ti g— V it— Hi ty f th w r ra s or o e ord

‘
A h i — The
A d d er— Zohak— A Teu ti
on c La okoo n

C HAP TE R V I I .

AS I LI S K THE B .

The S p tg
er e n m— Th
’
B i
sli k y
—e B ili m it t —
e H as s
’
s e e as s cus ra u s ou se

k i R
sn a es n i d G m y Ki g
— uss a ank —H ld i D g er an n sn a es e ra c ra on

H y I
enrI I — M l i Th L id l y W m —Vi ti D g
e us na -
e a e or c or ous ra on s

P d go — M li d V t
.

en ra ig n —M d i i l d goer n an or ern e c na ra ns

C HAP TER V I I I .

THE D a mo n s ’
EY E .

Th e Eye of Evil—
T D g —Cl d ph tom—P di d u rne r s
’
ra ons ou -
an s ara se an

th Sm
eit P omt
h d J — A t d N t —D g
h -
r e eu s an ove r an a u re on

Egy pt
ra

f m A gl S o
or It
s : li i G k G m — Th
n o- ax n a an, an, ree er an e

t
, ,

mod i lD g
ern conven ona ra on

C HAP TE R I X .

THE CO M BAT .

The pre M unchausen i e

-
t w orld—Th e
C olon ial D ragon— 10 s ourne
’
j y
M ed usa
-
s h D ra gons —Th e C om
ri i -
B t
munal D ragon—Sa va ge
Sa viours—A M im ac h e l er— Th e
p ru a l D ragon —W oman pro B t
tt
d — Th
ec e e Sa in tf t
oh M ik d e a os
 C ON TE N TS . xv

C HA P TE R X .

THE DRAGO N SLAY ER -

.

A E
ti — H kl —Th Gh ilghit td
P G

De mi god s—Al
-
ces s Fi d —I era es e en nca rn a e e

li ve rer o — A D di t M d
f Ghilgh it — Th ligi ar s an a on na e re on of
At h im—Re s it t
i f D g —St
e su s c G g d hi D g
a on o ra ons eor e an s ra on

G g —S i t ft
.

—Em d R ki
erson an ly lli
us h D g n on eor e a n a es o e ra on

C HAP TE R X I .

THE D R AGO N S ’
BR E ATH .

M ed usa Ph eno m en a of re cu rren ce —The B rood of Ech idn a and t

h i e r
— Behem
su rvival o h an d Le via h an t
t The M ou h of Hell— The
— t
Lambt o n W orm— Ragn a r— The La m bton D oom — The W orms '

t
O r hod oxy—The Serpen Supers it ion and Sc iencet, t ,

C HA P TE R X I I .

A
F TE .

D oré s
'
Lov e an d Fa t—M
e oira and M oira —The Fa t
es of E schylus

Divine b
s olu t
im su rren d ered — J ove and Typho —Gommu
—P p l f t
a s n

t
at
i f t
h D m
on o h e li m
e —Th l gi l f t
’
l
on s s a re a u ar a a s eo o cs a a

im
s —F t d N it D ifi
y —
a e an ti f W ill—M t
ecess
ph y i p t e ca on o e a s cs , as

d p
an t resen
 LI ST O F I LL U S TR A TI O N S .

‘
V O L . I .

FI G.

1 . B ee lze u b b (C lmt
) a e

2 . Handle of Hind u Cha lice

3 A Sw a llow er

tA t t
.

h y 1m mP ’
S
‘

4 n on s e rs ecu or

A i t
. .

5 P
n c eni il M d l e rs a e a

d t
. .

6 . H l h Hyd
e rc u es an (L ) e ra ou v re

7 . J a pa nese Demon
8 Ce r
. b erus (C lmet
a)
9 C a nine La r (Hercu laneu m)
t
.

t
o Th e W olf as C onfessor (probably Du h) c

t
.

1 1. Singh a lese D e mo n of Serpen s

1 2. A me i r can mo
I nd ia n D e n

13 . I t
li
a an a n d Rom Ge ii an n

14 Typho n (W ilkin s on )
t
.

15 Snou d D m
e e on

t
Ot
.

16 . Demon fo u nd a i s a

17 . Teoya omiq ui

18 K a li

tt
.

19 D ives an d L aza ru s (R u ss ian seven een h ty) ce n u r

td D t
.
,

20 Th e K h n igh an ea

G k C i t ft
.

21 ree h G d
a r ca ure o e o s

A W it t
.

22 h M d (D ll B ll )
c oun e e a e a

S p td Egg (Ty )
.

23 er e n an re

S p td A k (f m G
.

24 . er en an k r ro a re e coin )
25 . An gu ish
2 6. Sw a D ragon
n -
(Fren ch )

27 l
A g o Saxon
n -
D ragon s (d mo n MS , tt
h
en ty) cen u r

mth F co t
. .

28 . Fro eA o re s a rezz

F omA lb t D P io ’
29 . r s er u re r ass n

3 .
0 C h im aera

3x. B ll pho d Ch imm (Co i t

e ero n an h i n) r n a

32 . Fromt he Temp t
a t
io of S tA t
ho y n . n n
 D E M O N O LA T R Y .

C H A P TE R I .

L
D U A I SM .

O rigin of D e sm E volut
i — ion fro mt h ef t
o th
are n ear— I llu t t
io s ra ns

m w it
fr o ch c t Th
ra f e pri miti ev P th eis m T
anh e d w of a n

D li mua s .

A C OLLE G E in the St a te
Ohio h a s a dopted for its
of

motto the words Orient thysel f This significa nt a d .

’

monition to Western youth rep resents one condition of

a tt aining truth in the science of mythology Through
n eglect of it the glowing pe rs on ifi ca t
.

ions a n d met a phors

of the E a st h a ve t oo gener a lly migra ted t o th e Wes t only
to find it a M edusa turning them to stone Our prosa ic .

litera lis m cha nges their idea ls to idols Th e time h as

come when we must lea rn ra ther t
.

o s ee ourselves in th em :

ou t of a n a ge a n d civilis a tion whe re we live in h a bitu a l

recognition of n a tura l forces we ma y tra n s port ours elves

to a period a n d region where no sophi s tica ted eye looks.

u pon n a ture Th e sun is a ch a riot dra wn by shining

.

steed s a nd driven by a re fulgent deity ; the sta rs a scend

a n d move by a rbitra ry power or comm a nd the tree is the
b ower of a spirit ; the fount a in le a ps from the urn of a
na i a d. In such gay costumes did the l a ws of n a ture hold
v or 1 . .
A
 CE LE S TI AL P HE N OM E N A .

their c a rni va l until Science struck the hour for unm a sk ing .

Th e costumes a nd m a sks h a ve with u s become m a teri a ls

for studying the histo ry of the hum a n mind but to kno w ,

them we must tra n s l a te our sen s es ba ck into th a t pha se of

our ow n e a rly existence so fa r as is consistent with c a rry
,

ing ou r culture with us .

With out conc eding too much to Sol a r myth ology it may ,

be pronounced tolera bly cle a r th a t the e a rliest emotion of

worsh ip w a s born ou t of the wonder with wh ich m a n looked

up to t h e he a ven s a bove him Th e s plendours of the morn

.

ing a nd eve ning ; the a zure va ult pa inted with frescoes of

cloud or bl a ckened by the storm t
,

h e night crowned with ,

con s tell a tions : these a wa kened im a gin a tion in s pired aw e

kindled a dmira tion a n d a t
, ,

, length a dora tion in the be in g ,

who ha d rea che d int erva ls in whi ch his eye w as li fted

a bove the e a rth . A mid the ra pture of V edic h y mns t o

these subli mities we meet sh a rp q ues tioning s whethe r

th ere be an y such god s as t he priests s ay a n d suspicion is
sometimes ca st on sa cri fices Th e for ms th a t peopled t
,

. he
celes ti a l spa ces may h a ve been those of a ncestors kings , ,

a n d gre a t men , but a nterior to a ll forms w as the poetic

enth usi a sm which built h ea venly m a nsions for them and
the crude cosmogonie s of pri mitive science were proba bly
c a ught up by t his spirit a nd consecra ted a s slowly a s
,

scientific gene ra lisa tions now a re .

”
Our modern ide a s of evolution might suggest the reverse
I of thi s— t ha t huma n worship bega n wit h things low and
gra du a lly as cended to high objects ; th a t from ru de a ges ,

in which a dora tion w a s directed to stock a nd stone tree

a n d reptile t
,

, h e h u m a n mind c li m bed by degrees to the

contempl a tion a nd reverence of celesti a l gra ndeurs But .

the a ccord of thi s vie w wit h ou r ide a s of evolution is a pp a

rent only Th e rea l progres s seems here to h ave been
X from t he far t o t h e ne a r from t o t
h e gre a t t It
.

, he s m a ll .
 CE LE S TI A L ORI GI N OF CHA R M S .

region erpent worship w as a ss oci ated with fi re worshi p

,
s - -

a n d rive r worship which h a ve a wide represent a tio n in

-

both A rya n a nd S emitic symbolism To this d ay t

,

he
.

orthodox Isra elites set beside their dea d be fore buria l

t
, ,

he lighted c a ndl e a nd a ba sin of pure wa ter Thes e h a ve .

been a ss oci a ted in ra bbinic a l mythology with the a nge ls

M ich a el (genius of Wa ter) an d Ga briel (genius of Fire) ;
but they re fer both to the phenomen a l glories a nd t he
puri fying e ffects of the two elements as reverenced by t he
A fric a ns in one direction a nd the Pa rsees i n a no t her
N ot less signifi ca nt a re t h e fa cts whic h were a ttest ed a t
.

the witch tri a ls It w as shown th a t for th eir pretended

-
.

divin a tions they used pla nts—as rue a n d vervain— well

know n in t h e a ncient N orthe rn religions a nd o ften recog ,

n is e d a s ex a mples of tree worship ; but it a l s o a p pe a re d

-

th a t a round the c a uldron a mock zodi a c a l circle w as

dra wn a nd t h a t every herb employed w as a lleged to h a ve
derived its potency from ha ving been g a thered a t
,

a certa i n

hour of t h e night or d a y a p a rticul a r q u a rter of the moon

, ,

or from some spot where sun or moon did or did not shine
upon it A ncient pl a net wors hip is indeed still reflected
-

in the h a bit of villa ge herba li s t

.
, ,

s who g a ther thei r simples

at cert a i n ph a ses of the moon or at cert a in of t
,

, hose holy
periods of the yea r which con form more or less to the
pre chri s ti a n festiva ls
-

Th ese a re a fe w out of m a ny indica tions th a t t

.

he
s m a ll a n d senseless t hings which h ave become a lmos t or
quite feti s hes were by no mea ns such a t first but were ,

mystica lly connected with the he avenly elements an d

splendours like the a nim a l forms in the zodi a c In one
,
.

of the e a rliest hymn s of the R ig V ed a it is s a id Thi s

-

e a rth belongs to Va ru n a (O épa ués) the k ing an d the wid e

s ky : he is cont a ined a l s o in t his drop of wa ter A s t
,

he
’
.

s ky w as see n reflect e d in the s hining curve of a dew drop

-
,
 P R I M I TI VE P A N THE I SM 5

eve n so in the sh a pe or colour of a le a f or flower t he ,

tra n s form a tion of a Ch rys a li s or the buria l a nd res u rrection

,

of a sc a r a b ae us egg s ome s ign could be detected m a ki n g

’

it a nswer in pl a ce of the typic a l im a ge which could n ot

,

yet be p a inted or c a rved .

Th e necessities of expression w ould of course opera te

t
, ,

o invest the primitive conceptions a n d interpret a tion s of

celes ti a l phenomen a with those pictori a l im ages dra wn

from e a rthly objects of which the e a rly l a ngu ages a re
chiefly composed I n m a ny ca s es th a t a re met in the
mos t
.

t
a ncient hymns the de s ign a tions of ex a lted objects
,

a re so little de s criptive of them th a we m ay re fer them to

a period a nterior t
,

o the form a tion of th a t refined a n d com

plex symboli s m by which primitive religion s h a ve a cquired

a repre ent a tion in definite ch ra cters
s a Th e V edic c om.
p a rir
l
son s of the va rious colours of the d a wn to hors e s or the ,

ra in cloud s to cows denotes a much less m a ture develop

-
,

ment of thought th a n the fine ob s erva tion implied in the

connection of the forked lightning with the forked serpent
tongue a n d forked mi s tletoe or s ymboli s a tion of the uni
vers e in the concentric folds of a n onion It is t
,

h e pre se n ce
of these more my s tic a l a n d complex ide a s in religions which
.

x
indic a te a progress of the hum a n mind from the l a rge a n d
obviou s t o the m ore delic a te a nd occult a n d the growth ,

of the higher vi s ion which c a n see sm a ll things in their

l a rge rel a tionships A lthough the ex a lta tion in the V ed a s

.

o f V a run a as king of he a ven a n d a s cont a ined a l s o in a

,

drop of w a ter is in one verse we ma y well recogni s e a n

i mmense di s ta nce in time between t he t
, ,

w o ide a s there

embodied Th e first repres ent s th a t primitive p a nthei s m

x
.

which is the counterp a rt of ignora nce A n unc la ss ified .

out w a rd universe is the reflection of a mind without form

a n d void it is while a ll within is a s yet undi s crimin a ting

wonder th a t the religious vesture of n a ture will be this
u ndefined p a ntheism Th e fru it of the tree of the kno w
.
6 D I S C OR D A N T D E ! TI E S .

ledg e ofgood a nd evil h a s not yet been t a sted In som e

of t h e e a rlier hymn s of the R ig V ed a t h e M a ruts t
.

he -

storm deities a re pra ised a long with Ind ra t

, ,

-
, h e sun ; ,

Y a m a king of D e a th is e q u a lly a dored with the goddess

, ,

of D a wn N o re a l foe of you rs is known in hea ven n or

‘
.
,

in e a rth . Th e storm s a re thy a llies

’ ‘
S uch is the high .
’

optimism of sentence s found even in s ac red books which

elsewhere m a sk the d a wn of the D u a lism which ulti
m a tely superseded the h a rmony of the elementa l Powers .

I cre a te light a nd I cre a te d a rkness I cre a te good a nd ,

I cre a te evi l L ook unto Y e z d a n who ca useth the

’ ‘

sh a do w to fa ll But it is e as y to see wh a t must be t

.
,

’
. he
result when thi s h a ppy fa mi ly of sun g od and storm god - -

a n d fi re god a n d their innu mera ble c o ordin a te diviniti e s

-
,
-
,

sha ll be divided by discord When e a ch sh a ll h a ve be .

come a ss oci ated with some e a rthly object or fa ct he or s h e

wil l a ppe a r a s friend or foe a n d their connection with t
,

,
he
source s of hum a n ple as ure a n d p a in will be reflected in
colli s ions a nd wa rs in t h e he a vens Th e rebel clouds w ill .

be tra n s formed to Tit a ns a nd D ra gons Th e a dored

M a ruts will be no longer stor mheroes wit h unshe a t
.

hed -

swords of lightning m a rching as the retinue of Indra

but fi re bre a th ing monsters—V rit a nd t
, ,

-
ra s a d A
n his — he ,

morning a n d evening sh a do w s from fa ith ful wa tch dogs -

become the tre a cherous hell hound s like Orthros a n d Ce r -

,

beru s Th e vehement a nta gonisms between a nim a ls a nd

me n a nd of tribe a ga inst tribe will be expressed in t
.

he ,

conception of st ruggles a mong god s who will thus be ,

cl a s s ified a s good or evil deities .

This w a s p recisely wh a t did occur Th e primitive pa n

theism w a s broken up : i n it
.

s pl a ce the l a ter a g e s beheld

the univers e a s the a ren a of a tremendou s conflict betw een

good a n d evil Po w ers who s eve ra lly in the process of ,

time m a rs h a lled e a ch a n d eve ryt

,

, hing from a world to a ,

worm under their fl a ming b a nners

L , .
 THE G E N ESI S O F D EM O NS .

Th eir good na mtm m h rac

es eu ph e is ic—Th eir ixed c a t—Ill tt
er i u s ra ons

B l b b Loki D m g m—Th k owl d g

ee ze —
u e on - er s e n e e of good an d
io b t
i ct
il D i t
,

ev — s w D mon d D il n e een e n an ev .

THE t
firs pan th eo n of each ra ce was built of i ntell ec ua l t
specul a tions In a mo ra l sense ea ch for min it might be
described a s more or l ess demonic ; a n d ind ee d it
.
,

may
almost be a ffi rm ed t
, ,

ha t religion considered a s a service

rendered to supe rhum a n beings beg a n with t h e pr0 pit
,

ia ,

tion of demons a lbeit they might be c alled gods M a n

found th a t in the e a rt h good things ca me wit h d iflic u lt
, .

y ,

while thorns a nd weeds s pra ng up everywhere Th e evil .

powers seemed to be the strongest Th e best deity ha d a

touch of t Th e s u n is t t
.

h e dem on in him h e mos ben e

fi c e nt yet he hea rs the sunstrok e a long with t
.

h e su n be a m
a nd wi t hers the blooms he ca lls forth Th e spl endour t
, ,

he
might the m ajesty the men a ce t
.
,

, h e g ra ndeur a n d w ra th
, ,

of the he a vens a n d the elements were blended in thes e

p e rs on ifi c a t
io n s a n d reflected in t
, h e t rembling a do ra tio n

pa id to them Th e fl attering n a mes given to these powers

.

by th eir worshippers mu st be interpreted by the costly

s a crifices wit h whic h men sought to propiti a te them No .

sa crifice would h a ve bee n o ffered origin a lly to a purely

benevole n t power Th e Furies were ca lled the E umenides

the we ll mea ning a nd there a rises a te mpta tion t
.
,

o reg a rd
’
-
,
8 E U P II E M I S TI C TI TLE S .

the n a me as preserving t h e primitive me an ing of the Sa n

s k rit origina l of E rinys n a mely S a r a nyu which sign ifi es
t
, , ,

the morning light stea ling over the s ky Bu the d es crip .

—
tions of the E rinyes by the Greek poets e s peci a lly of
E s chylu s who pictures them as bl a ck se rpent l ock ed
, ,
-
,

with eyes dropping blood a nd c a l ls them hounds s ho w ,

—
th at S a r a nj a as mo rning light a n d thus the revea ler of ,

deed s of d a rkness ha d gra du a lly been degra ded into a

p ersonifica tion of t
,

he C u rse A nd yet while recognising .

,

the n a me E umenides a s euphemi s tic we may a dmire non e

the les s t
,

he grow th of th a t ra tion a lism which ultim a tely

found in the epith et a suggestion of t h e soul of good in
things evil a n d a lmost restored the ben e fi ce nt
, sen s e of
S a ra nyu I h ave settled i n this pl a ce sa ys A thene in
‘ ’

the E umenides of E s chylu s th ese migh t

.
,

y deities h a rd ,
‘
,

to be a ppe a sed they h a ve obt a ined by lot to a dmini ste r

a ll things concerning men But he who h a s not found
.

them gentle knows not whence come the ills of li fe But ’

be fore t
.

h e d re a d E rinyes of Homer s a ge h a d becom e

’

the venera ble goddesse s (a ep va l Oea l) of popul a r phras e

‘ ’

in A the n s or t h e E umenides of the l a ter poet s high

’
,

insight piercing their Gorgon form a s portrayed by him

,

sel f they h a d p a ssed thro ugh a ll the ph a ses of hum a n

'

terror Cowering genera tions h a d tried to soothe the

.

remorseless a ve ngers by complimenta ry phra ses Th e

wors hip of the se rpent origin a ting in t
.

he s a me fe a r
, ,

simil a rly ra ised th a t a nim a l into the region where poet s

could invest it with m a ny pro found a nd bea uti ful s ign i
fi ca n c es Bu t. these more di s tinctly terrible deities a re
found in the sh a dowy border l a nd of mythology from -
,

which we ma y look b a ck into a ges when the fea r in

whic h wo rship is born h a d not yet been sep a ra ted into
its elements of a w e a n d a dmira tion nor the he ave n ,

of supre me forces divided into ra nks of benevolent a n d

 S OLA R A N TA G ON I SAI S .

mlevol nt b
a e e ings ; a nd on t h e other h a nd w e m a y look

forw a rd to t
, ,

h e a ges in w hich the mora l consciousness of

ma n begins to form t h e di s tinctions betw e en good a nd
ev il right a n d w rong which ch an ges cosmogony in t o re l i

gion a nd imp resses eve ry deity of the mind s c rea tion t

, ,

’
o

d o his or h e r pa rt in reflecting t
,

h e physic a l a nd m ora l
s tr u ggle s of m a n kind

e di a te processes by which t
.

Th e interm h e good a nd evil

w ere det a ched a n d a dva nced to s ep a r a te pers onific ation
, ,

Fig . r. —Bs s m s us (Calmet

.
)

ca nnot a lwa ys be tra ced but the indic ations of their work
,

a re in mo s t c as es su ffi ciently cle a r Th e rel a tion ship for

.
,

inst a nce between B a a l a n d B a a l zebub c a nnot be doubted

,
-
.

Th e one rep res ent s the S u n in his glo ry a s q uickener of

N a ture a n d p a inter of its be a uty the ot h e r the insect
,

b reeding power of the S u n B a a l zebub is the Fly god

- -

Only at
. .

a comp a ra tive ly recent period did the deity of

t
o FL Y G OD S -
.

the Philistines whose ora cle w as consulted by A h a zi a h

t
,

( 2 Kings su ffer under the reput a tion of be ing he ‘

Prince of D evil s his n a me bei n g ch a nged by a me re p u n

’

to Beelzebul (d u ng god ) It is not imposs ible th a t t

,

-
he .

modern E gypti a n mother s hesita tion to disturb flie s ’

s ettling on her s leeping child a n d the s a nctity a tt ributed ,

to va rious in s ect s origin a ted in the a w e felt for him Th e

,
.

title Fly god is pa ra llelled by the reve rent epithet a vrrip uw s

-
’

a pplied to Zeus a s worshipped a t

,

E lis the M y iagr us de ns

1
,

o f the R om a ns a n d the M y zoa es mentioned by Pliny

2 3 '
'

, .

Our pictu re is proba bly from a protecting ch a rm a nd evi

d e nt
,

ly by the god s believe rs There is a s to ry of a pea s a nt

’
.

wom a n in a French chu rch who w a s found kneeling be fo re

a m a rble group a n d w a s w a rned by a priest th a t s h e
,

w a s worshipping the wrong fi gu re— n a mely Beelzebub , .

N ever mind s he replied it is well enough to h a ve

‘ ’ ‘
, ,

friends on both sides Th e s to ry though n ow only be! :

’

t r ova t
.
,

o w ou ld represent the a ctu a l st a te of mi n d in m a ny

,
.

a B a byloni a n invoking the protection of the Fly god -

a g a inst fo rmid a ble sw a rm s of h is venomous subjects

N ot
.

less cle a r is the illustra t ion s upplied by Sca ndi

n a vi a n mythology I n Sae mu nd s E dd a the evil mind ed
.
’
-

L oki s a ys
O d in l d ost th ou rem em b er
W hen w e in early d y a s

B le nd e d o r b lood togethe ? u r

Th e two bec a m e deta ched very s lowly ; for their sep a ra

tion implied the crumbling a w a y of a grea t religion a nd ,

its distribution into n e w forms ; a nd a religion req uires ,

rel a tively a s long to deca y as it does to grow a s we wh o

, ,

live under a crumbling religion h a ve good reas on to kno w .

Prot a p Chunder M oz oomd a r of the Bra hmo Som aj in -

Th e Indi a n P an t
, ,

a n a ddress in L ondon s a i d heon h as ‘

, ,

P ausa n . v . 14 , 2 . Solin . Polyhi t i s or, .

3
Pli y
n , n ix 6, 34, ini
. t
.
12 FI R S T I M P RE SSI ON S O F N A T(I R E .

im por th n t
h w e e w ork of mora lising upon them shou l d
follow
t
.

Le t a k e ou r st a nd be sid e ou r b a rb a ri a n but n o
us

lo nger sa va ge a ncestor in t
,

h e fa r pa st We h a ve wa tch e d
the rosy mo rn i ng as it wa xed to a bl a zi ng n oon : t
, .

h en
s wi ftly the sun is blotted out t h e tempest ra ges it,
is a ,

s udden night lit only by the forked lightning th a t strike s

tree house ma n with a ng ry thunder pea ] From an in -

structed age ma n c a n look upon t

, , , .

h e storm bl a ckening the

s ky not a s a n enemy of the sun but one of it s own super ,

lative e ffect s ; but som e thousan ds of ye a rs a go w hen we ,

were a ll living in E a stern ba rb a rism we could not con ,

c e iv e th a t a lumin a ry whose ve ry busine s s it w a s to give

light could be a p a rty to his own ob s cura t

,
ion We then .

looked with pity upon the ignora nce of our a nces to rs who ,

h a d s ung hymns to the storm dra gons hoping to fl a tter -

them in t
,

o q uietnes s ; a nd we c a me by i rre s istible logic

to th a t D u a lism which long divided the visible a nd still ,

divides the mora l universe into two hostile ca mps

This is the mother principle out of which demons (in t
.
,

-
he
ordin a ry sense of the term ) proceeded At first fe w a s .
,

di s tinguished from the host of deitiesby exception a l h a rm

fulnes s they were m ultiplied with m a n s gro wth i n the ’

cl assifica tion of his world Their principle of existence .

is c a p a ble of indefinite exp a nsion until it s h a ll in c lude a ll ,

the re a lms of d a rk n es s fe a r a nd p a in In the n a me s of

demon s a nd in the fa bles concerning them t
.
, ,

,
h e s truggles ,

of m a n in h is a ges of we a kne s s with peril w a nt a n d de a th , , ,

a re recorded more fully th a n in a ny in s cription s on s tone .

D u a li s m is a creed which a ll supe rfici a l a ppe a ra nces a ttes t .

S ide by s ide the de s e rt a n d the fruit ful l a nd the sun

s hi n e a n d t h e fro s t sorrow a n d joy li fe a n d de a th s it
,

we avin g a round every li fe it

, , ,

s vesture of b right a n d s ombre

t hrea ds a n d Science a lone ca n detect how e a ch of the se

,
 DEM ON S A N D D E VI L S . 13

ca sts the shuttl e to the other E nemies t o e a ch other

they will a ppe a r in every re a lm which knowledge has not

.

ma s tered There is a re fra in ga thered from m a ny ages

in W illia m Bl a ke s a pos trophe t
.
, ,

o the tiger
’

Tiger t
ig er burn in g bright
t tf t
I n he fores h igh t s o e n

Wh t aim mt lh d or a
y an or e e

F md t
ra hy f
e f l ym mt y? ea r u s e r

In w h t d i tt
a d p ki
s an ee s or s es

Bu rne d th t fi w ithi tahi y ?

re n n e e es

O wh t wi g d d h i
’
n a n
p s are e as re

Wh t ath h d d d
e i t h fi
an ? a re se ze e re

Wh t enh tt h d
e s a rs th i p re w ow n e r s ea rs

A d
n thw a er ith th i t ea ve n w e r ea rs ,

D id h mil hi
e s k t ? e s w or o s ee

D id h h md t
e w h l mo b mk t ah ? e e a a e ee

Th a t which one of the devoutest men of genius whom

E ngl a nd h a s produced thus a s ked w a s silently a nswered
in Indi a by the s erpent worshipper kneeling with his -

to ngue held in h is h a nd in E gypt by Osiris se a ted on a ,

th rone of chequer 1
.

It is neces sa ry to di s tinguish cle a rly between the D emon

a nd the D evil thou gh for some purposes t
, ,
hey must be ,

mentioned together Th e world w a s h a unted with demon s

.

for m a ny a ges be fore there w a s a n y embodiment of their

spirit in a ny cent ra l form much les s a ny conception of a
,

P rinciple of E vil in the universe The e a rly demon s ha d I .

no mora l ch a ra cter not a ny more th a n the ma n e a ting

,
-

tiger There is no outburst of mora l indign a tion ming

ling with the shout of victory when Indra sl ays V rit
.

ra ,

a n d A pollo s fa ce is serene when his d a rt pierces the

’

Python It required a much higher development of the

mora l sentiment t o giv e rise to t
.

h e conception of a devil .

1
t mbi T bl t
As in he Be i t
h B dl i Lib y
ne a e n e o e an ra r .
14 S HA D O WS O F THE GOD S
O nly th at inten s e st light could cas t s o bla ck a sh a dow
a thwa rt the world as the belief in a pu rely m a lig n a nt s pi rit

To su ch a conception love of evil for it t

.

— s own sa ke — he
w ord D evil is limited in t his work ; D emon is a ppli e d
to beings whose h a rm fulness is n ot gra tuitous but inci
,

denta l to their own sa tis fa ctions .

D eity a nd D emon ar e forms of the sa me word a n d the

l a tter ha s simply su ffered deg ra d a t
,

ion by the convention a l

u s e of it to design a te the le s s be n e fi c e n t
.

powe rs a n d

m
q u a lities which origin a lly inhered in every deity a fter
,

they were deta ched fro these a nd sepa ra tely personified

,

E very bright god h a d his s h a dow so to s a y ; a nd unde r

the influence of D ua li s m th is sh a dow a t t a ined a distinct
,

exis tence a nd person a lity in the popul a r im a gin a tion .

Th e principle h a ving once bee n est a blish e d th a t wh a t

seemed bene fi c e nt
,

a n d wh a t seemed the reverse must be

a s cribed t o di fferent powers it is obvious th a t the e v olu

,

tion of demon s must be continuous a nd their distributio n

c o ext ensive with t
,

- h e ills th a t flesh is heir to

.
 D EGRA DA TI O N .

Th e d egrada ion t of t I
d ei ies n dica ed t i m —L g d n na es e en s of

t
h i e r fa ll I n cid en t
l ig
a s ns of t
h di i igi
e f d m v ne or n o e on s

an d d evils .

THE tmospheric conditions h a ving been prep a red i n the

a

hum a n mind for the production of demons t h e p a rticul a r ,

sh a pes or n a mes they would a ssume would be determined

by a va riety of circumst a nces ethnica l clim a tic politic a l , , , ,

or even a ccidenta l They would indeed be ra rely a cci

d ent a l ; but Pro fessor M a x M iille r in his n otes to t
.
, ,

he ,

R ig V ed a h a s c a lled a ttention to a rem a rk a ble insta nce

-
,

in w hich the form a tion of a n imposing m ythologic a l figure

of this kind h a d its n a me determined by w h a t in a ll pro

babilit
,

y w a,s a n a ccident T here a ppe a rs in the

. e a rliest
Ved ic hymns the n a me of A diti as the holy M other of ,

m a ny gods a nd thrice there is mentioned the fem ale n a me

D it i B u t t here is rea son t
,

. o believe th a t D iti is a mere

reflex of A diti the a being dropped origin a lly by a t

, e

citer s license The la ter reciters however rega rding

’
.
, ,

eve ry letter in so sa cred a book or even the omi s s ion of ,

a letter a s o ,
f a D —
et e rn l significa nce iti this dec a pita ted
:

—
A diti w a s evolved into a s ep a ra te a nd powerful being ,

a n d every niche of be n e fi c e n c e being occu pied by its god

the new form w a s at once relega ted t

,

or godde s s o the

as t
,

n ewl d e fi ne d re a lm of evil where she rem ined h e

y a
-
,
16 P I I I L OL 06 1 CAL TR A CE S .

mother of the enemies of the gods the D a it yas U n , .

h a ppily this a ccident followed the a ncient tendency by

which the Furies a nd V ices h a ve wit h sca nd a lous c on
st a n c y been described in t
,

,
h e feminine gender .

Th e close resembl a nce betwee n these two n a mes o f

Hindu m ythology s evera lly representing the best a n d ,

the worst may be thus a ccident a l a nd only se rve to sho w

, ,

h ow the demon forming tendency a fter it beg a n w a s a ble

-
, ,

to pres s even the most trivi a l incidents into its s e rvice But .

genera lly the n a me s of demons a nd for whole ra ces of ,

demons report fa r more th a n this ; a nd in no inquiry

,

more th a n th a t be fore us is it n ecessa ry to remember

tha t n a mes a re things Th e philologica l fa cts s upply .

a rem a rk a ble c onfirm a tion of the st a tements a lre a dy m a d e

a s to the origin a l identity of demon a n d deity Th e word

demon i t
.

‘
sel f a s we h a ve sa id origin a lly bore a good
’

t
, ,

inste a d of a n evil me a ning Th e Sa nskrit Jet /a he .

,

shining one Zend d a éva corres pond with the Greek 0669
,
’
, ,

L a tin d e ar A nglo S a xon Tiw a n d rem a in in deity ‘ ’

-

deuce (prob a bly ; it exists in A rmorica n t

, ,

ea s a ph a ntom
’

)
devel (t
, , ,

he gipsy n a me for God) a n d in demon Th e

‘ ’ ‘ ’

, .

D emon of S oc ra tes repre s ents the personifica tion of a

being still good but no doubt on the p a th of decline fro m
,

pure divinity Pl a to decla res th a t good men when they

.

die become demons a nd he sa ys demon s a re reporters

‘ ’
,
‘

a n d c a rriers between gods a n d men Our fa mili a r word ’

bog ey a so rt of nickn a me for a n evil spirit comes from t

.

, he ,

f —
S l a vonic word or God 50g A ppe a ring here in the West .

a s bogey (Welsh bwg a goblin ) this word bog beg a n pro , , ,

b a bly a s the Ba ga of cunei form inscription s a n a me of ’

t
, ,

h e S upreme Being or possibly the Hindu Bh a g a Lord

’
, ,

of L i fe I n the Bishop s Bible the p a s s a ge occurs ’ ’

Thou sh a lt n ot
.
,

‘
be a fra id of a ny bug: by night : the ’

w o rd ha s been a ltere d to terror When we come to ‘ ’

.
 S I GN I FI CAN CE OF L E GE N D S . 17

t
h pe rticul a r n a mes of demons we find m a ny of the m
a ,

be a ring tra ces of the S plendours from which they h ave

declined S iva the Hindu god of destruction h a s a
’
.
,

mea ning derived from S m thrive thus — “

,
‘

r el a ted ide a lly to Pluto —

wea lth a nd indeed in l a ter ‘ ’

a ges a ppe a rs t
, , ,

,
o ha ve g a ined the gre a test eleva tion In .

a s tory of the Persi an poem M a s n a v i Ah rim a n is men

t ioned wi t h Ba hm an as a fi re fi e nd of which cla ss a re t

,

he
M agi a n demons a nd t
-

h e J inns genera lly ; which the sa nc ,

tity of fire being con s idered is a n evidence of their high ,

origin A vicenn a says th a t the genii a re etherea l a nim a ls

L uci fer light be a ring—is t
. .

— h e fa llen a ngel of the morning

-

s ta r L oki the n e a rest t

— o a n evil power of the S ca n

t ea cht
.

d in a v ia n pe rs on ifi ca io n s— is the Germ a n l or light , .

A z a zel — a word in a ccura tely rendered sca pe goa t in ’

-

the Bible a ppea rs t

.

— o h a ve been origin a lly a deity a s ,

the I s ra elites were origin a lly re q uired to o ffer up one

goa t to J ehova h a nd a nother to A z a zel a n a me whi ch
a ppe a rs to s igni fy the strength of God Ges eniu s a n d ‘
.

E wald rega rd A z a zel a s a demon belonging to the pre

M os a ic religion but it can h a rdly be doubted th a t the
four a rch demons mentio ned by t
,

-
h e R a bbins — S a m a el
A z a zel A s a é l a n d M a cca t h ie l a re pe rs on ifi ca t
,

, ,
— ions of the
elements as energies of the deity Sa ma é l would a ppe ar
t
.

o me a n the le ft h a nd of God ; A z a zel h is strength ;

‘ ’

A sa é l his reproductive force ; a nd M a cc a t

,

hie l h is retri
bu t
, ,

ive power
A lt hough A za zel is now one of t
.

h e M us s ulm a n n a mes
for a devil it would a ppe a r to be ne a rly rel a ted t o Al

Uzza of t
,

h e Ko ra n on e of the godde s s es of whom the ,

s ignifica nt tra dition exists th a t once when M oh a mmed ,

h a d re a d from the S ura c a lled Th e St a r the qu estion

’

, , ,

Wha t think ye of A ll a t A l Uzz a a n d M a n a h th a t other , , ,

third godde ss ? he him s el f added Thes e are the most

‘

,
‘

VO L I . .
B
18 L AM E N E S S O F D E M ON S .

high a n d be a uteous d a msels whose intercession is t o be

h o pe d for the response being a fte rwa rds a tt ributed t

,
’
, o a

s uggestion of S a t a n Beli a l is merely a word for godless

l
.

ness ; it h as becom e pers onified through the mis u nd er

s t a nding of the ph ra se in the Old Te s ta me n t by the

tra nsl a tors of t he S eptu a gint a n d thus pa s s ed into ch ris ,

ti a n u s e a s in 2 Cor vi 1 5 Wh a t concord h a th C h ri s t
,
. .
,
‘

with Beli a l The word is not u s ed as a proper n a me in

the Old Testa ment a nd the l a te cre a tion of a demon ou t
a y be s e tdown t
,

o f it m o a ccident .

E ven where the n a mes of demons a n d devils be a r n o

s u ch tra ces of their degra d a t ion from the s ta te of deities
there a re a pt
,

to be ch a ra cteri s tics a ttributed to them or ,

m yths connected with them which point in the direction

indica ted Such is t
,

. h e c a se with Sa t a n of whom much ,

mu s t be sa id here a fte r whose Hebre w n a me signifies the ,

a dvers a ry but who in the Book o f Job a ppe a rs a mong the

sons of God The n a me given to t

, , ,

. h e devil in the Koran

E b lis — is a lmost cert a inly d ia bolos A ra bicised ; a n d while
this Greek word is found in Pind a r (st ’
h century
me a ni n g a sl a nderer the fa bles in the Koran concerning ,

E bli s describe him a s a fa lle n a ngel of the highest r a nk .

One of the mo s t s t riking indica tions of the fa ll of de

mons from he a ven is the wide S prea d belie f th a t they a re -

l a me M r Tylor h a s pointed out the cu riou s persi s tence

. .

of this ide a in va rious ethnic a l line s of devel opment

’
.

Heph a i stos w a s l a med by his fa ll when hurled by Zeu s

from Olympos ; a n d it is not a little singul a r th a t in
the E nglish tra ve s ty of limping V ul ca n represent ed in
Wa yl a nd the S mith t
,

‘
here should appe a r the s ugges tion
, ,

1
S Ko p 28 1
ee Sa le s
’
ra n , Pi d
n a r, m
Frag 2 70

E ly Hi t
.
.
,

P im
. .

‘
Tylo
'
r s of M
‘
ar s a nk ind , p
’
35 8 ; r v ol ii p 2 30

t
. . . . . .
.

4 Th G o e f L bo d asc ns o a ur l Seigneu r V oland , and

call h e d ev i
’
so m e

revere him p to as a a r n.
so A N A VE N GI N G M E TE OR .

re ader beca use of t h e interesting volume in which t he

Incident ally t
,

s ubject h a s been Speci a lly de a lt with

1
oo .
, ,

the a s trologica l demon s a n d dev il s must recur from time

to time in the p rocess of our inquiry But it w ill pro .

b a bly be within the know l ed ge of some of my re a ders

tha t the drea d of comets a nd of meteoric sh owe rs yet
lingers in m a ny p a rts of Christendom a nd th a t fea r of ,

unlucky sta rs h as not p ass ed a wa y with a st rologers .

The re is a Scotti s h legend told by Hugh M iller of a n

a venging meteoric demon A s hipm a s ter who h a d moored .

h is ves sel nea r M oria l s D e n a mused himsel f by wa tchin g

’

t h e light s of t A fter a ll the re s t

,

h e sca ttered fa rmhou s es .

h a d gone out one light lin gere d for some tim e When
'

th a t light too h a d di s a ppe a red the ship ma s ter beheld a ,

l a rge meteor which with a hi s sing noi s e moved to w a rds

, , ,

the cotta ge A dog howled a n owl whooped ; but when

.
,

the fi re b a ll h a d a lmost rea ched the roo f a cock crew from

-
,

within the cott a ge a nd the meteor rose ag a in Thrice

this w a s repea ted the meteor a t t
, .

h e third cock cro w

,
-

a scending a mong the s t a rs On the following d ay the .

shipm a ster went on shore purch a s ed the cock a nd took , ,

it a wa y with him R eturned from his voya ge he looked

.
,

for the cott a ge a n d found nothing but a fe w bl a ckened

,

s tones N ea rly sixty ye a rs a go a hum a n skeleto n w as

.

found nea r the s pot doubled up as if the body h a d be en ,

huddled into a hole : this revived the legend a nd pro ,

b a bly a dded some of those tra its which m a ke it a true bit

of mos a ic in the mythology of A strae a
”
.

Th e fa bled fa ll of L uci fer re a lly signifies a process

‘ ’

simil a r to th a t w hich h a s been noticed in the ca se of

Sa ra nyu Th e morni n g s ta r like the morning light as
.
, ,

1
M yt
h s and Marvels of As t my By
rono .
’
R . A . P oct
o
r r. Cha t
t
o

W ind us , 1878 .

’
‘
Scenes and Legend s, &c , p 73 . . .
 DEM ON S L UM I N O US .
2l

r ev e aler of the deeds of d a rkness becomes a n a venger

a n d by evolution a n instig a tor of t
, ,

h e evil it origin a lly

d isclosed a nd punished . It ma y he rem a rked a l s o th a t
th ough we h a ve inherited the phra se D emon s of D a rk
‘

n e ss it wa s a n a ncient r a bbinic a l belie f th a t the demons

’

w e nt a bro a d in d a rkness n ot
,

only beca use it fa cilita ted

th e ir a tt a cks on m a n but bec a use being of luminous forms

th e y could recognis e e a ch o t
, ,

h er better with a ba ckground

of d a rkne s s
.
 C H A P TE R I V .

THE A B GO TT .

The ex -
god — D ei t
mo i ed by
i e s de n s c on ques t
—Th eological ani mo
s it
y
— I ll t t
i on f om
us ra th e Ar ves a t — D evil w ors h ip
-
an t
arres ed

D i m
e s —Sheik Adi—W h y d mo e ns we re pa in ed t y—S
u gl u rvivals

of th i r bea t
y
e u .

THE phenomen a of the tra ns form a tion of deities into

demons mee t the student of D emonology at every step
W e sh a ll h ave t
.

o consider m a ny ex a mples of a kind simi

la r to those which h a ve been mentioned in the preceding

cha pte r ; but it is necessa ry to present a t this s ta ge of
our in q uiry a su fficient number of exa mples to esta bli s h
the fa ct th a t in every country forces h a ve been a t work
to degra de t he primitive gods into types o f evi l as
prelimina ry to a considera tion of t
,

h e n a ture of thos e
forces .

We find the history of the phenomen a suggested in the

—
Germ a n word for idol A bgott ex god The n w e h a ve -

p a ga n vill ager a n d hea then of t

.
,

h e hea th denoting those

’ ‘ ’
, , , ,

who stood by their old gods a fter others h ad tra ns fe rred

their fa ith to the new These words bring us t
. o con s ider the

influence upon religiou s conceptions of the s truggles which

h a ve occurred between ra ces a nd n a tions a nd cons e q uently ,

between their re ligiou s It must be borne in mind th a t by

the time a ny tribes ha d g a the red t
.

o the consistency of a

n a tion one of the strongest forces of its coherence wo u ld

,
 D E I TI E S D E THR ON E D . 33

t
be i s p riesthood soon as it beca me a genera l be lie f
So
t
.

h a t there were in the universe good a n d evil Powers there ,

must a rise a popul a r dem a nd for the mea ns of obta ining

their fa vour ; a nd thi s dem a nd h as never fa iled t o obt a in a

supply of priesthoods cl a iming to bind or influence the

p r e te rn a tura l beings T hese priesthood
. s repre s ent the

stronge s t motive s a n d fe a rs of a people a nd they were ,

gra du a lly intrenched in gre a t in s titutions involving power

fu l intere s ts E very i nva sion or colli s ion or mingli n g of
ra ce s thus brought thei r respective religion s into cont a c t
.

a n d riva lry ; a n d a s no pries thood h as been k nown to con

s ent pe a ce a bly t o its own down fa ll a n d the degra d a tion of

its own deitie s w e need not wonder th a t there h a ve been

,

perpetu a l wa rs for religious a s cendency It is not unu s u a l .

to hea r sects a mong ourselves a ccu s ing e a ch other of

idol a t ry In e a rlier times the rule w a s for e a ch religio n
to denounce it
.

s opponent s gods a s d evils G regory the

’
.

Gre a t wrote to his mi s s io n a ry in Brita in the A bbot M e l ,

litus second Bishop of C a nterbury th a t whe re a s the

, ,
‘

people were a ccu s tomed to sa crifice m a ny oxen in honour

of demon s let them celebra te a re ligibu s a nd solemn fe s ti

v a l a n d not sl a y the a nim a ls to the devil (di a bolo ) but t

,

,
o ,

be e aten by themselves to the glory of God Thu s the .

’

devotion of mea ts to those deities of our a ncestors which

the Pope pronounces demon s which took pl a ce chiefly a t,

Y ule tide h as s urvived in ou r more com fort a ble Ch ri s tm a s

-
,

ba nquets This w a s the fa te of a ll the deities which

But it h a d been t
.

C hri s ti a nity u ndertook to suppress . he

h a bit of religions for ma ny a ges be fore They n ever .

denied the a ctu a l exi s tence of the deities they we re e n

ga ged in suppre ssing Th a t would h ave been t
. oo gre a t

a n outra ge upon popul a r belie fs a n d might h a ve c a u s ed a

,

re action ; a nd bes ides ea ch n e w religion ha d a n intere s t

, ,

of its ow n in preserving the b a si s of belie f in the s e invisibl e

24 C OM B I N A TI ON S

be ings D i sbelie f in the ve ry existence of the old gods

.

might be followed by a sceptica l s pirit th a t might e n

d a nger t h e new So the prop a g a ndists m a inta ined the
.

exi s tence of n a tive god s but ca lled them devils Some , .

times w a rs or intercourse between tribes led to their

fu s ion the b a ttle between oppo s ing religion s w a s dra wn ,

in which ca se the re would be a compromi s e by which

s ev e r a l deities of di ff erent origin might conti n ue together

in the sa me ra ce a n d receive e qu a l hom a g e The d ifi ering

'

d egrees of import a nce a scribed to the sep a ra te persons of

the Hindu tri a d in va rious loca liti es of Indi a suggest it as ,

q uite proba ble th at Bra hm a Vishnu a nd S iva sign a lled in

their union the politica l u n ity of cert a in districts in th at
, ,

country The blen d i ng of the n a mes of Con fu cius a n d

1
.

Buddh a in m a ny Chinese a nd J a p a nese temples may show

, ,

u s a n a na logous process now going on a n d indeed the

va rious ethnic a l idea s comb ined in t

, , ,

h e ch ri s ti a n Trinity
render the fa ct st a ted on e of e asy interpreta tion But t he
religious d iflicu lt
.

y w a s sometimes not
‘
s usceptibl e of com
promise The most powerful priesthood c a rried the d ay
.
,

a n d they used eve ry ingenuity to degra de the gods of

their opponents A ga t h od e mon s were turned into k a ko

.

demons The serpent worshipped in m a ny l a nds m ight

.
, ,

be a d opted a s the support of s leeping V ishnu in Indi a

might be a ssoci a ted w ith t
,

h e ra inbow ( the hea venly ser ‘

1
Any O tt
rien ali
will
s t hp tf Hi d
apprecia e d tt
h e w ond erful ho c o o n u an

A bi l g g
ra d c ligi an i t h f ll i g d t
ua e an il
re t d d w on mg d
n e o ow n e a s , no e o n a on ru e

trib f th M l y P i
es o l W h
e a a f Ji B m i th
en nsu a. th g d (A bi e ea r o n u e ea r o ra c

t
-

t t t
,

ji nd m S k i bh
e iim ion , h ) i a ns i r b J j (S
ea r ; n ce n se s u rn o ewa ew a an

sk itd r d
g ) h i
ew at d w ithoP i m th
w o p m i i
n e rceb
i l d
esity r an , e su re e nv s e e

b t t it
,

a h
ove ky (B hm P) e h M l m A ll h Té l
s ra a h hi; if N b i
e os e a a a, w s w e a

M h md (P ph t
a a M h m
a md ) pp i t
ro e h Hi d i d h
o a e t f a ea r n e n u se c a rac ers o

t d d ty f ll t d h il t t t
,

crea or an hi g h
es ro e r o p i i a h ipp dn i s an w e e s r s w ors e n s ones

ll d by t
a re ca h Hi d t e mf d e d it
y M lm
n u er i o h ewa or e os e conv ers on as s o

ti fl d t i d f t t hipp t h t ill gi t
,

ar n h m uence h e n h o hi d
e s on e - w ors er a e w ve o s sa cre

b ld t
ou h m f P ph t
er M h m
e na md —Tyle o P imit
ro i C lt
e o a l e .
’
or s
’
r ve u ure,
’
vo .

ii p. . 230.
 OD I UM THE OL O GI C U M 25

p ent ) in’
Persi a but el s ewhere w as curse d as the ve ry
,

genius of evil .

Th e ope ra tion of this force in the de gra d a tion of deities

is p a rticul a rly reve a led in t
,

h e Sa cred Books of Persi a .

I n th a t country the grea t religions of the E a st would

a ppe a r to h a ve conte nd ed a g a i n s t e a ch other with e s peci a l

fury a nd their stru ggles w ere prob a bly instrument a l in

, ,

ca u s ing one or more of the e a rly migra tio ns into Western

E urop e Th e gre a t celesti a l w a r between Ormuzd a nd
.

A hrim a n — L ight a nd D a rkness — correspond e d with a

v iolent theologic a l conflict one re s ult of which is th a t
t e a ning deity t m
,

h e word d ewa o Bra hm a ns mea n s

‘ ’

devil t
, ,

o P a rs ees Th e following extra ct from the

‘ ’
.

Zend A ves t a will s erve a s a n ex a mple of the spirit in

-

which the w a r w a s wa ged

‘
A ll your dev a s a re only m a ni fold children of t h e E vil
—
M ind a n d the gre a t one who wors hips the Sa om a of lies
a n d deceits ; besides the tre a cherous a ct s for which you a re

n otorious thro u ghout the s even regions of the e a rth .

‘
Y ou h a ve invented a ll the evil which men spe a k a nd
do which is indeed plea sa nt to the D eva s but is devoid of
, ,

a ll goodness a n d there fore pe ri s hes be fore the insight of

the truth of t
,

h e wise .

‘
Thus you de fra ud men of their good minds a nd of
their immort a lity by your evil mind s— a s well through
thos e of t h e D eva s a s th a t of the E vil S pirit— thro u gh
evil dee d s a n d evil words whereby the power of li a rs ,

grows 1
.
’

Tha t is to s ay— Ours is the true god : your god is a

devil .

Th e Zoro a stri a n conversion of d am (deus) into dev il

doe s not a lon e represent t h e w ork of this od iu mt heolog i
mm In the e a rly hymns of Indi a t
. h e a ppell a tion d r u ms

1
Va gna, 32
.
26 D E VI L W OR SHI P .

is given t o the gods A sura me a ns a spirit

. But in the .

process of time a s u ra like d e mon ca me to h a ve a sini s ter

me a ning : t t
, ,

h e gods were c a lled s u m s h e demons d ru m s , ,

a n d these were s a id to contend together But in P ers i a .

the d ru ms demonised in Indi a ret a ined their divinity

— — ,

a n d g a ve the n a me a i m r a to the s upreme deity Ormuzd ,

(A hur a m
-
a zd a ) On the other h a nd a s M r M uir sup

pos es Va reny a a pplied to evil s pi rits of d a rkness in t

.
.
,

he
Z e n d aves t
, ,

a,
is cogn a te with Va run a (Hea ven) ; a n d the
V edic Indra king of the gods the S — u n — is n a med in the
Zoro as tri a n religion a s one of the chief councillo rs of th a t
,

P rince of D a rkness .

But in every country con q uered by a n e w religion there ,

will a lwa ys be fou n d some as we h a ve seen who will hold

on t
, ,

o the old deity under a ll his ch a nged fortunes Thes e .

will be c a lled bigots but s till they will a d here to the

‘ ’
,

a ncient belie f a n d pr a cti s e the old rites S ometim e s eve n .

a fter they h a ve h a d to yield to the popul a r termino lo y

g ,

a n d c a ll the old god a devil they will find s ome re a son for

continuing the tra n s mitted forms It is proba ble th a t t

,

o.

thi s c a use w as origin a lly due the religions whic h h a ve been

developed into wh a t is now termed D evil worship Th e -
.

di stinct a nd a vowed wors hip of the evil P ower in pre ference

to the good is a ra ther s ta rtling phenomenon when pre
sented b a ldly ; a s for ex a mple in a pra yer of the M a d a
, ,

a s c a n s to N ya ng a uthor of evil q uoted by D r R eville

g , , .

O Za mhor l to thee we ofi er no prayers Th e good

'

god needs no a s king Bu t we must pra y t

.

. o N ya n g .

N y a ng must be a ppe a s ed O N ya ng ba d a n d s trong

Tell t
.
,

s pirit let not the thunder ro a r over our he a ds ! he

s ea t o keep within it
,

s bounds ! S p a re O N ya ng t he
ripening fruit a nd dry not up the blos soming rice ! Le t
, ,

not our women bring forth children on t

,

h e a ccursed d a ys .

Thou reignest a n d th is thou knowest over the wick e d

,
; ,
 28 SHE I K H A D ] .

is strongest a n d a lso as soc ia ted w it h the m yth ic a l bi rd

R afi : of it
,

s folklore There we find M oh a mmed rebuking .

the popu la r belief in a cert a in b ird ca ll ed Ha m ah which w as ,

sa id to t a ke fo rm from the blo od ne a r the bra in of a de a d

person a n d fly a wa y to retu rn howeve r a t the end of

every hundred ye a rs t
, , ,

o visit th a t pe rs on s s epulchre But ’

.

thi s is by no me a ns D evil wors hip nor ca n we find a ny -

tra ce of th a t in t
,

h e most s a cred s c ripture of the Y ez ed is ,

the E ulogy of S heikh A d i This She ikh i nherited fro m ’

his fa ther M oosa fi r t

.

h e s a nctity of an inca rn a tion of the

divine es sence of which he (A d i) spea k s as t
, ,

,
h e A ll
merci ful .
’

t t tt m t m
By h is ligh h e ha h ligh ed h e la p of h e orn ing

m tt
.

I a m m
h e h a pla ced Ad a in y P a ra d is e

m tt t
.

I a he h a m Nm
ad e b
i rod a h o u rn ing fi re

I mh t h t t t
.

a g id d Ah m
e m i a l u e e ne e eC

I giftd h imw it
,

h m e
y w y d g id a an u a n ce.

Mi ll it
n e a re a tg t
h e x s en c e s o e e r,

They a re my d i ect
my gift
a d ion n u n d er r

I mh e t h t t t
.

a p o s e s s e h a ll
a m j es ys a

A d be n efi cen ce a n d ch a rit
,

n y a e fr om m yg ra c e r

I a mh e t ha te t e re t h t h e h ar t
.

i m
n y e l e n z a

An d I h in e th o gh t s h e pow e of m r y ua w fu l e ss a n d maj es t
y r n

I a mh t o w h omt h e lio of t h e d e ert

.

e ca m e n s

I eb u ked h ima nd h e beca m

r e like s t on e
I mh e t o w h omt h e s e pen t
.

a ca m e r

y ill I md e h imlike d us t
,

A d by m
n w a

I a mh e tha t h ook t a d e it t
.

h e ock a d m s rem ble r n

An d s wee twa t r fl ow ed t
,

h er fromf ome e ry s id e
e e r v .
1

Th e reverence shown in these s a cred s entences for Hebre w

—
n a me s a n d tra ditions a s of A d a m in P a ra di s e M a rah , ,

a n d the smitten r —
ock a n d for A hmet (M oh a mmed) a p ,

1
Th oset mi t hi mt tf t
w h o w ish h ill d ll t f t
o exa ne s a er ur er w o we o re er o

B d g N ti d th i Ritl hi h t f t E l gy
’
h
’
a e r,
‘
i
es or ans an h l h e r u a s, n w c e w o e o e u o

i t l t d tL y d N i h d B byl i h i h t ’
s drans a e ; an o h i
a ar ne va an a on, n w c ere s a

tlt f t m by H m d R m t h Ki g f Aby i i l t
,
’
i
ran s a h on o e sa e or uz assa , e n o ss n a s a e

pris on er.
 M U SS U LM AN I D OLA m y . 29

p e a rs to h a ve had it s only re q uit a l in the odio u s design a

tion of t h e wors hippe rs of Ta m as D ev il worshippers -

,

a la bel which the Y e z ed is pe rh a ps a ccepted a s the V/es

ley a n s a n d Fri en ds a ccepted such n a mes a s M ethodist ‘ ’

an d Qu a ker ’

M oh a mmed h a s expi a ted t

.

h e m a ny deities he degra ded

to devils by bei n g him s el f tu rned to a n idol (m a wmet)
a term of contempt a ll t
,

h e more popul a r for its resem

b la nce to m ummery D es pite his denuncia tions of idol
‘ ’

at
.

ry it is cert a in th a t this e a rlier religion repre s ented by

t
,

h e Y e ze d is has never been entirely suppre ss ed even

a mong his ow n followers In D r L e it n e r s interesting ’

collect
. .

ion there is a l a mp whic h he obt a ined from a ,

mosque ma de in the s h a pe of a pea cock a nd this is but

, ,

one of m a ny s imila r relics of primitive or a lien symbolism

fou n d a mong the M u s sulm a n tribe s .

Th e evolution of demons a nd devils out of deities w as

m a de rea l to the popul a r im a gi n a tion in every count ry
where the new religion found a rt exi sting a nd by a lli a nce
with it w a s en a bled t
,

o s h a pe the ide a s of the people Th e .

theoretic a l degra d a tion of deiti es of previously fa ir a ss o

c ia tion could only be completed where they were pre
s ented t o the eye in repulsive forms It will re a dily
occur to every one t
.

ha t a ra tion a lly conceived de mon or

devil would not be repulsive I f it were a demon th a t
man wished t
.

o represent mere euphemism would prevent

it
,

s being rende red odious The m a in ch a ra cte ri s tic of a

.

—
demon th a t w hich di tingui hes it rom a devil is a s
s s f — ,

we h a ve s een th a t it h a s a re a l a n d hum a n like motive

,
-

for wh a tever evil it ca uses I f it a fflict or con s ume m

. an ,

it is not from mere m a lign a ncy but beca use impelled by

t
,

he pa ngs of hu n ger lust or oth er s u fle rin g like the

'

, , ,

fa mished wol f or s h a rk A n d if s a crifices of food were

.

oflered to s a tis fy its need e q u a lly w e might expect th a t

'

,
3o WH Y DEM ON S WE RE P A I N TE D U GL Y .

no u nnecess a ry in s ult would be o ffered in t h e a ttempt to

portray it But if it were a devil— a being a ctu a ted by
.

—
simple m a levolence one of its essenti a l function s tem p
tat
,

ion would be destroyed by hid eousness

, For the work
.

of seduction we might expect a devil to we a r the form of

a n a ngel of light but by no me a ns t

, o a ppro a ch his in

tended victim in a ny horrible sh a pe such as wo u ld repel ,

eve ry morta l The gre at represent a tions of evil whether

.
,

im agined by the s pecula tive or the religious sense h a ve ,

never been origin a lly ugly Th e gods might be described

, , .

a s fa lling swi ftly like lightning out of he a ven but in the ,

popul a r im a gin a tion they reta ined for a long time much
of their splendour Th e very ingenuity with which they
were a fterw a rds invested w ith u gliness in religious a rt
.

a tt
,

e s ts th a t there were cert a in popul a r sentiments a bout

them which ha d to be di stinctly revers ed It w a s beca u s e .

they were thought bea uti ful th a t they mu s t be p a inted

ugly ; it w a s beca use they were e ven a mon g convert
— s
—
to the new religion still secretly believed to be kind
a n d help ful th a t there w a s employed such el a bo ra tion of

hideous de s igns t o de form t

,

hem Th e pictori a l repre

sen t at
.

ion s of demons a n d devi ls will come un d er a more

det a iled ex a min a tion herea fter : it is for the present s u fli
cient to point out th a t the tra dition a l bla ckness or ugliness
of demon s a n d devil s as now thought of by n o me a n s

milit a tes a ga i n s t t
, ,

h e fa ct th a t they were once the popul a r

deitie s Th e contra s t for insta nce between the horrible
a t a n in ordin a ry c hristi a n a rt
.
, ,

p hysiognomy given to S ,

a nd the theologic a l represent a tion of him a s the Tempter

is obvious Ha d the design of A rt

,

. been to represent
the theologica l theory Sa ta n would h a ve been portra yed
i n a fa s cin a ting form Bu t
,

the des ign w a s not th a t ; it

w a s to a rouse horror a n d a ntip a thy for t
.

h e n a tive deitie s
to which the ignora nt clung ten a ciou s ly It w a s t . o tra in
 A N CI E N T D E VI CE S .
3:

c h ildren to think of the still secretly worshipped idols as-

fr i g ht ful a nd besti a l beings It is import a nt therefore

t
. , ,

h a t we should gu a rd a g a inst con fu s ing the s pecul a tive or

mo ra l a ttempts of m a nkind t o pe rsoni fy p a in a n d evi l

w it h the ugly a nd brut a l demons a n d devils of a rtifici a l

s u pers tition,
oftenest pictured on church wa lls Some .

Fig
. 1
1
.
—H a nna: or Hmnu C n a u cs .

times they set to support wa ter spouts o ften the

a re -
,

bra ckets th a t hold their foes the sa ints It is a very

, .

a ncient device .Our fi gure 2 is fro mthe ha n dle of a .

ch a lice in po s sess ion of S ir J a mes Hooker me a nt pro ,

ba bly to h old the holy w ater of Ga nges These a re .

311 GA R GO YLE S

not genuine demon s or devils but ca re fully c a rica tured ,

deities W ho th a t look s upon the grinning besti a l forms

.

f l —
ca rved a bout the roo f o a ny o d church a s thos e on
1—
M elrose A bbey a n d Y ork Ca the d ra l which there is ,

rea s on to believe represe nt the primitive deities driven

from the interior by pot en cy of holy wa ter an d ch a ined t
,

o ,

the uncongeni a l s ervice of s upporting the roo f gutter— c a n '

-

s e e in these g a rgoyles (Fr g a rg ou zlle d ra gon ) a nything

’

bu t
.
, ,

ca rved impreca tion s ? W a s it to such ugly beings ,

gu a rdi a ns of their stre a ms hills a nd fore s ts th a t o u r a n

ce s t
, , ,

ors consecra ted the h olly a n d mi s tletoe or with s u ch ,

th a t they a ssoci a ted their flowers fruits a n d homes ? They , ,

were ca rica tures inspired by mi ssion a rie s m a de to repel ,

a n d disgust as the im a ges of s a ints beside them were

c a rved in bea u ty to a ttra ct I f the pa ga ns h a d been t

,

he
a rtist s t
.

h e good looks would h a ve been on the other side

A nd indeed there w a s a n a rt
, .

of which those p a g a ns were

the uncon scious possesso rs through which the true ch a r

a ct
,

e rs of the im a gin a ry beings t hey a dored h a ve bee n

tra nsmitted to us I n the fa bles of their folklore we find

t
.

h e Fa iries th a t represent the spirit of the gods a n d god

desses to which they a re ea sily t ra ce a ble Th a t goddess .

w ho in chri s ti a n times w as pictured as a h a g riding on

a broom stick w a s Frigg a

-
the E a rt
h mother as soci a ted ,
-
,

with the first s a cred a ffections cluste ring a round the

he a rth ; or Freya whose very n a me w a s consec ra ted ,

1
Th e signi tfi
h g g yl
ca nce of th h h b ilt t
e h f
ar o d t i
es on e c u rc es u on e ou n a ons

of p g a tanmpl my b p i lly b
e es a d t Y k h t
e e s ec a h f m f o serv e a or w e re e or s o

tI d G m i myt
,

i
va r ou s an iml ll k a s we n own h l gy pp o Th y
n o- er an c o o a ear . e a re

p b b
ro a ly pi f co li d
es o ig i i
ear e r
g f m th d y h
es th l
ns, surv v n
p f ro e a s w en e an o

G g yf t
re or h or i f t mpl p il d Th t
e c onv ers on o mpl f t
e h id l es re va e e e es o e os

i t h tt tt t t t t t
.

h P p 6 y
’
n a i na on , w ro e gh e b d
o e, d b 0 1, ou no o e es ro e ; u

l t
e th id l t
e h t i t
os h mb d t
a a re yd lt nh ly th md d
e e es ro e e o wa er e a e an

sp i k
r n l d ie th idnt m pl e sal t lt b e t d d li
es,p le d a F if a rs e e rec e an re es ace or

t t ll b ilt it q i itt h t t t d f mt
.

h mpl are i we h y b h e con ve r e ro

t
ose e es u s re u s e a e e

t t t E l Hi t
,

w h
orsip f d i
l
o h ev s i f h o G d — B d
e serv ce o h 3 e rue o . e e, cc . s . c . 0.
 M O THE R R OSE .
33

in f
ra u , wom a n a n d wi fe Th e m a ntle of Berth a did
n ot
.

cover more tenderness when it fell to the shoul d ers

of M a ry Th e Germ a n child s n a me for the pre chri s
’
-
.

tia n M a donn a w as M other R ose : dist a ff in h a nd s h e

w a tched over the industrious at
,

their household work

s h e hove red ne a r the cott a ge pe rh a ps t
, o find there some

we eping C inderell a a nd give her be a uty for a shes.

 ( 34 1

C H A P TE R V .

L
C ASSI FI CA I T ON .

The b tt
i
o s ru c ons cf m an — The t
w l e ve chief classes M od ifi c a
t
ion s of pa t
i l
r c u ar for ms for va riou s t
fu nc ion s Theologica l
de mo ns.

THE st a tements m ad e concerning t h e fa ir n a mes of t he

chie f demons a nd devils which h ave h a unted the im a gin a
tion of m a nkind heighten the contra st between their cele s
,

ti a l origin a n d the function s a ttributed to them in their

degra ded forms Th e theory of D u a lism representing a
.
,

necess a ry sta ge in the ment a l development of eve ry ra ce ,

ca lled for a supply of demon s a nd the supply ca me from ,

the innumera ble deth roned outl awed a nd fa llen deities , ,

a n d a ngel s which h a d followed the s ubjug a tion of ra ce s

a n d their religions But though their celesti a l origin might

.

linger a round them in some s light legend or ch a ra cte ri s tic

a s well a s in their n a mes the evil phenomeno n to whic h
,

e a ch w as a tta ched a s a n expl a n a tio n as s ign ed the re a l

form a n d w ork with which he or she w as a ssoc i a ted in
popul a r s upers tition We there fore find in the demon s in
.

which me n h a ve believed a complete c a t a logue of the oh

st a c les with which they h a ve h a d to contend in the long

struggle for existence In the devils we discover e q u a lly

.

the history of the mo ra l a nd religiou s s truggle s through

which priesthoods a nd churches h ave ha d to pas s A nd .

the rel a tive extent of thi s or th a t p a rticul a r cl a ss of de

36 VA R I OU S FU N C TI ON S .

mense m a ss of fa cts which t h e student of D emonology

h a s to encounter
But there a re severa l points which re q uire especi al a t
.

te ntion a s prelimin a ry t o a considera tion of these va rious

t
cl a ss e s of demons .

Firs t it is to be borne in mind th a a single demonic

form will o ften a ppea r in va rious functions a n d th a t t
,

hese ,

must not be con fused The serpent ma y represent the

.

lightning or the coil of the whirlwind or fa t al venom ;

, ,

the ea rthqu a ke ma y represent a swa llowing Hunger demon -

,

or the ra ge of a ch a ined gi a nt Th e sep a ra te functions .

mu s t not be lost sight of beca use sometimes tra cea ble to a

.

single form nor their pra ctica l ch a ra cter su ffer disguise

,

through their fa ir euphemistic or mythologica l n a mes .

S econdly the sa me for ma ppea rs repe a tedly in a d ia

,

boli o as well as a demonic function a nd here a clea r ,

distinction must be m a int a ined in the rea der s mind The ’

.

di stinction a lre a dy ta ken between a demon a nd a devil is

not a rbitra ry : t h e word demon is rela ted t o deity ; the

word devil though sometimes connected with t

,
h e Sa n s kri t
de w h a s re a lly no rel a tion to it but h as a ba d sense as
n ia t
or z but eve n if th e re were no such e t
, ,

c a lu m m
’
‘
y olo

g ica l identity a n d di fference it would be necess,

a ry to
distinguish s uch widely sep a ra te o ffi ces a s those represent
ing the a fllic t ive forces of n a ture where a tt ri buted to
hum a nly a ppreci a ble motives on the one h a nd a n d evils ,

a scribed to pure m a lign a ncy or a prin ciple of evil on

the othe r Th e D evil ma y indeed represent a furt her

evolution in the line on which t
.
, ,

h e D emo n ha s a ppea red ;

A hrim a n the Ba d in conflict with Ormuzd the Good m ay

be a spi ritu a lisa tion of the conflict between L ight a n d

D a rkne s s S u n a nd C lo u d a s represented in the V edic
I ndra a n d V rit ra ; but the t
, ,

w o ph a ses repres e nt di fferent

cl as s es of id ea s in deed di fferent world s a nd he a pprehen

, , t
 HO U SE HOL D GOD S .
37

sion of both re q uires th a t th ey sh a ll be ca re fully distin

gu is h e d even when a ssoci ated with t h e s a me forms a nd
na mes
Thirdly th e re is a n import a n t cl a ss of demon s which t
.

he
rea der may e xpect t
,

o find fully tr e a ted of in the p a rt of

my work more pa rticu la rly devoted to D emon ology which ,

mus t be de ferred or further tra ced in th a t portion rel ating

t
,

o the D evil ; th e y a re form s which in their origin a l con

ce pt ion were l a rgely be n e fi ce nt a n d h a ve becom e of evil

,

reput e m a inly th rough the an a them a of theology Th e

che q uer boa rd on which Osi ris s a t
.

-
h a d its development in
hosts of primi t ive sh a pes of light opposing sh a pes of d a rk
ness Th e ev il of s ome of these is idea l ; others a re mora lly
.

a mphibious : Tera phim L a re s ge n ii were a n cestors of the

gua rd i a n a ngels a n d p atron s a ints of the pres ent d a y ; t

, , ,

hev
w ere o ftenest in the s h a pes of dog s a n d ca ts a n d a ged
h um a n a ncestors supposed t ,
o keep wa tch a n d w a rd a bout

the house lik e the friendly D omov oi respected in R u ssi a ;

t
,

h e evil d isposition a nd h a rm fulnes s a s cribed to them a re

pa rtly n a t u ra l but p a rtly a l s o theologica l a nd d u e to t he
,

di ffi culty of s u perseding them with p a tron s a ints a nd

a ngels .Th e degra d a tion of be n e fi ce n t beings a lre a dy ,

d escribed in rel a tion to l a rge demonic a n d di a bolic form s ,

must be u nderstood as const a ntly a cting in the s m a llest

d et a ils of household superstition with wh a t stra nge t
,
e

a ction a n d momentous result will a ppe a r w hen we come

to consider the phenomen a of Witchc ra ft

Fin a lly it must h e rem a rked th a t t

.

, h e n ature of our
in q uiry renders the co n sider a tion of the origin of myth s
‘ ’
—
whether sol a r or other o f seco n d a ry import a nc e S uch
origin it will be necess a ry t
.

o point out a n d discus s inci

denta lly but our ma in point will a lwa ys be t h e forms in

which t
,

h e myth s h a ve becom e inca rn a te a n d their modi

fi ca t
,

ions in va rious pl a ces a nd times th es e bei n g the res u lt

,
33 A I M OF D E M ON OL OG Y
.

of thos e a ctu a l experiences wi t h which D emonology is

chiefly concerned A myth a s m a ny a ble write rs h ave
pointed outis in it
.
,

s o rigin a n expl a n a tion by the u n

civili s ed mind of some n tura l phenomenon n ot

, , ,

a — an a lle

gory not a n e s oteric conceit For this rea s on it

, pos sesses
fluidity a n d ta ke s on m a ni fold sh a pes The a ppa rent sleep
of t
.
,

h e sun in winter m a y be repre s ented in a v as t r a nge of

myths from the Seven S leepe rs to t

,
h e M a n in the M oon
o f our nurs ery rhyme ; but the v a ri a tions a ll h ave rel a tion

to fa cts a nd circumsta nces C ompa ra t ive M ythology is

m a inly concerned with the one threa d running t
.

hrough
them a nd binding them a ll to the origin a l m yth t
,
h e tas k
of D emonology is ra th er to discov e r the a gencies which

h a ve given their severa l sh a pes I f it be shown th a t

Orthros a nd C erberus we re prim a rily t
.

h e morning a nd
evening twilight or howling winds either interpret a t ion is
here se cond a ry t
,

o their personifica tion a s dogs D emon a

logy would as k Why d ogs ? why not
.

bulls ? Its a nswer in

ea ch ca se deta ches from t
,

h e a nterior myth its mode a nd ,

sho ws this a s the determining force of furth er myths .

 T HE D E M O N .

C H A P TE R I .

HU N G E R .

H u nger de mo ns — Keph n M iru Ka gu ra Rah u he tHi d n u su n

t t tP tm
o

d evou re r —The e arh mo n s er a e a ll

ls — A Fra n con ia n cu s o

t as o
Sh ei anmo n d e o e — Hi -
v ur r nd u offerings tt
h do e ea d
—
Gh o l Gobli —
u V m p y e s — L e n a r a n n es s of de mo — O ld
ns Sco ch t
c tom Th e o igi of
us — c ifi ce r n sa r s .

I N every p a rt of the e a rt h m a n s first struggle w a s for h is ’

d a ily food With only a rude implement of stone or bone

.

he h a d to get fi sh fro mthe se a bird fro mthe a ir bea st , ,

from the forest For a ges w ith such poor e q uipment he

.
, ,

ha d to wri ng a preca rious livelihood from n a ture He

s a w too every living form a round him s imil a rly t rying t
.

, ,
o

sa ti s fy its hunger There seemed to be a S pirit of Hunger

A nd a t
.

a bro a d . the sa me time there w a s such a re s ist

, ,

a nce to m n s s ti
a a s
’
fa —
ction of his need the bird a nd fi s h
so h a rd to get the stingy e a rth so rea dy to give him a
,

—
stone when he a sked for bre a d th a t he c a me to the con
c lu s io n th a t there m u st be i nvisible vora cious beings who

wa nted a ll good things for themselves So the a ncient .

world w as h a unted by a va st brood of Hunger demons -

.

There is a n A fric a n trib e the K a rens whose represent a , ,

4 2 M I R U THE R U D D K -

tion of the D evil (K e ph n) is a huge stom a ch floa ting

through the a ir ; a nd this repuls ive im a ge ma y be rega rded
as t h e type of ne a rly h a l f t
h e demons whi ch h a ve h a u n ted
the hum a n im agin a tion Thi s too is the te rrible M iru
w it h her d a ughters a n d s la v e h a u n t
.
, , ,

in g the S outh S e a ,
.

I s l a nder Th e e s oteric doctrine of the priests w a s tha t

.
,

s ouls le a ve the body ere bre a th h a s quite go n e a n d t ra vel

to the edge of a cli ff fa ci ng t

,

h e s etting s u n (R5) A l a rge .

wa ve now a ppro a ches the ba se of the cli ff a nd a giga ntic ,

ba a tree covered with fra gra nt blos s om s s p ring s up from

A v a ik i (nether wo rld ) to receive on it
, ,

s fa r re a ching bra nches -

hum a n s pirits who a re my s teriously impelled to cluster on

it When a t
,

s limbs length the mystic tree is covered

w ith hum a n spirit s it goes down with it
.

s living freight to

the ne t
,

her wo rld Aka a nga the sl a ve of fea rful M i ru

mistres s of the invisible world, in fa llibly ca tches a ll t
.
, ,

he s e
unha ppy s piri t s in his net a n d l a ve s the mto a n d fro in

a l a ke In th es e wa ters t h e c a ptive ghos ts exh a u s t them

selves by wriggling a bout like fi s hes in t
.

h e va in hope of ,

esca pe The net is pulled up a nd the h a lf drowned spirits

.
,
-

enter into the pres ence of d re a d M iru who is ugliness per ,

Th e secret of M iru s power over her intended

’
s on ifi ed .

victims is the k a va root (s aer ‘

A bowl
of this drink is prep a red for e a ch vi s itor to t h e sh a de s by
her four lovely d a ughters St u pe fi e d w ith the dra u ght
.
,

the unresisting victims a re borne off to a mighty oven a nd

cooked M iru her peerless d a ughters her d a nce loving
. , ,
-

son a nd the a ttend a n ts subs i s t e xclu s ively on hum a n

, ,

spirits decoyed to the nether world a nd th en cooked Th e .

drinking cups of M iru a re the s kulls of her victims Sh e

-
.

is ca lled in ong
s M —
iru the ruddy beca use her cheeks ever
-
,
’

glow with the he a t of the oven w here her ca ptives are

cooked A s the sures t w a y to M ir u s oven is to die a ’

n a tura l dea th one need not

.

,
m a rvel th a t the R ev M r Gill . .
,
44 THE E CLI P SE D E JI OI V -
.

skin s a nd send him forth to tra n s m u te the milk or flesh

of c a tt
,

le into a s u pply of flesh a nd blood A form of .

this kind is represented in the J a pa nese K a gura (figure

the fa vourite m ask of J a nu a ry d a ncers a nd drum h e a ters -

seeking money The Kagura is in precise contra st wit h

the Pre t
.

a s (S i a m ) which though twelve miles in height

t
, , ,

a re oo thin to be seen their mouths being so sm a ll a s to

render it impossible t
,

o s a ti s fy their fe a rful hu n ger .

Th e pot bellies given to de m

-
ons in Tra va ncore a nd
other districts of Indi a a nd the blood sacrifi ces by ,
-

w hich the n a tives propiti a te them

— concerning which a miss iona ry
na ively rem a rk s th a t even these ,

hea then recognise though in cor

ru pt
,

e d form the grea t t ruth th a t ‘

,

w ithout shedding of blood there

is no remi s sion of s ins L —re fer to
’

the Hu n ge r demon They are t he -

.

brood of K a li girt round with ,

hum a n skulls .

Fig 3 —11 Sw w
a s ao
Th e expedition which went out
. s a.

t
to Indi a to observe h e l a st sol a r eclip s e w a s inci
denta lly the me a ns of ca lli n g a ttention to a rem a rk
a ble su rviv a l of the Hunger demon in connection with -

a stronomic phenomen a While t h e E ngli s h obse rvers

.

were a rra n ging their a pp a ra tus the n atives prepa red a

pile of bru s hwood a nd so soon as t
,

h e eclipse beg a n
they set fire t
, , ,

o this pile a n d bega n to s hout a n d yell

a s they d a nced a ro u nd it N ot less significa nt were the

.

pop u l a r observa nces gene ra lly There w a s a semi holi .

-

d a y in honour of the eclips e Th e gh a uts were crowded

with pious worshippers N o Hindu it is t
.

hought ought
to d o a ny work wh a tever during a n eclipse a nd t
.
, ,

here ,

1Th L d of C h it
e an y by R S m l M t p 2 14
ar ,
’
ev. a ue a eer, . .
 GI AI VT E A TE R S

w as a genera l tende n cy to prolong the holid a y a little

beyond the ex a ct t ime when the sh a dow di s a ppe a rs a n d ,

ind eed to prolong it throughout the d a y A ll e a rthenwa re .

ve ssels used for cooking were broken a nd a ll cooked food

in t he ho u se s a t the time of the eclipse w a s thrown out
,

It is reg a rded as a time of peculi a r blessings if ta ken in

th e right w a y a n d of dre a d consequences to pers ons in
,

c lin ed to heterodoxy or n eglect of the proper ob s erva nces .

B etween nine a n d ten in the evening two shock s of a n e a rt h

q u a ke occurred t h e l a tter a ra ther unple a s a nt one s h a ki n g
, ,

the ta bles a nd doors in a n uncom fort a ble fa shion for seve ra l

—
seconds To the n a tives it w as no surpri s e they believe
.

firmly in the connection of eclips es a n d e a rthqu a kes 1

E s pe ci a lly not a bl e is t
.

h e bre a king of their culin a ry

utensi ls by the Hindu s duri ng an eclips e In Copen .

h a gen there is a collection of the votive we a pons of

a ncient N ors e men eve ry on e broken as it wa s o ffered
up to the god of their victo ry in token of good fa ith lest
,

they should be s uspected of a ny intention to use a g a i n

w ha t they h a d given a wa y For t he s a m
. e re as on the cup
w as ofle re d
'
— —
broken with the liba tion Th e N orthm a n
felt himsel f in t h e presence of the JOt
.

u n n (gi a nts) whose ,

n a me Grim m identifie s as the E a ters For the Hindu

of t o d a y the ceremo n ies a pprop ri a te a t
.

a n eclipse h ow ,

ever importa nt h ave prob a bly as little ra tion a l me a ning

as t h e occa sion a l Belfi re th a t ligh t
,

s up cert a in d a rk corners
of E urop e h a s for those who build it But t
h e tra dition a l
.

observa nces h a ve come up from the childhood of the world ,

when the ec lipse repres ented a demon devouri ng the sun ,

w h o w a s to h a ve h is a ttention c a lled by outcries a nd

pra yers to the fa ct tha t if it w as fire he needed there w as
plen ty on ea rth ; a n d if food he mi ght h ave a ll i n their
,

hou s es provided he would con s ent to sa tis fy h is a ppetite

,

1
Lo don Tim C lcut
n tco po d
es
'
a a rres n en ce.
46 THE D E VO U RI N G FL OOD .

with a rticles of food less import a nt th a n t he lumin a rie s of

h e a ven
S uch is the sh a pe now ta ken in Indi a of t
.

h e a ncient
myth of t h e eclipse W hen a t t he churning of the oc ea n
to find t he necta r of immort a li t
.

y a demon with dra gon

t a il w as t a sting th a t n ect a r t
,

h e sun a n d moon told on ,

him but not until h is he a d h a d become immorta l ; a nd it

,

is this he a d of R ahu which seeks now to devour the ia

formers t — h e Su n a n d M oon 1
M ythologic a lly too this .
, ,

R éh u h as been divided ; for w e sh a ll here a fter tra ce the

dra gon ta il of h imto the ga rden of E den a nd in the ch ri s
-

ti an devil where a s in I n di a he has been improved from a

,

vindictive to a merely vo ra cious demon .

Th e fires kindled by the Hindu s to frighten R ahu on

h is l a te s t a ppea ra nce might h a ve de fe a ted the purpose of
the expedition by the smoke it w as sending up h a d not ,

two o fficers le a ped upon the fire and s ca ttered its fuel ; but
j ust a bout the tim e when these coura geous gentlemen were
tra mpling ou t the fires of superstition whose smoke would
obs cure the vision of science a n event occu rred in E ngl a n d
which must be tra ced to the s a me a ncient belie f t
,

he
belie f n a mely t
, h a t when a nything is a pp a re n tly s wa llowed
,

u p a s the s u n a n d moon by a n eclipse

,
or a vill age by ,

e a rthqu a ke or flood it is the work of a hungry dragon , ,

e a rthworm or other monster Th e P els a ll mine w as

, .

flooded a nd a l a rge n umber of miners drow ned When

, .

the a ccident beca me known in the vill age the women went ,

1 The t Sid iP te rs i
h ph an Th
poe h l ll d J h uses e rase,
‘
e w a e s wa owe on a
’
as

t t
,

a f mili
a p i f ar hi h i
ex ress on i i i idor i h
sun se ; w c s n cu r ous co n c ence w a

M im (N S t
aci ) m yth th t
ov a t
h h ly h co Gl anp i d t t h a e o ero oosca w as ca rr e o e

h p py S
a tL di h l
unse Th t y fJ h h i d d h d i t t
an n a w a e. e s or o ona as n ee a n e res

i g
n i t f t
h mb i g t
var a n s, one o h tl g d f O t
h fi h g d
e m gi g
e n a e en o an nes , e s -
o e er n

f mt tt h B byl i t t( g f D g ) b t t
,

ro h R d S e e h ea o eac h a on an s e ar s a sa a o a on : u e

p h tB J
rase in he ook of ona h t
h b lly f H ll — h d
e e p o e a a rosa ic s i
g n i canc e fi
t tm
for he chris ian ind , and , i t
n conneci w it
h p l t
i
on s ecu a ons c on cern n igB e he

mot
h a nd Le v ia t
han, ga ve us t
h md i
e lM te h f H ll
aeva ou o e .
 D E VO U RE R S P R O P I TI A TE D .

ou tith the f milies

w a the un fortun a te men a nd sa t
of be s id e
the mout h of t he flooded pit a t the bottom of which t
,

, he
dea d bodies yet rem a ined These women the n yelled .

down the pit with voices very di fferent from ordin a ry

l a menta tion They a lso re fused un a nimously to t a ste
.

food of a ny kind s a ying when p re s sed to do s o th a t so

, , ,

long a s they could re fra in fro m e a ting their hu s b a nd s ,

might s till be sp a red to the m When fin a lly one p oor .

, ,
V

w om a n driven by the p a ngs of hunger w as observed to

eat
, ,

a c ru s t of bre a d th e cries cea sed a n d the wome n

, , ,

renou n cing a ll hope proceeded in silent procession to thei r

,

homes in P elsa ll
Th e Hind u people ca sti ng their food out of t
.

h e window
durin g a n eclipse the P els a ll wives re fusing to ea t
, when
the mine is flooded a re a cting by force of immemori a l
,

tra dition a nd s o are doi n g unconsciou s ly wha t the A fric a n

,

wom a n does co n sciously when she s urround s the bed of

her sick husba nd w ith rice a nd me a t a nd be s eeches the ,

demon to devour them instea d of the ma n To the s a me .

cl as s of notions belong the old cu stom of t rying to d is

cover t h e body of one dro w ned by me a ns of a lo a f of
bre a d with a ca ndle stuck in it which it w as s a id would ,

p a use a bove the body a nd the body might be m ade to

a ppe a r by fi ring a gu n over it
,

— th a t is the demon hold ,

ing it would be frightened off A va ri a nt too is the .

, ,

P ersi a n custom of protecting a wom a n in p a rturition by

spre a ding a t a ble with a l a mp a t,
e a ch corner with s even ,

kinds of fruits a n d seven di fferent a rom a tic seeds upon it .

In 1769 when P enn a nt m a de his Scotti s h Tour he

,
‘
,
’

found fully observed in the Highl a nds the ceremony of

m a king the Belt a ne Ca ke on the fi rst of M a y a nd dedi
ca ti n g its di s trib u ted fra gme n ts t
,

o birds a n d be a s ts of

prey with invocation to t

, he dre a d being of whom they
were the supposed a gents to spa re the herds D emons .
4 8 S A TA N A S M O OM D E VO U R E R .

e s peci a lly love milk : t h e L a mbton Worm required n in e

cows milk d a ily ; a nd Jerome mentio n s a di a bolic a l ba by
’

which exh a u s ted s ix nu rses .

Th e D evil nomin a lly inherits a mong the pe a s a ntry of ,

Christendom the a ttribute s of the demons which preceded

him ; but it must be understood t
,

h a t in eve ry c a s e where
me re vo ra city is ascribed to the D evi l a primitive demon
is me a nt a n d of t
,

, his fa ct the supers titious pe a s a nt is

dimly conscious In Fra nconi a when a ba ker is a bout to
.
,

put dough biscuits into a n oven to be ba ked he w ill first ,

throw h a l f a dozen of them into the fire saying There

- -
, ,
‘
,

poor devil ! those a re for you I f pres sed for a n expl a n a.

’

tion he will a dmit his fea r t ha t but for this o ffering h is

,

biscuits a re in d a nger of comi n g out burnt ; but th a t the

poor devil is not ba d he a rted only driven by his hunger
’
-
,

to ma ke mi s chie f The being he fea rs is there fore clea rly

not the D evil a t
.
, ,

a ll— whose distinction is a love of wicked

n es s for it s own sa k e — but the h a l f s ta rved gobbling ghosts -

of whom in c h risti a n countries D evil h as become t he ‘ ’

, ,

gene ric n a me O f their s a crifices Gra ce be fore mea t is a

.
,

remn a nt I n M osle mcount ries however Sheita n com

.
, ,
’

bines the demo n ic a nd the m a lign a nt vora cities D uring

the l a te lun a r eclipse t
.

h e inh a bit a n ts of Pera a n d C on

st a nt
,

in ople fired guns over their houses to drive Sheit a n

’

(S a t a n ) a w a y from the moon fo r whoever the fo,e the , ,

Turk tru s ts in gunpowder But supers titions repres ent

.

ing S ata n as a d evourer a re becoming ra re I n the

church of N 6t re D a m e a t
.

Ha l Belgium the lectern , ,

shows a dragon a ttempting to swa llow the Bible which ,

is support ed on the ba ck of a n e agl e .

There is a nother a nd much more formid a ble for min

which the Hu nger demon a ppea rs in D emonology Th e
-
.

fondness for blood so ch a ra cte ri s tic of supreme gods w a s

, ,

distributed as a s peci a l thirst through a l a rge cl as s of

 FO OD FOR THE D E AD .
49

demons In the legend of Isht a r desce n ding to Ha de s 1

to seek some beloved one she thre a tens if the door be n ot

.

opened

I will ra ise t
h d e e ad tb d
o e ev ou rers of t
h li i g !
e v n

U po t he li i g s h n ea d p y v n a ll t
h d e re

This men a ce s hows th a t the Ch a ld ze a n a n d B abyloni a n

belie f in the va mpyre ca lled A kh kh a ru in A ss yri a n wa s
fully developed a t
, ,

a very e a rly d a te A lthough the .

Hu nger demon w a s very fully developed in Indi a it

-

does not a ppe a r to h a ve been a t

,

a n y time s o ca n nib a li s tic ,

poss ibly beca u s e the n a tives w ere not gre a t flesh e a ters -
.

In some ca se s indeed we meet w ith the va mpyre s uper

st it
, ,

ion ; a s in the sto ry of V ikra m a n d the V a mpyre a n d

in t
,

h e Ta mil dra m a of Ha ric h an d ra where the fren zied

at
,

S a n d ra m i s a y s to the king I belong to the ra ce of ,

elves a nd I h a ve killed thy child in order th a t I might

feed on it
,

s delic a te fle s h S uch expressions a re ra re

’
.

enough to wa rra nt su s picion of their bei n g import a tion s

Th e V e t
.

a la s a ppetite is chiefly for corp s e s Th e poor

’
.

n f —
hu gry demons o Indi a s uch a s the Bh ut a dism a l
ra venous gho s t dre a ded a t
, ,

the moon w a ne of the month -

K a tik (O ct
,

—N ov )— w a s not supposed to devour m. a n but ,

only ma n s food The Hindu demons of thi s cl a ss ma y

’
.

be expl a ined by re fere n ce to the sraddh a or obl a tion to ,

a n cestors conce rning w hich we re a d di rectio ns in the

,

M a nu C ode Th e a nce s tors of men a re sa tisfied a

‘

w hole month with t & c ; two months wi t

.

zla rice h fi sh
'

, , .
,

&C . Th e M a nes s ay Oh m a y th a t m a n be born in ou r

, ,

line who ma y give u s milky food wit h h oney a n d pu re

butter both on the thi rteenth of the moon a nd when t
,

, he
s h a dow of a n eleph a nt fa lls to the e a st ! Th e blood
’

thirs ty demon s of Indi a h a ve pretty gene ra lly been

c a ug ht up like K a li into a higher symboli s m a n d thei r ,

1
T bl t
a K 162 i t
e h B it ih M m S Reco d of t
n e h P t
r i 14
s u seu . ee r s e as ,
'
. 1.

VO L I . .
D
50 GOBLI N S .

v ora ci ty system a tised a n d sa tisfied in s a crifici a l co mmuta

tions The popul a r be lie f in the southern p a rt of th a t
.

country is indica ted by Pro fess o r M onier Willi a ms in a ,

lette r written from Southern Indi a w herein he rem a rk s ,

th a t the devil s a lone require p ropiti a tion It is genera lly .

a simple procedure per fo rmed by o fferings of food or othe r

a rticles suppo s ed to be a ccept a ble t

,

o di s embodied bei n gs .

For ex a mple when a cert a in E urope a n once a terror to

t
, ,

h e dist rict in which he lived died in the S outh of I n di a

, .

the n a tives were in the con s ta nt h a bit of depo s iti n g

b ra ndy a n d ciga rs on h is tomb to propiti a te h is spirit ,

s uppo s ed to ro a m a bout the neighbourhood in a re s tle s s

m a nner a nd with evil proclivities Th e very s a me w a s

done to secure the good o ffices of t
.
,

he phil a nthropic s pirit

of a gre a t E u rope a n s po rtsm a n who w hen he w a s a live , , ,

delivered h is di s trict from the ra va ges of tigers I ndeed .

a ll evil s pi rit s a re thought to be oppo s ed by good one s ,

who if duly propiti a ted m a ke it their busines s to gu a rd

, ,

the inha bit a nts of p a rticu la r pl a ces from demonic in

tru d e rs E a ch district a n d even every vill a ge h a s its
.
, ,

gu a rdi a n geniu s o ften ca lled its M other

,
1
.

S uch idea s a s the s e a re repre s ented in E urope in some

v a rietie s of the Kobold a nd the Goblin (Gk xéfi a ko s) . .

Though the go bl in mu s t a ccordi n g to folk philos ophy be -

fe d wi t
, ,

h nice food it is not a de a dly being ; on the con

t
,

ra ry it is s a id the Gobelin t a pe s try de rives its n a me

beca use the secret of it
,

s colours w as g a ined fro m the s e

g ho sts Though S tTa urin expelled one from E vreux

. .
,

he found it s o polite th a t he would not s end it to hell

a n d it s till h a u nt s the cred u lo u s there a n d a t
,

C a en with
ou t
,

being tho u ght very fo rmid a ble .

Th e demon th a t lurks in gra veya rds is unive rs a l

‘ ’

In the E a s t
,

a nd m a y h a ve s u gge s ted crem a tion it is .

Lo d Tim J ly 1 1 18 77
1
n on
‘
es,
’
u ,
.
 0
S U R VI VA L S I N A M E R I CA .

received a cock s hea rt a n d w a s a lwa ys crowing The

’
.

Werewol f in s ome re s pect s clo s ely rel a ted to the v a m

,

p yre a l s o purs ue s h is ra va ge s a m on g the p riest ridden

,
-

pea s a ntry of the South a nd E a s t .

I n Germ a ny though the more hor rible form s o f the

,

“s upers tition a re ra re the N a ch z e h re r is much drea ded ‘ ’

t
, .

E ven in va riou s P rote s t a nt region s it is tho u ght s a fe s t h a t

a cross should be s e t be s ide every g ra ve to impede a ny
demonic propen s ities th a t ma y t a ke posses s ion of the
pe rs on interred ; a n d whe re food is not s till buried with the
corp s e to a s s u age a ny pa ngs of hunger th a t ma y a ri s e a ,

fe w gra ins of corn or rice a re s c a ttered upon it in re m in i

s c e n c e of the old cu s tom In D ie s dorf it is believed th a t
oney is not pl a ced in the dea d pers on s mouth a t
.

if m
’

bu ri a l or h is n a me not cut from h is s hi rt he is likely to

, ,

become a N a ch z eh re r a n d t h a t the ghos t will come forth

,

in the form of a pig It is considered a s u re p reventa tive

.

of s uch a result to bre a k the neck of the de a d body On .

one occa s ion it is there rela ted severa l pe rs on s of on e

, ,

fa mily h a ving died the su s pected corp s e w a s exhumed

a n d found to h a ve e a ten up it
, ,

s ow n gra ve clothe s -
.

D r D ye r a n eminent phys ici a n of C hic a go Illinois

.
, , ,

told me (1875) th a t a ca s e occurred in th a t city within h is

pe rs on a l kno w ledge where the body of a wom a n who h a d
died of co n s umption w as t a ken ou t
,

of the gra ve a n d the

l ungs burned u nder a belie f th a t s he w a s dra wing a fter

her into t
,

h e gr a ve s ome of h e r s u rviving rel a tive s In .

1 8 74 a cco rding to the P r ov id en ce yozim

,
a l in the vil la ge of ,

P e a ced a le R hode Isl a n d U S M r Willi a m R o s e dug up

, , . .
,
.

the body of h is own d a ughter a n d bu rned her he a rt under , ,

the belie f th a t s he w a s w a sting a wa y the lives of other

members of h is fa mily .

Th e ch a ra cteri s tic s of mode r n S piritu a li s m a ppe a r to ‘ ’

indica te th a t the s u pers titiou s h a ve outgrown thi s a ncie nt

 F U N E R A L C U S TOM S .
53

fe ar ghostly m a levolence where surrounded by civili s a

of

tion It is ve ry ra re in the a ncient wo rld or in ba r ba rou s

.

regions to find a ny i n voc a tions for the return of the s pi rit s

of the de a d M r Tylor h a s quoted a be a uti ful dirge used
. .

by the Ho tribe of I ndi a beginning ,

We n ev er s cold ed you n e v e r w ron ged you

mt
,

Co eo b us a ck

Bu t gener lly funere l custom

a ve ry significa nt of t
a he s a re

fe r t
a h t pirit my retu n
a s s a dr an their dirges more in t he
vein of the Bodo of N orth E a s t Indi a : Ta ke a nd e a t
,

-
‘

hereto fore you h a ve ea ten a n d drunk with u s you c a n do ,

so no mo re : you were on e of u s you c a n be so no lo n ger ,

we come no more to you come you not to u s E ven

, .
’

,
’

s a y s M r Tylor in the lo w es t cu ltu re we find flesh hold

‘

ing its ow n a ga inst spirit a n d a t

.
,

highe r sta ge s the hou s e

,

holder rid s him s el f with little scruple of a n unwelcome

inm a te Th e G reenl a n ders would c a rry the de a d out by
.

the win d ow not by the door while a n old woma n wa vin g

, , ,

a firebra nd behind cried P ikle rru k pok ! i e There is ‘ ’ ‘

, . .
,

nothing more to be h a d here l the Hottentots removed ’

the dea d from the bu t by a n opening broken out on pur

pose to prevent h im from finding the w a y b a ck ; the
,

S i a mese with the s a me intention bre a k a n ope n ing through

, ,

the hou s e wa ll to ca rry the co ffi n through a n d the n hurry

it a t
,

full s peed th rice round the house ; the S iberi a n C h u

wa shes fling a red hot stone a fter the corps e is ca rried out
-
,

for a n ob s t a cle to ba r the soul from coming b a ck ; so

Bra ndenburg pea s a nts pour out a p a il of wa ter a t the doo r
a fter the co ffi n to prevent the gho s t from w a lking ; a n d

P omera ni a n mourners returning from the churchya rd le a ve

behind the stra w from the he a rs e th a t the wa ndering soul ,

may rest there a nd not come b a ck s o fa r a s home

,
1
.
’

1
P imit
r i C ve ul ure t .
’
54 LE A N D E M ON S .

It ma y be rem a rked in this connection th a t in ne a rly

, ,

a ll the pictu re s o f demon s a n d devils they a re re p re s ented ,

as ve ry le a n Th e e xc e ption s will be found gen e ra lly in

ce rta in S outhe rn a n d tropica l demons w hich rep re s en t
.

cloud or s to rm Typhon for in s ta nce — a n d p re s ent a

—

N o N o rthe rn devil is fa t
,

s w ollen or blo a ted a ppe a ra nce . .

S h a ke s pe a re a s c ribe s to Ce sa r a s u s picion o f le a nne s s

Yo d C i h t d h g y look
’
n h l
as s us a a ea n a n un r

eH t hi k t oo m ch
n s h m d
u g o su c e n a re an er us.

Wh en A nto n y de fend s Cas s iu s Ce s a r only replies Would ‘

t
, ,

he we re fa tte r " Thi s mi s t ru s t of le a nne s s is a reflec ion

Fig 4 LEAN P
—S r (S l t Rm )
’
.
'
. An r n o rs e a s a cu r oa a v a or osa .

from a ll the Hunge r demo n s it i n te rpret s the old s a ying s

-

th a t a devil ho w eve r fa i r in fro n t ma y be d etected by

, ,

hollown e s s of the b a ck a n d th a t he is u s u a lly s o thi n a s

,

to c a s t no s h a do w 1
.

1
Ce sa riu s D
’
He is tb
er a ch , M ira cu l iii . .
 SA CE I I I CE S .
55

I llustra tions of the Hunger demon a n d its surviva ls -

might be g rea tly multiplied we re it nece ss a ry It need , .

only however be mentioned th a t it is to this e a rly a n d

, ,

mos t univers a l conception of p re tern a tu ra l d a nger th a t

the idea of s a crifice as well a s of fa sting must be a scribed .

It is indeed too obvious to requi re extended demon s tra

t
, ,

ion th a t the n otion of o ffering fruit s a nd me a t to a n

invi s ible bei n g could only h a ve origin a ted in the belie f th a t
such being w a s hungry however much the s pi ritu a lisation
,

o f s uc h o ffering s m a y h a ve a ttended thei r continu a nce

a mong enlightened people s In the evolution of pu rer

.

deities Fire the devouring element — w a s substituted

,
’

for a co a rs er method of a ccepting sa c rifices a n d it beca me ,

a sign of b a s er beings — such a s the A ssy ri a n A kh kh a ru ,

a d the l a te
n r —
L a mi a to con s ume de a d bodies wit h thei r
teeth ; a n d thi s fi re w a s the s pi ritu a l element in the idol a
tries who s e object s were visible But the o rigin a l a ccent of .

s a crifice never le ft it Th e L evitica l L a w sa ys : Th e two ‘

kidneys a n d the fa t th a t is upon them which is by t

.

he
fl a nk s a n d t
, ,

,
h e ca ul a bove the liver wit h the kidney s it , ,

s h a ll he ta ke a w a y A n d the pries t sh a ll burn them upon

.

the a lta r : it is the food of the o ffe ring m a de by fi re for a

s weet s a vour : a ll the fa t is the L ord s It sh a ll be a per ’

t
.

p e u a l st a tute fo r your gener a tion s throughout a ll your

dwellings th a t ye e a t neither fa t nor blood 1
We find ’

t
.
,

h e Hun ge r demon s hown a s well in the wra th of Jehova h

-

a g a inst the sons of Eli for e a ting the choice p a rts of the

me a ts o ffe red on h is a lt a r a s in th a t o ffe ring of tender

,

infa nts to M oloch which h is p rie s ts denounced or in ,

S a turn devou ring h is children whom A ry a n fa ith de

t
,

h roned ; a n d they all re a ppe a r a s ph a ntoms thinly veiled

a bove the spotless La mb o ffered up on C a lva ry the s a c ri ,

fi ce d M a c a ria the pierced hea rt of M a ry .

1
Lev iii
. . 15 .
56 FA S TI N
’

G .

Th e be a uti ful boy M en oeceu s mu s t be sa c rificed to s ave

Thebe s ; the god s w ill not h a ve a ged a n d toug h C reon
t
,

hough a king in h is pl a ce I ph ige ma t h ough he rs el f

,
.
,

s a ved from the refined p a l a te of A rtemis through the ,

huntress s fondnes s for kid s blood becomes the pries tes s

’ ’

of hum a n sa crific es Th e hum a n o fferi ng deemed h a l f

divine could a lone a t
.

la st sa tisfy the D eity ga thered in ,

h is s ide thi s s he a f of s a crifi ci a l knives whetted in m a ny ,

l a nds a n d a ges a n d in h is sel f s a c rifi ce the Hunger demon

,
- -

himsel f w a s m a de the victim Theologi a ns h a ve been

gl a d to res cue the Fi rs t P ers on of t
.

heir Trinity from a sso

c ia tion with the bloodthirsty demons of b a rb a rou s a ge s
by describing the s a crifice of Jesus as God himsel f becom
ing the victi m of a n eter na l la w But wh a tever may be
plex de vice it is s u ffi cient evidence t
.
,

s a id o f t h is co m ,
ha t
m a n s p rimitive demon which personified h is hunger h a s
’

ended with being cons u med on h is own a lt a r For though .

fas ting is a s u rviv a l of the s a me s a va ge notion th a t m an

ma y s ecure benefits from invisible beings by lea vi n g them

the food it is a pra ctice w hich s urvives ra t her th ro u gh
t h e desire of imit a t
,

ing a s cetic s a ints th a n beca use of a n y

unde rstood p rinciple Th e stra nge yet n a tura l c on s u m
.

m a tion a dds depth of me a ning to the legend of Odin

being him s el f s a c rificed in his di s guise on the Holy Tree
at Upsa l a where hum a n victims were hung as o fferings to
,

him ; a nd to his ru ne in the Ha va ma l

I k now h a tt
I h u ng

On a w in d - rocke d t
re e

N i e w h ole
n n igh s, t
W ith a sp a e r w ou n d e d ,

An dtO d io n ofle red

'

M y lf t
se my o s elf .
 C H A P TE R I I .

HE A T .

Demo ns of —
Fi re Agn i As m
— od eu s — P romet
h eu s — Feas t
of fire
M oloch Toph e
— — Ge n ii t of t
h e lamp
— Be l fi res — Ha llow e en
-
’

N egro s u per s t
iti — C hi
on s n es e r -—
fi e god Volca n ic an d in ce nd iary
de mo —Mns an ga ia n fi re d e
-
mo n — D emons ’
fear t
of w a er .

FI R E w a s old the element of fiends N o doubt thi s

of .

w a s in p a rt due to the fa ct th a t it a lso w a s a devouring

element S a crifices were burnt ; the demon visibly con
Bu t
.

sumed them the grea t fla me demons repres ent

.
-

chiefly the destructive a nd p a in ful a ction of inten s e hea t .

They origin a te in re gron s of burning dese rt of s unstroke , ,

a n d drouth .

A gni the Hindu god of fire w as a dored in V edic

, ,

hymns as the twin of Indra .

‘
Thy a ppe a ra nce is fa ir to behold thou bright fa ced -

A gni when like gold thou s h in e s t at

,

h a nd ; thy brightne ss
comes like the lightning of h ea ven ; thou show e st
,

splen
do ur like the splendour of t
'

h e bright s u n
A dora ble a n d excellent A gni emit t
.

h e moving a n d ,

grace ful smoke .

‘
The fl a mes of A gni a re luminous powerful fea rful
a n d n ot
, , ,

to be trusted
I extol the grea tness of t
.

h a t s howerer of ra in whom
men celebra te as the sla yer of V rit
,

ra : the A gni V a is wa ,

n a ra slew the ste a ler of the wa ters

, .
’
5s D I AB LE B OI TE U X .

The sl aying of V rit ra the m onste r bei n g the chie f

exploit of Indra A gni could o n ly sh a re in it a s being t
, ,

, he
fl a me th a t d a rted with Ind ra s wea pon the disc (of the ’
,

sun )
tl id
.

‘
Thou (A gni ) hold off with di ffi culty like the
ar a

young of tortuously twining sn a kes thou who a rt

,

a c on ,

s umer of m a ny forests as a be a st is of fodder

’
.

Petri fa ction a wa its a ll these glowing meta phors of ea rly

t ime V erba l inspira tion will m a ke A gni a litera lly tortu
.

ous serpent a n d con s u ming fire His smoke ca lled K a li

t
.
,

( bl a ck ) is now
, the n a me o f S iv a s errible bride ’
.

M uch is sa id in V edic hymns of the method of pro

d u cing the s a cred fl a me symbolising A gni ; n a mely the
He it is who mthe t
,

rubbing togethe r of two s ticks wo .

sticks ha ve engendered like a new born b a be It is a

,
-
.
’

curious coincidence th a t a simila r phra se should de s crib e

the devil on two sticks who h a s come by w a y of Persi a
,
’

into E uropea n rom a nce A smodeus w a s a l a me demon

.
,

a n d h is two sticks as D i a ble Boiteux a re crutches ;

‘ ’ ‘

but h is l a meness ma y be refera ble to the a ttenu ated ex

tre m it
ie s suggested by spires of fla m e tortuously twining
s n a kes — ra ther th a n to the ra bbinic a l myth th a t he broke
’

his leg on h is w ay to meet Solomon Ben fe y identified .

A smodeus as Zend A es h m a d a eva demon of lust -

His , .

goa t feet a n d fi re coa l eyes a re described by L e S a ge a n d

- -
,

the demon s ays he w as l a med by fa lling from the a ir lik e ,

V ulca n when contending with P illa rd oc It is not di fficult

, .

to i m a gine how fla me engendered by the rubbing of sticks

might ha ve a tta ined personifica tion a s sensu al p a ssion ,

e s peci a lly a mong Zoro as tri a ns who w ould deta ch from ,

the a dora ble Fi re all a ssoci a tions of evil It would h a r .

monis e well with the P ers i a n tendency to di a bolise Indi a n

gods th a t they sho u ld note the lustful ch a ra cter occa
Hima lone t
,

s iona lly a scribed to A gni in the V ed a s he .

,
60 P A R SE E R E S TOR A TI ON I SM

might a l mo s t le a d one to im a gine th a t the e a rly u s e of

fi re by some p rimitive invento r h a d brought upon him t he
wra th of his m a tes a nd t h a t Zeus thunderbolts re pre
,
’

s e nted some e a rly strike a ga in s t m a chinery

It is not quite cert a in t
.

h a t it ma y not h a ve be en through
s ome euphemistic p roces s th a t Fire worship a rose in P ers i a -

N ot
.

only does fi re occupy a p rominent pl a ce in the tor

t u res inflicted by A h rim an in the p rimitive Pa rs ee In ferno ,

but it w a s one of the we a pons by which he a ttempted

to de s troy the hea venly child Zoro a ster The evil m a gi
c ia n s kindled a fire in t
.

h e de s ert a n d threw the child on

it ; but his mother D ogd o found him sleeping tra nquilly
, ,

on the fl a mes which were as a plea s a nt b a th a n d h is

fa ce s hining like Z oh ore a nd M os ch t
, ,

eri (Jupiter a nd

M ercury) 1
Th e Zoroa s tri an s a lso held th a t the e a rth
would ultim a tely be des troyed by fire ; it
.

s met a ls a n d

minera l s ignited by a comet would form s trea ms which a ll

, ,

souls would h a ve to pa ss th rough : they would be ple as a nt

to the righteous but terrible to the sin ful who however
,
— , , ,

would come through purified into p a ra dise the l a st to , , ,

a rrive being A hrim a n hi msel f .

Th e combustible n a ture of m a ny mine ra ls u n de r the

s ur fa ce of the e a rt —
h which w as a ll the rea lm of Ha de s
,

( invi s ible ) would

,
-
a ssist the notion of a fie r y a bode fo r

the in fe rn a l gods Our phra s e plutonic rock would then

.
’

h a ve a very p ro s a ic sen s e P liny s a ys th a t in his time

sulphur w a s u sed to keep ofl evil s pirits a nd it is n ot
.

'

impos s ible th a t it first ca me to be used a s a medicine by

t his route 2
.

Fire festiva l s still exi s t in Indi a where the a nci en t

-
,

1
D P
u Vi d Z
erron ,
‘
t e e oroas re
’

ti y i t ; bt
.

1
Th p i ipl
e r nc im ili im
e ilib S o a S us ura n u r s a v er a nc en on e u

th gh it
ou my h a igi t d i
ave ph m
ori t
i o p p it
na e i t y imt
n a h eu e s c r ro a or a e

h m p t hi t my l imt h t it ld h d ly h t
,

o e o a s a c a li d la h d b
cou ar a ve ve un ess i a een

fo d t
un oh mp t
ave so ical d v t
e g rac a an a es .
 FE A S T OF FI R E . 61

ra iment of A gni h a s been divided u p a n d distributed

a mong m a ny deities At
. the popul a r a nnu a l fe s tiva l in
honour of D h a rm a R aj a h c a lled the Fe a st of Fire the
, ,

d evotees w a lk b a re foot over a glowi n g fire extendin g forty

feet . It l a st s eighteen d a ys during which time t ,
hose th a t
m a ke a v ow to keep it must fa s t a bsta in from women , ,

lie on the ba re ground a n d w a lk on a bri s k fire Th e

eighteenth d a y they a ss emble on the sound of inst
.
,

ru

ments their he a ds crowned with flowers their bodies

, ,

d a ubed with s a ffron a n d follow the figures of D h a rma

,

R aj a h a n d D ra u pa d i his wi fe in procession When they

come to the fire they s tir it to a nim a te its a ctivi t
.

y a n d
ta ke a little o f the a s he s with whic h they rub t
, ,

,
heir fore
h e a d s ; a n d when the gods h a ve been c a rried three time s
round it they w a lk ove r a hot fire a bout forty feet Some
c a rry their child ren in their a rm s a n d ot
.
,

he rs l a n ce s , ,

s a bre s, a nd sta nd a rds A fter the ceremony the people

.

pres s to collect the a shes to ru b their forehea d s with a n d ,

obt a in from devotees the flowers with whic h they were

a dorned a n d which they c a re fully preserve
1
.
,

Th e pa s s ion of A gni re a ppe a rs in D ra u pa d i purified by

fi re for her fi ve hu s ba nds a n d especi a lly her u n ion with
,

D h a rm a R aj a h s on of Y a m a is celebra ted in this unor

t
, ,

h od ox p a s s ion fe a st
-
It h a s been so much the fa s hion
for t
.

ra vellers to look upon a ll idol a t ry with biblica l eyes

‘ ’

th a t we ca nnot feel cert a in with S onn era t

,

th a t there w a s
a nything more signific a nt in the c a r ryi n g o f chi ld ren by

the devotee s th a n the s upposition th a t wh a t w a s good

Bu t
,

for the p a rent w a s equ a lly benefici a l to the child .

the identifica tion of M oloch with an A rya n deity is not

import a nt ; t h e Indi a n Fe a st of Fire a n d the rite s of
M oloch a re derived by a very simple men t a l proce s s from

the most obviou s a s pects of t h e S u n a s the q u i c keni n g

1
S t T l 38
onn era
’
s ra ve s,
’
11. .
62 M OL O CH
a nd the consumi ng power in n a ture Th e child o ffered to .

M oloch w a s o ffered to the god by whom he w as gene ra ted ,

a n d as the most preciou s o f a ll the fruits of the e a rth for

which h is geni a l a id w as implored a nd h is d es tructive in

tensi t y depreca ted M oloch a word th a t me a ns sa crifice ’

w as in a ll proba bilit y a t
. ,
,

firs t only a loca l (A mmonite) per

s on ifi c a tion growing out of a n a ncient s h rine of Ba a l Th e .

M idi a nite B aa l a ccomp a nied the I s ra elites into the wilder

ness a n d tha t wors hip w a s never thoroughly era dica ted In
, .

the E gypti a n C on fe s sion of Fa ith which the initi a ted took ,

e v en into their gra ve s 1n s cr1be d upon a s croll the n a me of ,

God is not mentioned but is expressed only by the word s

,

N u k pa N u k I a m he who I a m 1
Th e fl a mes of the
‘ ’
.
,

burning bu s h from which these sa me word s ca me to M o s es

, ,

were kin d led from Ba a l the S u n ; a n d we need not wonder

,

th a t while the more enlightened chie fs of Isra el pre

s erved the highe r ide a s a n d s ymbol s of the countrie s they

a b a ndoned t, h e ignora nt would s till cling to A pi s (the

Golden C a l f) to A s ht a roth a nd to M oloch A mo s (v
, ,
. .

a n d a fter him S tephen the m a rtyr (A ct s v n repro a ch .

the Hebrews with h a ving c a rried into the wilderness the

t a ber n a cle of thei r god M oloch A n d though the pa ss ing
of child ren throug h t
.

h e fire to M oloch w as by the M osa ic ,

L a w m a de a ca pita l crime the supers tition a n d the corre

, ,

s on d in
p g p ra ctice ret a ined such st rength th a t we find

S olomon building a temple to M oloch on the M ount of

O li ve s (1 Kings xi a nd lo n g a fter M a n as s eh m a king
his s on p as s through the fire in honour of t
, ,
.

h e sa me god .

It is cert a in from the den u nci a tions of the p rophets 2

th a t the destruction of children in thes e fl a mes w a s a ctu a l .

Fro mJe remi a h xix 6 a s well as othe r sources we know ,

t
.
,

h a t the bu rni ngs took pl a ce in the Va lley of Tophet o r

1
D eu th Lit y R mi
sc , era r e a ns,
’

p . 1 78 .

Ezek xix.
1
I sa lvii 5
. . . xvi. 20 ; J
er .
5
.
 GE HE N N A . 63

Hinnom (Gehenn a) idol M oloch wa s of bra ss a n d

Th e
it
.
,

s t h rone of bra s s ; its he a d w as th a t of a c a l f a n d wo re

a roy a l crown ; it
,

s stom a ch w a s a furn a ce a n d w h en the ,

children were pl a ced in its a rms they were consumed by

the fierce hea t t — heir crie s being drowned by the bea ting
of d rums ; from which t drum t
,

op/z me a ning a h e pl a ce ‘ ’

, ,

w a s a lso ca lled Tophet I n the fierce w a r w a ged ag a inst

.

a lien super s titions by Josi a h he d e fi le d Gehenn a filling it ,

with ordure a n d dea d men s bones to m a ke it od ious ,

th a t no ma n might m a ke his s on or h is d a ughte r to p a ss

through the fire to M oloch (2 Kings xxiii ’
a nd a .

perpetu a l fi re w as kept there to consum e the filth of Jeru

s a lem
From this horrible Gehenn a wi t h it s perpetu a l fire it
.

loa thsome worm it

, ,

s cruelties h as been de rived the picture

of a never ending Hell prep a red for t

, ,

-
h e m ajority of hum a n
being s by One who while they live on ea rth sends the
ra in a n d sun s hine a like on t
, ,

he evil a n d the good Wo .

C h a ng a C hin a m a n in L ondon h a s written to a journ a l his

,
1
,

s urpri s e th a t our religio u s te a che rs should be s eized with

s uch concern for the victims of Turkis h a trocities in Bu l

ga ri a while they a re s o c a lm in view of the millions burn

,

ing a n d de s tined to burn endle s sly in the fl a mes of he ll

, , .

Our Orienta l brothe rs will le a rn a g re a t de a l from our

mi s s io n a ries ; a m ong othe r thing s th a t the theologica l god ,

of C h ri s tendom is s till M oloch .

Th e A mmonite s of whom M oloch w a s the Speci a l de

,

mon a ppe a r to h a ve gra du a lly ble n ded with the A ra bi a n s

, .

Thes e received from m a n y sources their mo n g rel supe r

st ition s but a mong them were a lw a ys prominent the
,

pl a net gods a n d fi re god s whom thei r growing mono

- -

t
,

hei s m(to u se the wo rd still in a loose se n se) tra ns formed

to powerful a ngels a nd gen n The gen u of A ra bi a a re .

1
The ‘
J e w ish W orld .
’
64 j E WI SH S U P E E S I I TI ON S

l ves of the l a mp ; they a re evoked by burning tu fts o f

s a

h a ir ; they a scend as clouds of smoke Though as s u b .

,

ordina te a ge nt s of the Fi re fi e n d they ma y be con s umed

-

by fl a mes yet thos e who s o fight them a re a pt

,

to su ffer
a like fa te a s in the c as e of the L a dy o f Be a uty in t
,

,
he
A ra bi a n N ights E nte rt a inments M a n y s to ries of thi s
’
.

kind preceded the decl a ra tion s of the Old Tes t a ment ,

th a t Jehova h bre a thes fire a n d b rimstone h is brea th ,

kindling Tophet ; a n d a l s o the p a ss a ges of the Ko ra n ,

a nd of the N ew Testa ment des c ribing S a t a n a s a fiery

fiend .

V a rious s upers titions connecting in fern a l powers with

fi re s u rvive a mong the Jews of s ome remote di s tric t s of
E uro pe . Th e P a s sover is kept a week by the Jewi s h in
h a bita nts in the vill a ges on the V o s ges mount a ins a nd on
th e b a nks of the R hine Th e time of om er is the interva l
'

between the P a s sover a n d P enteco s t t

.

h e seven weeks
el a p s i n g from the depa rt
,

ure from E gypt a n d the giving of

the la w m a rked in former d a ys by the o ffe ring of a n o me r
of b a rley d a ily a t
,

the temple It is con s ide red a fea rful

.

time during which every Je w is p a rticul arly e xpos ed to

,

the evil influence of evil spirits The re is something .

d a ngerous a nd fa t a l in the a ir ; every one should be on

the w a tch a n d n ot tempt the so/zed im (demon s ) in a ny
Ha ve a strict eye upon your c a tt
,

w ay . le s a y the Jews , ,

for the so rceress will get into your s t a bles mount your ,

cows a n d goa ts bring dise a se s upon them a n d tu r n their

, ,

milk sour I n the l a tter c as e try to la y your h a nd upon

.
,

the s u s pected pers on s hut her up in a room with a ba s in

of s our milk a n d be a t the milk with a h a zel w a n d p ro
,
-
,

n ou n c in
g God s n a me th’
ree time s Whil s t you a re doi n g
.

thi s the s orcere s s will m a ke gre a t l a menta tion for the blows
, ,

a re fa lling u pon h e r Only s top w hen you s ee blu e fl a mes

d a ncing on the surfa ce of t
.

h e milk for then the ch a rm is ,

 R E LI CS O F FI RE WOR SHI P . 65

brok en If beggar comes to a sk for a litt

a t
n ightf ll a a le
c h a rco a l to li ght his fi re be very ca re ful not to give it
.

, ,

an d do not let him go without d ra w ing him th ree times

by his coa t ta il an d wi t h out losing time thro w som e l a rge

-
,

h a nd fu ls of s a lt on the fi re I n all of w hich we ma y .

tra ce tra dition s of p arched wildernes s es a nd fie ry ser

pents as well a s of A brah a m s lo n g wa rfar e wi t
, h the Fi re ’

wors hippers until a ccording to the tra dition he w as

, , ,

thr own into the fl a mes he re fu s ed to wo rsh ip

It is proba ble t
.

h a t in all the popul ar supers tition s which

n ow connect devils an d future puni s hmen t s with fire
are blended both the a potheosis a n d the degr a d a tion of

d emon s Th e firs t a n d most uni ve rs al of d eities being

.

the S u n whose e ar thly representa tive is fire the s tudent

, ,

of C omp a ra tive M ythology ha s to pick h is w a y ve ry

car e fully in tra cing by a ny eth n ologica l p a th t h e in n u mer

a bl e superstitions of E urope an folklore in which Fire

worship is a ppa rently r e flected Th e collection of fa cts .

a n d records c ont a ined in a work so a ccessible to a ll who

care to pursue t h e s ubject a s t h a t of Bra nd a nd his editors 1

,

renders it unneces sa ry th a t I should go into the curiou s

fa cts to a n y g rea t extent here Th e uni fo rmity of the
t ra ditions by which the mid s ummer fi res of N ort
.

he rn
E urope h a ve been c a lled Ba a l fi res or Be l fi res wa rra n t - -

the belie f th a t they a re a ctu a lly descended from t he

a ncient rites of B a a l even a p a rt fro m the notorious fa ct

th a t t hey h a ve s o genera lly been a ccompa nied by t

,

he
s u perst ition th a t it is a benefit to children to l ea p over or
be p a s sed th rough s uch fire s Th a t thi s pra ctice s till s u r .

v ives in out of the w a y pl a ces of the Briti s h E m

- -
pi re a p
pea rs from s uch communica tions a s the follo wing (from the
1 ‘
Obse rva t
ions on Ppl
o u ar An itq it
u i & by J h B d Wit
es,
’
c h th o n ra n e

t t i d d it Ch t t
.
, .

ad d i ions of Sir Hen r y Elli s. nA eni ly d

re i
n e w an re v s e e on a o

i lly t h pt m S lt
.

8: W in d us 18 77. See h S m
’
, espec a e c a er on i p 65
‘
u er o s ce, . 1 .

E
0

VO L I . .
66 R O YA L FI R E FE S TI VA L
-
.

TimeS ) which occ a s ion a lly a dd re s s ed to t

a re h e L ondon
L E RW I C K (Shetl a nd ) j u ly 7 18 71 — SI R — l t
,

j ourn a ls
ma y intere s t some of your rea ders t
, , .
,

o kno w th a t l a st night

(being S t John
. s E v
’
e old s tyle ,) I observed within a mile ,

or s o of thi s town s even bonfires b la zing in a ccord a nce

, ,

w ith the immemori a l cu s tom of celebra ting the M id s u m

mer s ol s tice Thes e fi res were kindled On va rious heights

.

a round the a ncient h a mlet of S ound a n d the children ,

lea ped over them a nd p a s s ed through the fire to M oloch

, ,
’

j ust a s thei r a ncestors would h a ve done a thousa nd yea rs

a go on the s a me heights a n d their s till remoter progeni
,

tors in E a s te rn l a nd s m a ny thou s a nd ye a rs a go This

persi s tent a dhe rence to mys t
.

ic rites in thi s scientific epoch

s eem s to me worth t a king hote of — A J . . .
’

To thi s m a y be a dded the follo w ing rec e nt extra ct from

a S co t ch j ourn a l
Ha l low e en w a s celebra ted a t
'
B a lmora l C a stle with
unusu a l ceremony in the presence o f her M aje s ty t
, he ,

P rince s s Bea t rice the l a dies a n d gentlemen of the roya l

,

household a n d a l a rge ga the ri n g of the ten a ntry The

, .

le a ding fe a tures of the celeb ra tion were a torchlight pro

cess ion the lighti ng of l a rge bonfires a n d the bu rning in
, ,

e ffi gy of witches a n d w a rlock s Upwa rd s of 1 50 torch

be a rers a ssembled a t the ca stle a s d a rk s et
.

in a n d sep a
ra ted into two p a rt
,

ies one ba nd proceeding to Inve rgelder

a n d the other rem a ining a t
, ,

Ba lmora l Th e torche s were

lighted a t a qu a rter be fore s ix o clock a n d s hort
.

’
ly a fter
t
,

h e Queen a nd Princess Be a trice dr ove to I nvergelder ,

followed by the B a lmora l p a rty of torchbe a rers Th e two .

p a rties then united a nd returned in procession to the front

of Ba lmo ra l C astle where re fre s hment s were s e rved to a ll
, ,

a n d d a ncing w as eng a ged in round a h u ge bonfire Su d .

d e n ly there a ppe a red from the rea r of the C a s tle a gro;

te s q u e a pp a rition representing a witch with a tra in of fol
68 VI R GI N I A N S TOR I E S .

the fires of M oloch a nd Ba al th eir right a rch e ologica l

rel a tion
.

In my boyhood I h a ve o ften le a ped over a bonfire in a

p a rt of the St a te o f V irgini a m a inly settled by Scotch
fa milies with whom prob a bly the custom migra ted thither
, .

In the s uperstition s of the n egroes of th a t a n d other

S outhern S t a tes fire p la ys a l a rge p a rt but it is h a rdly ,

possibl e now to determine whether they h a ve dri fted there

from A frica or E ngl a n d S ometimes there a re q ueer coin
.

c id e n ce s betwee n their notion s a nd some of the e a rly

legends of B rita in Thu s the tra dition of the s h epherd

.
,

guided by a dist a nt fire to the entra nce of King A rthur s ’

subterra ne a n h a ll where a fl a me fed by no fuel coming

through t
,

h e floor revea l s the slumbering mon a rch a n d

his court re s embles somewh a t stories I h a ve hea rd from
,

negroes of their being led by di s ta nt fires to lucky

others sa y unlucky—or a t a n y ra te ench a nted s pots A .

negro belongi n g to my fa ther told me th a t once as h e

w as w a lking on a count ry ro a d he sa w a grea t fire in t
,

,
he
dist a nce ; he supposed it must be a house on fire a n d ,

h as tened to w a rd s it me a ntime much puzzled since he

, ,

knew of no hou s e in th a t direction A s he went on h is .

w a y h e turned into a s m a ll wood ne ar which the fire

seemed to be but when he emerged a ll he found w a s a
, ,

s ingle fi re co a l bu rning in the p a th

-
There were no other
.

tra ces wh a tever of fire but j u s t then a l a rge dog lea ped
,

pa st him with a loud b a rk a n d di sa ppea red .

I n a letter on Vou d ou is mi n V irgini a whic h a ppe a red ’

in t
,

h e N ew York Tr ibu n e d a ted R ichmond S eptember

, ,

17 18 75 occurs a n a ccount of a cl a s s of s upers tition s

, ,

genera lly kept close from the whites as I h a ve a lwa ys ,

believed beca use of their purely A frica n origin A s will .

be s een fire represents an impo rta nt element in the super

st it
,

iou s pra ctices .

 VO U D O U SP E LL S . 69

‘
If anignora nt negro is smitten with a disea se which
h e c a nnot comprehend he o ften im a gines him s el f the
,

v ictim of witchcra ft a n d h a ving no fa ith in white folks ’

physic for such a ilments must a pply to one of these

’
,

q u a cks A physici a n residing nea r this city w a s invited

.

by such a one to witness his mode of procedure with a

dropsica l p a tient for whom t h e physici a n in q uestion h a d
occa sion a lly ch a rita bly prescribed C uriosity led him to
a ttend t h e se a nce h a ving previou s ly in formed t
.

,
h e q u a ck
th a t since the ca se w a s in such h a nd s he reli n q uished a ll
connect ion with it On the coverlet of the bed on which
t
.

h e sick m a n la y w a s spre a d a q u a ntity of bones fe a thers , ,

an d other tra sh . The ch a rl a ta n went through with a series

of s o c a lled conjura tions burn ed fe a thers h a ir a n d ti n y
-
, , ,

fra gments of wood in a ch a rco a l furn a ce a nd mumbled

gibbe rish p a st t
,

he physici a n s comprehension
’
He then .

procee ded to rip open the pillo ws a nd bolsters a n d took ,

from them som e q ueer conglomera tions of fe a th ers These

h e s a id h a d c a used a ll t
.

h e trouble S prinkling a whitis h

.

powder over them he burnt them in his furn a ce A bl a ck

o ffensive smoke w as produced a nd h e a nnounced t
, .

riu m

t t
,

p h a n ly th a t the evil influence w a s destroyed a n d th a t h e

p a tient would surely get well He died not m a ny d ays .

la ter b e lieving in common with a ll his frie n ds a n d rel a

t iv es th a t the conj ura tions of t
, ,

h e trick doctor ha d fa iled

‘ ’
,

to s a ve him only beca use resorted to too l ate .

’

Th e follo w ing a ccount of 2 Spell from which his wife

w as rescued w a s given me by a negro in V irgini a
,

Th e wiza rd to q uote the ex a ct words of my infor

’

man t threw a stick on a chest ; t

,

h e stick bounded like

‘
,

a tra pb a ll three times ; then he ope n ed the chest took out ,

s omething looking lik e dust or cl a y a nd put it into a cup ,

with wa ter over a fi re ; then he poured it over a boa rd

( a fter chopping it three times ) w h ich h e then
, p u t u p
70 j E WI SH H OL Y WA TE R .

be n ea th t h e s hingles of t h e ho u se R etu rn ing to the ch es t

he took a piece of old ch a in n ea r the lengt

.

h o f my ha nd
took a hoe a n d buried the cha in ne a r t
, ,

h e s ill o f the door

o f my wi fe s house where s h e would p ass ; th en he went
’

a wa y I s a w my w i fe comi n g a n d ca lled to her n ot to

pa ss an d to go for a hoe an d dig up t
.

h e pl a ce S he did
this an d I took up t h e cha in which burned t
, .

, h e ends of ,

a ll my fingers c lea n off Th e sa me n ight the conj u ror

.

ca m e b a ck : my wi fe took two h a l f doll a rs a n d a qu a rte r

i n silver a nd th rew t hem on the ground be fore him The

ma n se emed as if he w as s hocked an d t
.

hen o ffered her ,

h is h a nd which she re fu s ed to t a ke as I h a d bid her not

to let
, ,

him touch her He le ft a n d never ca me to the hou se

.

a ga i n Th e s pell w as broken
’
. .

I a m convinced th a t thi s is a pure V oudou proced ure ,

a n d it is interesting in severa l reg a rds The int roduction

a y h a ve be en t
.

of the ch a in m h e result of the excitement of

the t im e for it w a s during the w a r when n egroe s we re
,

brea king their ch a ins The fire a n d wa ter s how how.

wide s prea d in A frica is tha t double ordea l w hich as w e

-
,

h a ve s een is well know n in the kingdom of D a homey

,
1
.

But the mingling of s omething like dust with the w a ter -

held in a cup over the fire is strongly sugges tive of t he

Jewish me t
,

hod of prepa ring holy w a ter the wa ter of ,

‘

s ep a ra tion For a n uncle a n person they sh a ll t a ke of

’

the dust of t
.

h e burnt hei fer of purific a tion for sin a n d ,

running wa ter sh a ll be put thereto in a vessel 2 Th e

’

fiery element of the mixt

.

ure w as in thi s c a se imported

with the a shes of the red hei fer A s for thi s s a crifice of .

1 it
the red hei fer itsel f w a s pl a inly the propiti a tion of a
fiery demon In E gypt red h a ir a n d red a nim a ls of a ll
.

kinds were considered in ferna l an d a ll the deta ils of th is ,

1
See Chap ti
er . m
C o pare N mbu ers xxxi
. 23 .

1 Nu mbers xi
x . 17
.
1 I idb . xix. 2, seq.
 FI RE G OD OF P E KI N
-
G .
7.

s a crifice show th a t the colour of thi s s elected hei fer w as

typica l Th e hei fer w as not a us u a l s a crifice : a red one
w a s obviously by it
.

s colour m a rked for the gen u of fi re

the te rrible Seven a n d not to be denied them I t

— s blood .

w a s sp rinkled seven times be fore the t a bern a cle a n d the ,

re s t w a s utterly consumed— including the hide which is ,

—
p a ticul a rly mentio n ed a nd the a shes ta ken to m ak e the
r
‘
water of s epa ra tion Ca lmet notes in this connection
.
’
, ,

th a t the A pi s of Indi a w a s red coloured -

.

Th e following interesting s tory of the C hinese Fire god -

w as s upplied to M r D e n n y s l by M r P l a y fa i r of H M
. . . .

C on s ul a te to whom it w as rel a ted in P eking :

Th e temple s of t
,

‘
h e God of Fire a re nume rous in
Peking as is n a tura l in a city built for the most p a rt of
,

ve ry combustible m a teri a ls Th e idols repres enting the god

.

a re with one exception decked with red be a rd s typi fyi n g

by their colour t
, , ,

h e element under his control Th e e x ce p

t
.

ion a l god h as a white be a rd a n d thereby h a ng s a t a le

’

A hund red ye a rs a go t
, .

‘
h e Chinese impe ri a l revenue
w as in much better c a se th a n it is now At th a t time .

they h a d not yet come into collision with Western Powers ,

a n d the word indemnity h a d not s o fa r found a pl a ce

‘ ’

, ,

in their voc a bul a ry ; inte rn a l rebellions were checked a s

soon a s they broke out a nd in on e word Kien L ung w a s
, , ,

in les s emba rra ssed circum s t a nces th a n Kwa ng Hs u ; he

h a d more money to spend a n d did la y ou t a goo d de a l in
,

the w ay of p a l a ce s His fa vou rite bui ldi n g a nd one on

.
,

w hich no expense h a d been sp a red w a s the Ha ll of Con

templ a tion This h a ll w a s of very l a rge dimensions ; t

,

’
. he
ra fters a n d the pill a rs which supported the roo f were of a s ize
such a s no tree s in Chin a furnish n ow a d ays They were - -

n ot
.

improba bly origina lly sent a s a n o ffering by the tribu

t a ry mon a rch of some tropica l country such a s Burm a h or ,

1 ‘
Folklore of
’
China, p . 12 1.
 7. R E D E E A RD S

Sia m . Tw o men
could b a rely join h a n d s round the pill ars ;
they w ere ca s ed in lustrou s j et bl a ck la cquer which while
-

a dding to the bea uty o f t

, ,

heir a ppea ra n ce w a s a ls o supposed ,

to m a k e them less li a ble to combustion Indeed every .

,

c a re w as t a ken tha t no fire should a ppro a ch the building ;

no lighted la mp w a s a l lowed in t h e pre cincts a n d to h ave ,

smoked a pipe inside those w a ll s w ould h a ve be en punished

with de a t h The floor of t .h e h a ll w a s of di fferent c olou red -

m a rbles in a mos a ic of flowe rs a nd mystic Chinese ch a r

a ct
,

e rs a l w a y s kept polish ed like a mirror Th e sides of

t
.
,

he room were lined with ra re books a n d precious m a nu

scripts I t w as in s hort t
. he fin est p a l a ce in the imperi a l
, ,

city a n d it w a s the pride of Kien L ung

A l a s for t
, .

‘
h e v a nity of hum a n wishes ! In spite of
every prec a ution one night a fi re broke out a n d t
,
he Ha ll ,

of C ontempl a tion w as in d a nger Th e Chinese o f a century

.

a go were not w ithout fi re e n gines a n d though mi s e ra bly

-
,

ine ffi cie n t as comp a red w ith those of our L ondon fire

briga de they were better th a n nothing a n d a hundred of
, ,

them were soon working round the burning buil d ing Th e .

E mperor himsel f c a me out to superintend their e fforts a n d

encou ra ge them to renewed exertions But the ha ll was .

doomed ; a more th a n ea rthly power w as directing the

fl a mes a n d mort a l e fforts were of no a va il For on one of
, .

the bu rning ra fters Kien L ung s a w the figu re of a little old

ma n with a long white bea rd sta nding in a triumpha nt
, ,

a ttitude It is the God of Fire s a id the E mperor we

‘ ’ ‘
.
, ,

c a n do n othing ; so the building w a s a llowed to bl a ze in

’

pe a ce N ext d ay Kien L ung a ppointed a commission to

.

go the round of the Peki ng temples in order to discover in

w hich of t hem there w as a Fire god with a white h e a rd -
,

th a t he might worship him a n d a ppe a se the o ffended deity

, .

Th e se a rch w a s fruitless ; a h the Fire god s h a d red be a rds -

.

But the commissio n ha d done its work ba dly ; being highly

 j os s B U RN E R S .
73

respecta ble ma nd a rins of genteel fa milies they h ad con ,

fined their sea rch to such temples as were in good repa ir

a n d of credit a ble exterio r Outs ide the nort h ga te of the .

i mperi a l city w a s one old dila pid a ted disreput a ble shrine , ,

which they ha d overlooked It h a d been crumbli n g a wa y .

for ye a rs a nd even the dre a d figure of the God of Fire

which s a t
, ,

a bove the a lt a r h a d not e s c a ped desecra tion

Time h a d thinned his flowi n g locks a nd t

, .

h e be a rd h a d
‘ ’
,

fa llen a wa y a ltogether O n e d a y some wa ter c a rriers who

.
-

freque n ted the loc a lity thought either in ch a rity or by w a y ,

of a joke th a t the fa ce would look the better for a n e w

,

be a rd So they unra velled some cord a n d with the fra yed

.
,

out hemp ado rned the bea rdless chin A n o ffi ci a l pa ssing

the temple one d a y peeped in out of cu riosity a nd sa w t
.

he
hempen be a rd J ust the thing t
,

. h e E mperor w a s inquiring
‘
‘

a bout s a id h e to himsel f a n d he took the news to the

’
, ,

pa l a ce without del a y N ext d ay there w as a sta te vi s it to

.

the dila pid a ted temple a n d Kien L ung m a de obeis a nce ,

a n d vowed a vow .

‘
O Fire god sa id he thou h a st been wroth with me
-
’ ‘

in t
, ,

h a t I h a ve built me pa la ces a n d le ft thy sh rine u n ,

honoured a nd in ruins Here do I vow to build thee a .

templ e surpa ssed by non e other of the Fire gods in -

Peking ; but I sh a ll expect thee in future n ot to meddle

with my pa l a ces .
’

‘
Th e E mper or w a s as good as his word The new .

temple is on the site of the old one an d the Fire god ha s ,

-

a flowing be a rd of fine white h a ir

’

In the S a n Fra ncisco B u llet

.

in I recently re a d a d e ,

sc ription of the celebra tion by the C hinese in th a t city

of th eir Fe a st for the D e a d in which th ere a re some ,

s ig n ific a nt fe a tures Th e chie f a ttention w a s p a id s a ys

.
,

the reporter to a figure representing wh a t a nswers in ‘

their theology t
,

o our devil a nd whom they evidently ,

74 FI R E FI E N D S -

think it necess a ry to propiti ate be fore p roceeding with

thei r wors hip over individu a l g raves Thi s figure is on .
’

the wes t side of their temple be fore a nd a round it ca ndles

—
a n d jo ss s tick s were kept burning O n the e as t side w a s .

the better looking figu re to which they pa id compa ra tively

-
,

little a ttention .

It w a s of course but n a tura l th a t the demons of fire

s hould gra du a lly be di s pelled from th a t element in its

norm a l aspects as it s uses bec a me more import a nt through

hum a n invention a n d it
,

s evil possibilities were m a stered

, .

S uch demons beca me gra du a lly loca ted in the region of

especi a lly d a ngerous fires a s volca noes a n d boi ling Springs , .

Th e Tit a n whom the a ncients believed struggling bene a th

IEt n a rem a ined th ere as the D evil in the chris t i a n a ge
St
.

A gath a is sa id to h a ve prevented his vomiti ng fire for

St
.

a century by her pr a yers Philip as cended the sa me . .

mounta in a nd with book a n d c a ndle pronounced a pra yer

of exo rci s m a t which three devil s c a me ou t
,

, like fie ry
flying stones crying Woe is u s ! w e a re still hunted ‘

by Peter through P hilip t

, ,

h e E lder ! Th e volca noes

’

origin a ted t h e belie f th a t hell is a t the e a rth s centre ’

a n d their bu s y V ulc a n s of cl a ssic a ges h a ve been e a s ily

tra ns formed into sulphurou s lords of the ch risti a n Hell .

S uch is the medi e va l Ha bory m demon of a rson w ith his

three he a ds ma n c a ta n d serpent who rides th rough
, ,

— — , ,

the a ir mounted on a serpent a n d bea rs in his h a nd a ,

fl a ming torch The as trologers a ssigned him comm a nd

.

of twenty s ix legions of demon s in hell a n d the s uper

-

st it
,

iou s o ften sa w him l a ughing on the roo fs of burning

house s But still more dignified is R a um who com
1
.
,

1
I n Russ ia t
h pig
e t
ly eon ,td tt h t
fro mb
h d e ing an cien consecra e o e un er

god , h b
as m mbl m f t
eco h H ly G h t
e e l teilfi o d eh th o os or ce es a re, an as su c e

t tt t t g t
,

foe f
o h ly fi
ea r Pig re .d i g i fi
eons ared h fli h rus e as nsu re rs a a ns re, a n e

of one t
h gh
rouh i g dad k i dly w i
ouse s re a r e
g f fl g t i as a n arn n o con a ra on.
75 FI R E B E LI E FS

Th e Kobolds get t h e red j a ckets th ey a re s a id to we a r

from th eir fie ry n a ture Origin a lly the la r f a milza n lr of
’

Germa ny the Kobold beca me of m a ny va rieties ; but in

,

one line he h as bee n d eveloped from the hous e spi rit -

,

whos e good or evi l temper w a s recognised in the com forts -

or d a ngers of fire to a s pe ci a l Stone demon The hell dog -

in Fa u st
-
.
,

s room ta kes re fuge from the spell of S olomon s

’ ’

Key behind t h e stone a n d is there t ra n s form ed to h um a n

,

s h a pe Th e Germ a n m a iden s re a d m a ny pretty ora cle s in

the beh aviour of t h e fire a n d t
.

h e like in th a t of its fello w

Wa hrsa ger t
,

h e house dog It is indeed a w idespre a d

-

notion th a t imps a n d witch es lurk a bout t

.

h e fireside
obviou s ly in ca t a n d dog a n d ride t
,

hrough the a ir on
,

implements tha t usu a lly sta nd a bout the fi e s hovel r — , ,

tongs or broom In P a ris it w as formerly the custo mto

t hrow twenty four ca ts into the fi re on S t
, .

-
John s night ’

th e a nim a ls being a ccording t

,

o M D e Pl a ncy emblems
S o w a s repl a ced t
.
, ,

of the devil h e holoca ust of human

witches until at l a st civili s a tion ra ng out it
.

,
s curfew for a ll

such fires a s th a t .
 ( 77 )

C HA P TE R 111 .

C OLD .

D es cen tf o I sh t
a r int
o Had es —Bard ism Bald ur He rcules—Chris t
— —
— Survivals of he tF t
Gi t
i Sl
ros an n a v on ic an d o t
h t
er cou n ries

Th e Cla vie -
Th e Froze n He ll— Th e N or hern t a bod e of de m on s
— N ort
h s id e of ch u rch e s .

E VEN c oss immemori a l genera tions it

a r is impossible to
rea d without emotion the legend of the D es cent of Ishta r
into Ha des 1
Through seven ga tes t h e goddess of L ove
pa sses in sea rch of her beloved a n d a t
.

e a ch some of h er
orn a ments a nd clothing are removed by t
,

h e dre a d gu a r
di a n I shta r enters n a ked into the presence of the Queen
of D e a t
.

h But gods me n a nd herds l a nguish in her

a nd t
.
, ,

a bsence h e wonder working Hea the Sa viour s o -

ch a rms the In fern a l Queen tha t s h e bids t

, , ,

h e J udge of her
,

re a lm A n n u n ak a bsolve Isht a r from h is golden th ron e

, , .

He poured out for Is h t a r the wa ters of li fe a nd let

her go .

Then the first g a te let her forth a n d restored to her

t
,

h e firs t g a rment of her body

The second g a te let her forth a n d restored t o her t
.

he ,

di a monds of her h a nds a n d feet

Th e thi rd ga te let her forth a nd restored t
.

o her the ,

centra l girdle of her wa ist .

1
T bl t
a K 162 i B itM
e n r . us. Tr . by H . F . T lbot
ai n
‘
Record s of t
h e
78 THE D E A TH O F N A TU RE .

Th e four te let h e r forth a n d restored t

t
hg a o her the ,

sm a ll lovely gems of her fore h ea d

Th e fi ft
.

h ga te let her fo rth a n d restored to h e r the ,

precious stones of her hea d .

Th e sixth ga te let her forth a nd re s tored to her the ,

ea rrings of her ea rs
Th e seventh g a te let her forth a n d restored t
.

o her the ,

gre a t c rown on her he a d .

’

f —
Thi s old mira cle pl a y o N a ture the retu rn of s ummer
-

flower by d ower— is deciphered from a n a n cient A ss yri a n

t a blet in a town w i t hi n only a fe w hours of a nother where
a circle of w o rs hippers repe a t the s a me a t every sols t
,

ice !
M y fyr M orga nwg t h e A rch D ruid a dores s till He a by -

n a me as his Sa viour a nd a t
, ,

the winter sol s tice a ssemble s

,

his brethren to celebra te his coming to bruise the he a d of

the S erpent of Ha de s (A nnwn nea rly the sa me a s in the ,

t a blet) th a t seedtime a nd h a rve s t sha ll not fa il

,
1
.

I s this a surviva l ? N o doubt ; but th ere is no c u lt in

the wo rld which if sc ra tched as the prove rb sa ys will
, ,
’

not revea l bene a th it the sa me conceptio n Ho wever it .

ma y be s piritu a lised eve ry pla n of sa lva tion is ca st in ,

’

the mould of Winter conquered by the S u n the D escent ,

of L ove to the Under World the delivery of the im p ri ,

s on e d germs o f L i fe

It is very in s t ructive to comp a re with t

.

h e myth of
Isht a r th a t of He rmd d r seeking the relea se of B a ldur the ,

Be a uti ful from Helheim .

Th e de a dly po w e rs of Winter a re represented in the

E dd a ic a ccount of the de a th of Ba ldu r soft summer L ight , ,

the N orse Ba a l His blind b rother Hodr is D a rknes s ; the

.

demon who directed h is a rro w is L oki subte rra nea n fire ; ,

1
t mM il M h
Th e Wer '
e 8 74 at i m k bl l ttby t
a rc h 12 , 1 con a ns a re ar a e e er e

h i h h mi ti th t t
, ,

h D id i e f mH
’
A rc ru n w Jc i d e i i a n a ns a
‘
esu s s a r va on ro ea or

Light d t
-

h it yt t
,

Hu , h , ani m i
e c rs
p f B d i m an s s e a corru on o ar s .
 R E S U R RE C TI O N OF N A TU R E .
79

t
h e arrow itsel f is of mistletoe which fostered by Winter
owes no du t y to B a ldur ; a n d t
, , ,

h e re a lm to whic h he is
borne is t h a t of Hel the frozen zone Hermd d r h a ving
, .
,

a rrived a s su red He l th a t the gods w ere i n desp a i r for the

,

loss of B a ldur Th e Queen replied th a t it should now be

.

tried whether B a ldur w as so beloved I f there fore a ll .

‘
, ,

things in the world both living a nd li feless weep for him

he sh a ll return to the E s ir In t
, , ,

h e end a ll wept but the

’
.

old h ag Thokk (D a rkness ) who from her c avern s a ng ,

Thokk w ill w a il
td y y
Wi h r e es

B ld
a bl fi
ur s
’
a e- re.

N gh t
ou q ik u c or d e ad
F C l
’
or a r s s on c are I
L t
.

e H l h ld he o er ow n .

So B a ldur rem a ined in He lh e im The myth very closely .

resembles th a t of Ishta r s D es cent In simila r a ccent the

’
.

messenger of the Southern gods weeps a n d l a cera tes him

self a s he rela tes the grief of the upper world a n d a ll me n ,

a n d a nim a ls s ince the time th a t mother Isht a r de s cended

into Ha des Bu t in t
. h e l a tte r the messenger is s uccess ful
’

in the N orth he is u nsuccess ful In the corres ponding

myths of wa rm a nd sunny climes the e ffort a t
.

release is
more or less success ful in proportion to the extent of
winter In A donis relea sed from Ha des for four mon t
,

. hs
every ye a r a nd a nother four if he chose to a ba ndon P e r
,

s ephon e for A phrodite we h a ve a reflection of a v a ri a ble

,

ye a r Th a t a n d the simil a r myth of Persephone va ried in

.
, ,

the time specified for their pa ssi n g in the upper a n d unde r

worlds proba bly in a ccord a nce with the clim a tic a verages
,

of the regions in which they were told But in the tropics .

it w as e a sy to believe the releas e complete a s i n the myth ,

of Isht a r In M a n ga ia n myths the hero M a ui esca pes

. , ,

from a nether world of fire a ided by a red pigeon , .

8o GLAD TI D I N GS FR OM THE S O U TH .

When th i s contest between Wi n ter s D e a th a n d S pri ng s ’ ’

L i fe bec a m e hum a nised it w as a s Hercules v a nquish

,

ing D e a th a nd completely relea sing A lcestis When it .

beca me spi ritu a lised it w as a s Ch ri s t conquering D ea th

a nd Hell a nd rele a sing t
, h e spirits from prison The .

wintry des ola tion h a d to be a rtifici a lly imit a ted in a

forty d a ys fa st a nd L ent closing with a thrust from t he
’
,

s pe a r (the mistletoe a rrow

) a mid d a rkne s s (blind H i
j d r)
But the myth of a swi ft resu rrection h a d to be a rt
.

ifi
c ia lly preserved in the fa r N ort h Th e legend of a full .

triumph over D ea th a nd Hell could never h a ve origin ated

a mong our N o rse a n cesto rs Their only s tory resembling
.

it th a t of Idun a rel a ted how her recove ry from the Gi a nts

brought ba ck hea lth to t
, ,

h e gods not men But it was , .

from the S outh th a t men h a d to he a r tidings of a rescue

for the ea rt h a n d ma n .

We ca nnot rea lise now wh a t gla d tidings were they

w hich told t his new gosp e l to peoples sitting in regions of
ice a n d gloom a fter it ha d been imposed on them a g a inst
,

their relucta nt fe a rs In ma ni fold forms the old comba t

.

w a s renewed in their festiv a ls a n d peoples who h a d long ,

been prostra te a n d helpless be fore the te rrible powers of

n a ture were never wea ry of the Southern fa ble s of heroic
triumphs over them long interpreted in the simple phy
,

s ic a l sen s e .

Th e gre a t D emo n of the N orthern World is still Winter ,

a n d the heredit a ry h a tred of him is su c h th a t he is still

cursed scourged ki lled a n d buried or drowned under

, , ,

v a riou s n a mes a n d disgui s es I n every S l a vonic country .

,

s ays M r R a l s ton th ere a re to be found a bout c a rniva l

time tra ces of a ncient rites intended t
.
, ,

,
o typi fy the dea th
,

of Winter a n d the birth of Spring or S ummer In Pol a nd .

a puppet m a de of hemp or stra w is flung into a pond or

swa mp with the words Th e D evil ta ke thee ! Then the

,
 j UD AS A S WI N TE R -
DE M ON . s.

p articipa tors in the deed sc a mper home a nd if one of them ,

s tumbles a n d fa lls it is believed he will die within the ye a r

I n Upper La u s a t
.

ia a s imil a r figure is fas tened on a pole to

be pelted the n t a ken to t
,
h e vill a ge bound a ry a n d thrown
a c ross it or ca st into the w a ter its be a rers returning ,

w ith g reen bough s Sometimes the fi gure is shrouded in

.

w hite represe n ting snow a n d be a rs in its h a nds a broom

, ,

( the s w eeping storm ) a n d a sickle (the fa t a l re a pe r

) In .

R ussi a the Stra w M ujik is burned a n d a lso in Bulg a ri a ;

i n the la tter the bonfire is a ccomp a nied by t
,

h e firing of
guns a n d by d a nces a nd s ongs to La d o goddess of S pring
, , .

This reminiscence of L eto on whose a ccount A pollo slew ,

the Python is rendered yet more striking by the week of

,

a rchery w h ich a ccomp a nie s it rec a lling the s unbe a m d a rts ,

o f the god In S p a in a n d It a ly the demon puppet is

.

s courged under the n a me of J ud a s as i n deed is the c a s e ,

in the a nnu a l Good Frid a y perform a nce of Portugu ese

s a ilors in t he L ondon D ocks M r Tylor found in M exico . .

a simil a r custom the Jud a s be in g a regul a r horned a n d

hoo fed devil In S cotla n d t

~
,

h e pre christi a n a ccessories of

.
-

a correspondi n g custom are m ore pronounced both in the

time selected (the l a st d a y of the yea r old style) a n d the ,

pl a ce The Cla vie as the cu s tom of burning the puppet

.
,
’

of Winter is mysteriously ca lled occurred on J a nu a ry 1 2

of thi s yea r (18 78 ) a t

,

Burghea d a fi s hing vill a ge ne a r ,

Forres where st a nds a n old R om a n a lt a r loca lly n a med

the D ouro A t a r b a rrel w a s s e t
,

on fi re a n d c a r ried by
‘ ’
-
.

a fisherm a n round the town while the people s houted a n d ,

h allooed (I f the ma n who ca rries the b a rrel fa lls it is a n

.

evil omen ) Th e lighted ba rrel h a ving gone round the

.
,

to wn w a s ca rried to the top of the hill a n d pl aced on

,

the D ouro M ore fuel w as a dded Th e s pa rks as they

. .

fly upw a rd s a re supposed to be witches a n d evil spirits

leavi n g the town t h e people therefore shout at a nd cu rse

VO L I . .
F
82 THE FR OZE N HE L L .

th e m as they disa ppea r in va ca ncy Whe n the burning

ta r b a rrel fa lls in pieces t
.

-
h e fi s hw om e n rush in a n d ende a
,

vour to get a lighted bit of wood from its rem a ins ; wit h
thi s light the fire on t h e cott a ge he a rth is a t once kindled ,

a n d it is considered luc ky to keep this fl a me a l ive a ll the

rest of the yea r Th e c ha rcoa l of t he Cl a vie is collected

a n d put in bits up the chimney t
.

o prevent the witches a n d

evil spirit s coming into the house The D ouro is covered

with a thick l a yer of t a r from t h e fires t
.

h a t a re a n nu a lly
lighted upon it Clos e t . o i is a ve ry a n cient R om a n t
well .

It is a n inst a nce of the irony of etymology th a t the word

Hell me a ns a pl a ce of fi re less d a rkness N or is the fact
’

th a t the n a me of t h e S c a ndin a vi a n demoness He l ph on et

.

i ,

ca lly cor responding with K a li the Bl a ck One (Goth ,

’
.

Ha lja ) whose a bode w as a n icy hole h as her n a me pre

, ,

se rved a s a pl a ce of fie ry to rment without signific a nce I n

’
.
, .

regions where cold w a s know n to a n uncom forta ble exte n t

a s well a s he a t we usu a lly find it represented in the ide a s of
,

future punish m ent The re a lm ca lled Ha de s mea ning j u s t

.
,

the s a me a s Hell suggests cold Tertulli a n a nd Jerome

, .

sa y th a t C hri s t s own ph ra s es outer d a rkne s s a nd the

'
’ ‘ ’

‘
gn a s hing (ch a ttering) of teeth sugge s t a pl a ce of ex ’

t reme cold a l t er n a ting with the exce s s ive he a t Tra ces of .

s imil a r specul a tions a re found with the R a bbins Thu s .

Ra bbi Josep h s a ys Gehenn a ha d both w a ter a n d fi re .

N o a h s a w the a ngel of de a t h a ppro a ch ing a n d hid from

him twelve months Why twelve ? Beca us e (expl a in s .

Ra bbi J e h u d a ) such is the tri a l o f sinner s — s i

x in w a te r , ,

s ix in fire D a nte (following V irgil) h a s frigid a s wel l a s

.

burning hell s ; a n d the ide a w a s refined by s ome s choli a s ts

to a s t a teme n t w hich would s eem t o m a ke the al te rn a tions

of future puni s h ment a m ount to a s evere a gue a n d feve r

M ilton (P ara dise Lost ii ) ha s blend e d t
.

,he ra bbinic a l
.
34 THE E A S T WI N D .

to sa tis fy hunger Th e C h e n oos (demons) of t

h is he
a cs of N ova S coti a p res ent ce rt a in fe a t
.

M im u res of the ra ce
demon s but a re fe a rfully cold Th e C h e n oo w e a pon is a
d ra gon s horn his ye ll is fa ta l to t h e be a re r h is he a rt
.
,

’
is a
block of ice Thi s hea rt mu s t be des t royed if t
, ,

. h e d emon
is to be s l a i n but it ca n only be done by melti n g in the
fi re : the chi e f p reca u t ion requi red is t
,

h a t one is not
d ro w ned in t h e flood s o c a u s ed Th e icy demon s u rvived .

long in Scot la nd S ir J a me s M elville in h is M emoi rs

.
,
‘

,
’

s a ys the s pirit or devil th a t helped the S cottis h witches

to ra i s e a s tor min the s e a of N orwa y w as cold as ice a n d
his body h a rd a s i ron ; h is fa ce w a s te rrible h is nos e like ,

the be a k of a n e a gle g re a t bu rn ing eyes h is h a n d s a n d

, ,

leg s ha i ry with cl a ws on h is n ail s like a griflin D r Fi a n

, .
’
.

w as burnt for r a i s ing thi s demon to oppo s e J a m es I on his .

s to rmy p as s ag e fro mD enm a rk .

Thi s type of demon h a unted people s m ind s in S ca n ’

d in av ia where though tra dition s of a fla me demon (Loki)

, ,

a n d the end of the world by fi re we re impo rted the popul a r ,

belie f s eem s to h a ve been m a i n ly occupied with Fros t gi an ts ,

a n d the formid a ble O e gir god o f the ble a k s e a e as t w ind s

, ,

pre s erved in our word a w e (A nglo S a xo n eg o) a nd more -

,

d irectly in the n a me of ou r fa m ili a r de mon the Ogre s o , ,

o ften s l a in in the child s Gl a d s heim L oki (fi re) w a s in

’
.
,

deed s peedily relega ted by the Ais ir (god s ) to a hidden s u b

,

terra neous re a lm whe re h is exi s tence could only be know n

,

by the e a rthqu a ke s geys e rs a nd Hecl a e ru ption s which

he occa s ioned Y e t he w as to co me forth a t
, ,

. Ra gna rd k ,

the Twilight of the God s We ca n s e e a s ingul a r blend

ing of tropica l a n d rigid zones t
.

f — h e one tra dition a l the

ot
,

h er a n tiv e— in the P ro s e E dd a Thu s Wh a t wil l

a fter he a ven a n d e a rth a n d t
.

rem a i n s a id G a ngler
’
, ,
‘
he
whole unive rs e s h a ll be cons umed a n d a fte r a ll the god s ,

a n d the homes of V a lh a ll a a n d a ll m a nkind sh a ll h a ve

 FI E R Y HE A VE N S . 85

perished ? ’
There will be m a ny a bodes replied Th rid i
‘
,
’

‘
some good s ome ba d Th e bes t pl a ce of a ll to be i n
, .

will be Gimil in he a ven ; a nd a ll who delight in q u a fling ‘

t
,

g ood dri n k will fi n d a g re a t store in h e h a ll c a lled

Brim ir which is a l s o in he a ven in the region O koln i
, .

There is a l s o a fa ir h a ll of ruddy gold (for) S indri

which s t a nd s on t
, ,

h e mount a ins of N id a In thos e h a ll s

In N a s t rt
.

r ighteou s a n d well minded men s h a ll a bide

-
ind .
-

the re is a va s t a n d dire ful s t ructu re with doo rs tha t fa ce

the north It is fo rmed entirely of the ba ck s of se rpents
Bu t
.

w a ttled t ogether lik e wicker work the s erpents -

.

hea d s a re turned towa rd s the in s ide of the h a ll a n d c on

t
,

in u a lly vomit forth floods of venom in which w a de a ll ,

t ho s e who co mmit murder or who fors wea r themselve s .

A s it is s a id in the l us pa
S he sa w a h a ll
Fa r fro mt
he s un

I n N as tfi d td i g
r n s an n

t
hw d t
,

N or h dar l e oors ook,

And v en o md -
rop s

t
Fa ll in h rou gh looph oles
tt
.

For md e is h a h a ll
O f w rea h ed t s er pen s . t
Th e re sa w s h e wa de

Th rou gh h ea v y st
r e ams

M en fors w or n
An d m urd e rers .

These n a mes for the he a venly regions a n d their occ u

p a nts indica te sunshine a n d fire Gimil me a ns fire (gimr ) .

B rim ir (br im i fl a me) the gi a nt a nd S indri

, ,
the ,

d w a rf jeweller of the god s a re ra i s ed to h a ll s of gold

, ,
.

N othi n g is s a id of a g ar den or wa lking the rein in the ‘

cool of the d a y On the other h a n d N a s t

,

rd n d me a n s
’
-
.
,

S t ra nd of the D e a d in th a t r egion whose doors fa ce the

n ort
,

"
h fa r from the s u n we behold a n in ferno of extreme
’

, ,
86 GO THI C D EM ON S
cold . C h risti a nity h a s
not a v a iled to give the Icel a nde rs
a ny demo n ic n a me s ugge s tive o f fire They s pe a k o f
Sk ra t t
.

i (the ro a rer perh a ps our Old S cra tc h) a n d

, ,

Kol s ki (the co a l bl a ck one) but p ro mi s e nothi n g s o lumi

n ous a n d com fort a ble a s fire or fi re fi e n d to t
,

he evil doer - -
.

In the g rea t E pic of the N ibelu ngen L ied w e h a ve pro

b ably the s h a pe in which the N orthm a n s dre a m of P a ra ’

d i s e fin a lly cohe red — a R o s e g a rden in the S outh gu a rded

,
-
,

by a hu ge Wo rm (wa ter s n a ke or glitte ri ng gl a ci a l s e a

-
,

interveni ng) w hos e glo w ing ch a rms w ith Bea uty (C h rie m
, ,

h ild ) for their queen could be won only by a bra ve dra gon
,

s la ying S ieg fried In p a s s ing by the pretty l a ke s ide home

o f R ich a rd Wa gner on my w a y to wi t
.

, nes s the A mm e rga u

vers ion of a nother d ra go n binding a nd p a ra di s e reg a ini ng

- -

legend I noted th a t the old n a me of the (St

,
a rnberg
)
la ke w a s Wu r m s ee from the d ra gon th a t once h a unted it

while from t
, ,

h e co m pos e r s wi ndo w might be s een its I s le

’ ‘

o f R os e s which the d ra gon gu a rded S ince then the

’

myth of m a ny fo rms h a s ha d its mu s ica l a potheo s is a t

.
,

Ba y re u th u nder h is w a nd .

E ngl a n d p a rt ly pe rh a ps on a ccount of its h a rs h cli m

,
a te ,

o n ce h a d the rep ut a ti on of being the chie f a bode of demon s .

A dem on e s s le a ving her lover on the C ontine n t s a y s M y ,

m other is ca lli n g me in E ngl a nd 1

But E n gl a nd a s s igned ’

t
.

he mstill higher l a titudes ; in chri s ti a ni s ing Irel a n d Io na , ,

a n d other i s l a nd s fa r no rth it w a s p relimi n a ry to expel ,

th e demons Th e C l a vie the

.
—
D ei s iu il of L ewi s,
’

a n d other Hebrides i s l a nd s — fi re c a rried round c a ttle to

d e fend them fro m demo ns a n d a round mothers n ot , y e t
c hurche d to keep the ba bes from be in g ch a nged s how
,
—
tha t the expul s ion still goes on th ou g h in s uch regio ns ,

N orse a n d christi a n notion s h a ve become s o j umbled th a t

it is fighti n g the devil with fi re S o in the Ha v a ma l men
‘
.
’

1
P rocopius, D e iiello Go hico, iv t ’
. 20 .
88 I I O T AN D C OLD WI N D S

fa ith th a t the devil belong s to the region of ice a n d th a t ,

their de a d must be bu ried in the direction of the h a ppy

a bode s of Brim ir a n d S ind ri — Fire a n d C inders !
a nt
,

M Fra n coi s L e n orm

. h a s written a n extremely in
s tructive ch a pter in comp a r i s on of the A cc a di a n a n d the

Finni s h mythologies He there s h ow s th a t they a re as

.

one a nd the s a me tree a d a pted to a nta goni s tic clim a tes

,
1
.

With simil a r t ri a d rune s ch a rms a n d even n a me s in s ome

, , ,

i n a w ay th a t s ee s a t
,

m
ca se s their reg a rd for the fi re worshipped by both va ries
firs t g la nce somewh a t a nom a lou s
Th e A cc a di a ns in their fi re wors hip exh a u s ted the re -
.

s ources of p ra i s e in a s cription of glory a n d power to the

fl a mes ; the Fin n s in their cold home celeb ra ted the fi re

festiva l a t the winte r s ol s tice uttered invoca tions over the
,

fire a n d the mother of the fa mily with her domestic liba

, ,

tion s a id : A lw a ys ri s e s o high 0 my fl a me but bu rn

‘

not l a rger n or more a rdent ! This diminution of e n t

, , ,

’
hu
s ia s m in the N orthern fi re wo rs hipper a s comp a red with
-
,

the Southern ma y only be the result of euphemism in the

,

l a tter ; or pe rh a ps while the formid a ble ch a ra cter of the

fi re god a mong the primitive A ss yri a n s is indic a ted in the
-

utter p ro s t ra tion be fo re h imch a ra cteri s tic of their lit a nie s

a n d invoc a tion s in the c a s e of the Finns the perpetu a l
,

resence of the more potent cold led to the le s s exce s s ive

p
a do ra t ion These ventured to recogni s e the fa ults of
.

fire .

Th e true n a ture of this a nom a ly becomes vi s ible when

we consi d er th a t the gre a t demo n d re a ded by t h e two ,

c ount ries dr a wi n g thei r cult from a common s ource re pre ,

s ented the e x c e s s o f the power most dre a ded Th e demon .

in ea ch c a se w a s a wind ; a mong the Finn s the n orth w in d ,

a mong the A cc a di a n s the south west (the mo s t fie ry ) wind -

.

Th e Finnish demon w a s Hiisi speeding on h is p a le hors e ,

La M agic chez les Cha ld eens , iii

’
1 .
.
 YU L E TI D E . 89

t
hrou gh the with a te rrible tra in of mo n ster dogs c a ts
a ir, , ,

furies sca ttering p a i n di s e a s e a n d de a th

,
1
Th e A cca di a n
, , .

demon of which the bronze ima ge is in the L ouvre is the

, ,

body of a dog erect on e a gle s feet its a rms pointed with

,
’

lion s pa ws ; it ha s the ta il of a scorpion a nd the he a d of

’

a s keleto n h a l f s t ripped of flesh preserving the eye s a n d

, , ,

mounted with the horn s of a goa t It has four out .

s p re a d wing s On the ba ck of thi s ingeniously horribl e

.

im a ge is a n in s cription in the A cca di a n l a ngu a ge a ppris ,

ing us th a t it is the de mon of the south west wind m a de -

to be pl aced a t
,

the door or windo w to a vert its hos tile ,

a ction .

As we observe such figu res a s thes e on the one h a nd ,

a n d on the other the fa ir beings im a gined to be a nt a gon

is tic to them ; a s we note in runes a n d inc a nt a tion s how

intensely the a ncients felt themselves to be surrounded by
thes e good a nd evil powers a n d rea ding n a ture s o le a rn ed , , ,

to s ee in the s ea sons successively conquering a n d conque red

by e a ch other a n d a ltern a tion of longer d a ys a n d longer
,

nights the ch a nging fortunes of a never ending ba ttle ; we -

may better rea li s e t

,

h e me a ning of solstiti a l fe s tiva l s the ,

cu s toms th a t g a thered a round Y uletide a n d N e w Y e a r ,

a nd the m a ni fold s urviva l s from the m which a nnu a lly

m a sque ra de in christi a n costume a nd n a mes To our .

sun wo rs hippi n g a ncestor the new ye a r mea nt the fi rs t

-

fa int a dv a nt a ge of the w a rmer time over winter a s ne a rly ,

a s he could fix it Th e hovering of d a y between s upe

riorit
.

y o f light a n d d a rkne s s is now n a med a fter doubting

Thom a s A t Y uletide the d a wning victory of the s u n is
.

seen a s a holy in fa nt in a m a nger a mid be as ts of the st a ll .

Th e old n a ture wors hip h a s beque a thed to christi a n belie f

a clo s e fi t
-

ting m a ntle
-
But the old ide a of a w a r between
.

the wintry a n d the w a rm po w ers s till h a unts the pe riod of

Lh1
tAbh d l g b d i M gi h M d i i d Fi
nn ro , an un u er e a sc e e c n er nne n .
’
9 0 WA TCHN I GHT

t
h N
e ew Y ear ; the twelve d a ys a nd nights once
a nd ,

believed to be the period of a fi erc e ly co ntested ba ttle be -

twee n good a nd e vil d emo n s a re still rega rded by m a ny ,

a s a pe riod for especi a l w a tc h fulness a n d pra yer N ew .

Y e a r s E v e in the n orth of E ngl a nd s till Hogm a n a y

’ ’

probably 0 N hOku n bt t
, ,

.
— mid w i nter n ight whe n the sa cri
.
‘ ’

,
-
,

fi c es o f T w —
hor ere prep a red fo r me rly ha d m a ny obs e rv ,

a u ces which reflected the belie f th a t good a n d evil ghos t s

were contending for every ma n a nd wom a n : the air w a s

believed to be swa rming with them a n d wa tch must be ,

kept to s ee th a t the p rotecting fire did not go out in a ny

h ousehold ; th a t no str a nge m an wom a n or a ni ma l a p
a c red pl a n t
, ,

p roa c h e d — p ossibly a demon in disgui se S s

we re s e t
.
,

in doors a n d windows to prevent the entra nce o f

a ny m a levolent being from the multitudes filling the
a ir J ohn We s ley whose noble he a rt w a s a llied with
t
.
,

a mind stra ngely open o stories of hobgoblin s led ,

the wa y of churches a n d sects b a ck into this a ncient

a tmosphere N evertheless the r a tion a li s m of the a ge
h a s in fluenced S t Wesley s Feas t W a t c h n igh t It c a n
. ,

— .
’
.

h a rdly recogni s e its brother in the Bo a r s Hea d Ba nquet of ’

Queen s C ollege Ox ford which celebra ted victory over

’

t
, ,

u s ky winter the deca pit a ted demon whose bri s tles were
o n ce icicle s fa llen benea th t
,

h e sylva n spi rits of holly a n d

rosem a ry Yet
. w h a t the W a t c h n igh tre a lly s ignifies in
the a ntiqu a ri a n sen s e is j ust th a t old cul min a ti ng comba t
between the powe rs of fire a n d frost o n ce be lieved to ,

determine hum a n fa tes In White R u s si a on N e w Y ea r s .

,
’

D a y when the a nnu a l element a l b a ttle h a s been d ecided

, ,

the killed a n d wounded on on e h a nd a n d the fortu n a te on ,

the other a re told by c a rrying fro mhou s e to house the

r ich a n d t
,

h e p oo r K olya d a s These a re two childre n one

d ressed in fine at
.
,

ti re a nd cro wn ed w ith a wrea th of full

,

e ars of gra in the other ra gged a nd we a ri n g a wre ath of

, ,
 C H A P TE R I V .

L
E EM E NTS .

A Sco t
t is h M u nas a — ti g y — Th fl mi g
R u d ra — ’
S iv a s ligh n n e e e a n

s w d — orm
L p g
i i d m — D m ft h ntm H li E li
— e on s e on s o e s or e os, as,

P — Th
e ru n — Th B b t il d D g
or —W h i l i d
a rrow s e o -
a e ra on r w n

J p a th d
a n ese
g d — C h i t
i iunl — J i
eri— I od ti r s a n s u r v va s nn nu n a on s
— N oa h— N ik , N
ich olas , O ld ick— ixies N
H d ra s— D e N y mo
t
ns

of h D e an u b e— —
Tid es Su rviva ls in R u s s ia an d E ngla n d .

D U RI N G some recent ye a rs curiou s a dve rti s ements h a ve

a ppe a red i n a journ a l of E dinburgh c a lling for pious ,

pers ons to occupy cert a in hours of the night with ho ly

exercise s It would a ppe a r th a t they re fer to a b a nd of
.

pra yerful pers on s who provide th a t the re s h a ll be a n u n

broken round of pra yers during every moment of the d a y
a n d n ight Their theory is th a t it is the u s u a l ce s s a tio n
of christi a n pra ye rs a t
.
,

night which ca u s e s so m a ny d is
a s ters .Th e devils being then le s s re s tra ined ra i s e storm s ,

a n d a ll element a l peril s Th e pra ying ci rcle which hope s

.
,

to bind the s e demons by a n uninterrupted ch a i n of pra ye rs ,

o ri gin a te d a s I a m in formed in the iou s e n thu s i a s mof

, p ,

a l a dy whose kindly s olicitude in s o m e pre exi s tent s i s ter -

w a s no doubt pers onified in the Hi n du M u n a s a w h o w hile

s s lept s a t
, ,

a ll
g od in the s h a pe of a s e r pe n t on a b ra n ch of
,

E upho rbi a to p re s e rve m a nki n d from the venom of s n a k e s .

It is to be fe a red however th a t it is h a rdly the wi s d o m of

the serpent which is on pra yer ful w a tch a t
, ,

E dinburgh but ,
 S C O TTI SH S U P E R S TI TI ON S .
93

r a the r a vi gil a nce of th a t perilous kind which w a s ex e r

c ise d by M eggie o the S hore a nno 178 5 a s rel a ted by
’ ’

, ,

Hugh M ille r 1
On a boi s terous night w hen two young
.
,

gi rls ha d ta ken re fu ge in her cott a ge they a ll he a rd a bout ,

midnight cries of di stress mingling with the roa r of the

R a i s e the w indow curt a in a n d look ou t sa id M eg gie ’
s ea
.
,
.

Th e terrified gi rls did s o a n d sa id Th ere is a bright lig h t

in t
, ,

he middle of the Ba y of Ud a ll It h a ngs over the .

w a ter a bout the height of a s hip s m a s t a nd w e c a n s ee ’

s omething below it like a bo a t riding a t

,

a nch or with the ,

white sea rag ing a round her N ow drop the curta in

.
’ ‘
,
’

s a id M eggie ; I a mno stra n ger my l a s s e s to s ights a n d , ,

noises like the s e—s ights a n d noi s e s of a nother wo rld but

I h a ve been t a ught th a t God is ne a rer to me th a n a ny
s pirit c a n be ; a n d s o h a ve le a rned not to be a fra id
’
.

A fter w a rd s it is not wonderful t h a t a C rom a rty ya w ! w a s

discovered to h ave foundered a n d a ll on boa rd to h a ve ,

bee n drowned ; though M eggie s neighbours seemed to ’

h a ve pre s e rved the legend a fter h e r fa ith a n d m a de the ,

s cene de s c ribed a premonition o f wh a t a ctu a lly occur re d .

It w a s in a region where m a riners when bec a lmed invoke

the w ind by whistling ; a n d both the w hi stling a n d t he
pra ying though their prospect s in the future may be
,
‘

slende r h a ve h a d a long c a reer in the p a st

, .

I n the R ig V ed a the re is a rem a rka ble hymn to R udra

-

( th e R o a rer ) which ,
m a y be prope rly quoted h e re
1 S i re of the s torm god s let thy fa vour extend to u s ;

s hut u s not o u t
.
,

from the s ight o f the s u n ; m a y our hero

be s u cce s s ful in the o ns l a u ght O R u d ra may w e w a x .

,

mighty in our o ffs pri ng .

2 Thro u gh the a s s u a gi n g remedies con ferred by thee

.
,

O R udra ma y we re a ch a h u n d red wi n ters ; drive a wa y

,

fa r from us h a tred di s tress a n d a ll pe rva ding dise a s es

, ,
-
.

1
S d L g d fth No th f Scot N immo 18 76 ’
cenes an e en s o l d e r o an .
, .
94 R UD R A .

3 Thou O R udra a rt the most excellent of beings in

glory t
.
, ,

h e strongest of the stro n g 0 wield er of the bolt ;

, ,

be a r us sa fely thro u gh evil to the further shore ; wa rd off

a ll the a ss a ult s of s in .

4. M a y we not provoke thee to a nger O R udr a b y , ,

our ad ora tions neither through fa ulti n ess in p ra ises nor

, ,

through w a ntonness in invoc a tions ; li ft up ou r heroes bv

thy re medies ; th ou a rt I he a r the chie f phys ici a n a m ong
, ,

physici a ns
t t
.

5. M a y I p p
ro 1 ia e with hymns this R udr a who is w o r

s hipped with invoc a tion s a n d obl a tio ns ; m a y the tender

he a rt ed e a sily entre a ted t a wny h a ired be a uti ful chinne d

- - -

god not deliver us up t o the plotter of evil (litera lly t

, , ,

o ,

the mind medit a ting I kill ‘

6 Th e bounteous giver escorted by the s torm go d s -

h a th gl a ddened me his s uppli a nt with most in vigora t

.
, ,

, ,

ing food ; a s one distresse d by hea t s eeket h the s h a d e .

ma y 1 free fro m h a rm fi n d s helter in the good wil l of

, ,
-

R udr a .

7. Wher e O R udr a is
,
th a t gra cious h a
, nd o f thine which ,

is he a ling a n d com forting ? D o thou removing the evi l ,

whic h cometh from the gods O bounteou s giver h a v e , ,

me rcy upon me .

8 To the ta wny the fa ir comple x ioned di s pen s er of

.
,
-

bou n tie s I send forth a gre a t a nd be a u ti fu l s ong of pra i s e ;

a dore the ra di a nt god with p ro s tr a tions ; we hymn t
,

he
illu s trious n a me of R udra .

9 S turdy limbed m a ny-

sh a ped fierce t a wny he h a th
-

decked hi msel f with brilli a nt orn a m e nt s of gold ; t

.
, , , ,

ru lv

s trength is insep a ra ble from R u dra the s overeign of thi s ,

va s t wo rl d .

10 Wo rthy of worship thou b e a rest the a r rows a n d

the bow ; wort h y of wors hip thou w ea res t

.
,

a re s plendent

neckl a ce of m a ny forms ; w orthy of w orsh ip t

,

h ou rulest ,
9 6 THE E VI L E YE .

no t
ou r heroe s in thy w rath ; we wa it upon thee pe rpet u

a lly with o ffe ring s

1
.

In thi s hy mn (verse 1) R udra is de s cribed as h a ving ‘

bra ided h a ir ; a nd in t h e Y aju r ved a a n d the A t

’
h a rv a-
‘

ved a other attributes of S iva a re a s cribed to him such a s ,

the epithet rifle g rim or blue necked I n the R ig ved a

-
,
-
.
-

S iva occurs frequent ly a s a n epithet a n d me a n s a uspiciou s , .

It w a s used a s a euphemistic epithet to a ppea se R ud ra

t
,

h e lord of tempe s ts ; a nd fin a lly the epithet d evelope d ,

i nto a distinct god .

Th e p a renta ge of S iva is fu rther indic a ted in the legend s

th a t h is gl a nce destroyed the hea d of the youth ful deity
G a nesa who now we a rs the eleph a nt hea d with which it
, ,

w a s repl a ced ; a n d th a t the god s pers u a ded h imto kee p

h is eye s pe rpetu a lly winking (like s heet lightning) le s t -

,

h is concentra ted look (the thunderbolt) should reduce the

u nivers e to a s hes With the l a tter legend the ga ze of t
. he
e vil eye in Indi a might n a tura lly be a s s oci a ted though in

t
,

he m ajo rity of countries this w as r a ther a s s oci a ted with

the m a lign influences a scribed to cert a in pl a nets especi a lly ,

Sa tu rn ; the ch a rms a ga in s t the evil eye being m a rked

over with zodi a ca l s ig n s The very myth of S iva s eye
.
’

s urvive s in the R u ss i a n demon M a a rk o and g

the S ervi a n V ii whose gl a nce is s a id to h a ve power to

,

reduce men a n d even cities to a shes

, , .

Th e te rrible R udra is repre s ented in a va s t number of

belie fs s ome of the mperh a ps surviva l s ; in the rough s ea
a n d e a s t wind demo n O e gir o f t
,

-
h e northern world a n d ,

Typhon in the south ; a n d in L uther s fa ith th a t devil s

’ ‘

d o house in the dense bl a ck clouds a n d send s torms h a il , , ,

thunder a nd lightning a n d poiso n the a ir with their in fern a l

,

stench a doctrine which Burton the A n a tomist of M el a n

,
’
,

’
1
Rig Veda,
- i
. 1 14 .
 L I C H TN I N C S W OR D S .
97

ch oly , too m a inta ined a ga inst the meteorologi sts

, of his
time .

A mong the a ncient A rya n s lightning seem s to h a ve

been the supreme type of divine destructiveness R udra s .
’

da rt S iva s eye rea ppea r with the S ingha lese prince of

,
’
,

demons W es sa monny d es c ribed as wielding a golden

sword wh ich when he is a ngry flies ou t
,

, , of his h a nd , ,

to which it spont a neously returns a fter cutting off a ,

thousa nd he ads A wonder ful spea r was borne by Odin

1

a n d w a s po s s ibly t
.
,

h e origin a l E xc a libur Th e four fa ced -

S via t ev it o f R ussi a whose m a ntle h a s fa llen to S t

.

George
whos e st a tue w as found a t
.
, ,

Z bru c z in 18 51 bore a horn of ,

win e (ra in ) a nd a s word (lightning) .

In Greece simil a r sword s were wielded by Zeus a nd a lso ,

m
by the god of w a r Through Zeu s a n d A res the o rigin a l
.
,

w ielders of the lightning — —

Indra an d S iva b e c a e types
of m a ny gods a n d semi divine heroes Th e evil eye of
-
.

S iva gl a red from the forehe a d of the C yclopes forge rs of ,

thunderbolts ; a nd the s a vi ng di s c of Indra fl a shed in

the sword s a n d a f f a —
rrows o a mous dr gon sla yers P erseus -

Pega s u s Hercules a nd S tGeorge The sa me sword

,

. .
, ,

de fe n d e d the Tree of L i fe in E den a nd was borne in ,

the h a nd of D ea th on the P a le Horse (a white hors e

w a s s a crificed t o S via evit t
in R u ss i a within christi a n
times) A nd fin a lly we h a ve the wonderful sword
.
, ,

which obeys the comm a nd He a ds delighting a ll

nurs eries by the s ervice it doe s to the King of the Golden
M ounta in
I beheld S a t a n as lightni ng fa lling o ut
.

of he a ven To
’
.

the G reeks this falling of rebellious deities out of hea ven

a ccounted a s we h a ve seen expl a ined for their l a me n ess
, , .

But a univers al pheno menon c a n a lone a ccount for the

ma n y demons with crooked or c rippled legs (like D i a ble ‘

1 C yl
’
Io R A Soc 1865 66
ur. e on . .
,
-
.

,
v or. . 1
.
9 3 CR OOK E D L E GS OF D E M ON S
Boiteux round the world Th e N a ma q u a s of S outh
a ll a .

A fr ic a h a ve a deity w ho s e occup a tion it is to ca u s e p a in

a n d de a th ; his n a me is Ts u ikn a p th a t is wounded knee
’
1 ‘ ’

, .

L ivings tone s a y s o f the Ba k w a in s a nother people of ,

S outh A frica It is curiou s th a t in a ll their p retended

‘
,

d rea ms or vi s ion s o f thei r god he h a s a lw ays a c rooked

le g like the E gypti a n Th a u In M a in a s S out h A me ric a ’
1
.
, , ,

they believe i n a t re a che rou s demon U c h u e lla ch a qui or ,

-
,

L a me foot w h o in d a rk fo re s t s puts on a friendly sh a pe

-

to lure I n di a n s to de s tru ction ; but the h u nt

,

s rfi e n s a y

they c a n n ever be deceived if they ex a mi n e thi s demon s ’

foot t ra ck bec a use of the u n equ a l s ize of the two feet

-
‘

Th e n a tive A u s t
.
,

ra li a n s believed iii a d emon n a med B i a m ;

he is bl a ck a n d de formed in h is lower extre mi t ie s ; they

a tt ributed to him m a ny of their s ongs a n d d a nces but ,

a l s o a s ort of s m a ll pox to which they we re li a ble We

-
’
.

h a ve no evidence th a t the s e s upe rs tition s migra ted from a

co mmon centre ; a nd the re c a n be little doubt th a t m a ny
of the s e crooked leg s a re tra ce a ble to the crooked light

n i ng
‘1
. At the sa me time thi s is by no me a n s inconsistent
with wh a t h a s been a l re a dy s a id of the fa ll o f Tita n s a nd
a n gel s from he a ven a s o ften a ccounting for their l a mene ss

in popul a r myths Bu t in s uch deta ils it is h a rd to re a ch

.

ce rta inty s ince s o ma ny of the fa ct s be a r a s u Spic iou s

re s embl a nce to e a ch o t
,

her A wild boa r with d is torted ‘

legs a tta cked St

.

’
God ric a n d the tempt a tion is stro n g
t
.
,

o genera li s e on the story but the leg s p rob a bly me a n

only t
,

o ce rti fy th a t it w a s the d evil .

D r S c h lie m
. a nn h as une a rthed a mo n g his other tre a

s ure s the rem a rka ble fa ct th a t a temple of Helio s (the

s u n) once s tood ne a r the site of the p resent C hurch of

1
W elck e r, G riech isc h e t
tl h
Go er e re,
’
i p 66 1
v ol. M ofla , p 2 57 1
'

t
t
. . . . .

1 L ivings one, p . 124 . 1 P d ppig, Re ise in Chile, vol ii p 358

’
. . . .

1
E y re , vol. ii p 362
. . .
1 Ty lor, Ea rl p 359 y . .
t
oo AN GE L S OF C O M M O T]01V .

portent which preceded the de s cent of Buddh a from t he

Tu s h ita h ea ven s w a s when the A ngel s of the Tempes t
‘
,

clothed in red g a rments a n d with strea mi n g h a ir tra vel , ,

a mong the a bodes of m a n kind c rying A ttend a ll ye ‘

,

who a re ne a r to de a th ; repent a nd be not heedles s ! The

end of the wo rld a ppro a ches but one hundred thous a nd ,

ye a rs more a n d it wil l be de s t royed E xert you rs elves

~ .
,

then exert yours elve s to a cqui re merit A bove a ll things

,
.

be ch a rit a ble ; a bs t a i n from doing evil ; medit a te with love

to a ll bei n gs a n d li s ten to the te a ch ings of holine ss For
,
'

we a re a ll in the mouth of the king of de a th Strive then ea r

n es t
.

ly for merito riou s fruits a n d seek th a t which is good

’
1

N ot
, .

les s rem a rka ble is the Ta rgu m of Jon ath a n Be n

Uzziel to 1 Kings xix whe re a round E li a s on the moun
.
,

t a in g a ther a hos t of a ngel s of the wind clea ving the

‘

mounta in a nd bre a king t

,

h e rocks be fore the L ord a nd

a fter the s e a ngels of commotion a n d next of fi re

’ ’
a nd
‘
, , , ,

fin a lly voice s singi ng in silence preceded the des cent of

,
‘ ’

Jehova h It c a n ha rdly be wondered th a t a prophet of

.

w hom this sto ry w a s told a n d th a t of the s torm evoked ,

from a s m a ll cloud should be ca ught up into th a t ch a riot

,

of the V edic V a yu which h a s rolled on through a ll the

a ge s o f mythology .

M ythologic s tre a m s seem to keep their ch a nnel s a lmost

a s ste a d fa s tly a s rive rs but a s even the s e ch a nge a t
, l a s t or
blend so do the old tra ditions Thu s we fi n d th a t while
, .

Thor a nd Odi n rem a in a s sep a ra te in surviva ls a s V a yu

a nd P a rj a ny a in I ndi a m R us s i a E li as h a s inherited not
,

the m a ntle of the wind god or storm b reedi ng sun but of - -

the Sla vonic Thunderer Perun There is lit t

,

le doubt th a t .

thi s is P a rj a nya de s cribed in the Rig V ed a a s the thun

,
-

derer the showe rer the bounti ful who strikes do w n

,
1
, ,
’ ‘

1 The W heel of he La w , t ’
by H y Al b t T iib
enr a as er, r ner C0 .

83 (Wilson)
1 ’
Rig Veda, -
v. .
 DEM ON S ’
TH U N D E R B OL TS . 1or

trees a nd the wicked Th e people of N ovgorod sa ys

.
’
,
’

Herbers tein formerly o ffered their chie f wors hip a nd

,
‘

a dora tion to a cert a in idol n a med Pe ru n When s u bs e .

q uently they received b a pti s m they removed it from its

pla ce a n d thre w it into the river V olch ov ; a nd the story
,

goes th a t it sw a m a ga inst the s tre a m a n d th a t ne a r the ,

b ri d ge a voice w a s he a rd sa yi ng This for you O in ‘

h a bita nts of N ovgorod in memory of me ; a n d a t t

, ,

’
he
sa me time a cert a in rope w a s thrown upon t
,

h e bridge .

E ven n ow it h a ppens from time to time on ce rt a in d a ys

of t h e yea r th a t this voice of Pe run m a y be he a rd a n d on ,

thes e occa s ions the citizens run together a nd l a s h e a ch

other with ropes a n d s uch a tumult a ri s es t h e re formth a t
a ll the e fforts of the governor c a n sc a rcely a s s u a ge it
,

1 ’
.

Th e sta tue of Perun in Kie f sa y s M r R a l s ton ha d a tru n k , .

,

of wood while the hea d w a s of s ilver with mou s t a che s o f

, ,

gold a nd a mong its wea po n s w a s a m a ce A fa n a s ief s ta te s

t
.
,

ha t in White R u s s i a n tra ditions Perun is ta ll a n d well

-

sha ped with bl a ck h a ir a n d a lo n g golden be a rd Thi s

, .

bea rd rel a tes him to Ba rba ro s s a a n d perh a ps though

dista ntly with the wood demon Ba rba t
, , ,

, os the Wild
-
,

A rcher who divi n ed by the s ongs of birds

,
1
Perun a ls o .

ha s a bow which is S ometimes identified with the ra in ‘

bow a n idea which is known a lso to the Finns From it

'

a ccordi n g to the Whi t

, .
,

e R u ss i a ns a re s hot bur ning a rrows

which se t
, ,

on fire a ll thi n gs th a t they touch In m a ny .

pa rt s of R uss i a (as well a s of Germ a ny) it is suppos ed th a t

these bolts si n k deep i nto the soil but th a t a t the end of ,

three or seven ye a rs they return to the s urfa ce in the Sh a pe

o lo gi s h tones of a bl a ck or d a rk grey co our
f n s l — proba bly
, s —
belemnites or m a s s es of fu ed s a nd which a re ca lled
thunderbolts a nd con s idered a s excellent pre se rva tio n s
aga inst lightning a n d c on fla ra t
,

ions T h e Finns c a ll them

g .

1
M jo Wi d om hi D m
’ 1
16 P
’ ‘ ’
a rs 11. o o erus sr u narc a ae n.
1 02 THE K E Y .

U ko nk iw i — the s tone of thunder god Ukko a nd in Courl a nd -

their n a me is P e rku h n s t
,

e in e which expl a in s itsel f In s om e

c a s es t ing d a rt
.
,

he fla m of P erun bec a me in the im a gin a

'

tion of the people a golden key With it he u n locked t

,

he
e a rth a n d brought to light its concea led tre a s ure s it
.
,

,
s ,

res tra ined w a ters its ca ptive founts of light With it

,
.

a l s o be locked a w a y in s a fety fugitives who wi s h ed to be

put out of the power of m a lign a nt conj urors a n d pe r ,

formed va rious other good oflic e s A ppe a ls to h imto .

exerci s e the s e functions still exist in the s pells used by the

pe a s a nts but h is n a me h a s given w a y to th a t of s ome chri s
,

ti a n pe rs o n a ge In one of them for in s ta nce the A rc h

.
, ,

a ngel M ich a el is c a lled upon to secure the invoke r behind

a n iron door fa s tene d by twenty s e v en lock s the keys of -

,

w hich a re given to the a ngels to be c a r ried to he a ven .

I n a nother John the Ba pti s t is rep res ented as s ta nding

,

upon a s tone in the Holy Se a in hea ven] resting ,

u pon a n i ron crook or s t a ff a nd is c a lled upon to s t a y the

flow o f blood fro ma wound lo c king t
,

h e invoker s veins
’

with h is he a venly key In thi s ca s e the myth h a s p a s s ed

.
’

into a rite In o rder to st a y a violent bleeding from the

.

nos e a locked p a dlock is brought a n d the bl ood is a llowed

to drop through it
, ,

s a perture or the s u ffere r gr as p s a key ,

in e a ch h a nd eithe r pl a n being expected to prove e ffica

,

c iou s A s fa r a s the key is conce rn ed the belie f s eems to

be s till ma in t
.
,

a ined a mo n g ours elves

1 ’
.

Th e Key ha s a holy sen s e in v a riou s religions an d con

seq u ently a n in fern a l key is its n a t
,

ura l counte rpa rt Th e .

V e d ic hymn s which s a y s o much a bout the s hutting a n d

,

openi n g impri s oning a n d rele a s ing of hea venly ra in s a nd

, ,

e a rthly fr u its by demons a nd deities interp ret m a n y ,

phenomen a of n a ture a nd the s a me ide a s h a ve a ri s en in

m a ny l a nd s We ca nnot be ce rt et
,

. a in the re fore th a t C a lm , ,

1 So gs f t h Rn m P opl by W R S R l t M A
o e uss n e e,
’
. . . a s on , . .
 CHI N E SE TH U N D E R D U K E -
.

even to the a ngels : the key of ra in the key of the gra ve

th e key of fru it fulness a n d t
, ,

h e key of b a rrenness It w a s
the S ign of one s et
.
,

a bove a ngels when C hri s t w as s een

with the keys of Hell a n d D e a th or when he delivered ,

1—
the keys of hea ven to Peter still thru s t do w n the ba ck s ,

1
o f prote s t a nt children to cure nose bleed
”
-

Th e ubiquitous s upers tition which a ttributes the flin t

.

arrows of pre historic ra ce s to gods shot by them as light

-
,

n ing a n d a s some s a id fro ma ra inbow is too childlike a

theory to c a ll for ela bora te trea tme n t We need not e t

, , , ,

h no .
,

g ra phic a lly connect our T hor a rrow s a n d E l f shots ‘ ’ ‘ ’

with the s tone s hurled a t

,

morta ls by the Thunder D uk e -

(L u i t
s z
-

) o f C hi na T h e a ncient P a rthi a ns who u s ed to

reply to the thunderstorm by shooting a rrows a t it a nd t

.
,

he
Turk s who a tt a ck a n eclip s e with gun s fa irly repre s ent
,

, ,

the in fa ncy of the hum a n ra ce though perha p s wit h more

th a n it
,

s a vera ge pluck D r M a cgow a n rel a te s conce rnin g . . ,

the Le i ch a u (Thunder D i strict ) of C hin a va rious myt hs

-
,

which resemble those w hich surround the world A fte r .

thunderstorms bl a ck s tones it is believed ma y be fou n d

, , ,

which emit light a n d peculi a r s ounds on being s truck I n .

a temple con s ecra ted to the Thunder D uke the people

a nnu a lly pl a ce a drum for th a t stormy demon to be a t Th e .

dru m w a s formerly le ft on a mount a in top with a little -

boy a s a s ac rifice M r D ennys s pe a k s of the belief in

1 1
. .

1
R i M t t 9 J l N C B R A
a xv 1. 853
1 ou rna 1

t
ev . . . . . . . . . .

1 F lkl o of C hi p
ore 2 4 T h d m h ld by h
n a, im p
’
i F g 3 how
i 1 e ru e e n s s

l t tt h t t t t
. . .

his re ai h d
on g od I J e p h h
un d g d i
e r- o
p d n a an e un e r- o s re re se n e as

d m tg t t
.

h igfi
av n ve g ruh T h w i
s s ru n d g d h l g b g f
o e m e r. e n -
o as a ar e a o co

ressed i b twa r hi h eld ; d

ee n h h t sl l ws
p ou t
i g t
h e rs an e as s ee c a s , re resen n e

h tp tt
p
k d pi i g wi d Th T t i S ib i b li
e rc n n t e d m ar ars n er a e eve a a o en e on

ig d m t
ee n an

k d by b t t
.

my b e ev o e h i ea p nid a m b wh ru e r s orce re rs rov e a a e ea r, o

h y p td t t
a

ttp t
s ar s u h on d f mw h mt
e sce ne, a n g w ro t q ti o e re e n o e a ns e rs o ues on s.

I N
n S t
ova i p titi
co w fi d
a n su d m h m
ers d by d moni t q i t d
e n e ons c ar e ru s n o u e u e.

I I di t h t a mpl d mp e e d h l m
e- ru it i f t h
re serve w su c so e n as soc a ons eve n or e ne

h t id tb t
n n

th iti tt h B h m S mj t it i ra ill b t
o- o a m a s sa o e s e a en as aeco

t
c sec e

t t t
e s

t t
,

t
,

panim en h g o h i h i f h
e or an se n h by h i E gli h f
o i d e r c e c urc e r n s r en s.
 WHI R L WI N D S 10 5

the s a me co u ntry th a t violent wi nds a nd typ h oon s a re

c a used by the p a s sa ge thro u gh the a ir of the Bob ta iled ‘
-

D ra gon a n d a l s o of the ra in god Y ii S h iih A s to rm god

’
- - -
, .

connected with the Ea gre or bore of the river Ts ien ’

ta ng pres e n ts a coincidence of n a me with the Sca ndi

,

n a vi a n O e ir which would be h a rdly notice a ble we re it

g
n ot
,

for the very close resembl a nce between the folklore

c onc erning the Bob ta iled D ra gon a nd the s torm dra gons
- -

of severa l A rya n ra ces Genera lly in both Chin a a nd

.
,

J a p a n the D ra go n is rega rded with a venera tion equ a l to

the horror wit h which the se rpe n t is vi s ited O f thi s .

phenomenon a n d its a n a logies in Brita in I s h a ll h a ve a n

expla n a tion t o submit when we come t o con s ider D ra gon

myth s more p a rticul a rly To this genera l rule the Bob

.

t a iled D ra gon of Chin a is a p a rti a l exceptio n His fidelity .

a s a friend led to the ill return of a n a tta ck by which his

t a il w a s a mputa ted a n d ever s ince his sou red temper ha s

,

shown itsel f in ra isi n g storms When a violent tempest .

a ri s es the C a ntone s e s a y Th e Bob t a iled D ra gon is p a ss

,
-

ing in the sa me proverbi a l w a y a s the A rya n pea s a ntries

,
’

a ttribute the s a me phenome n on to their s torm gods -

.

Th e notio n is widely preva lent in some districts of

Fra nce th a t a ll whirlwind s however s light a re c a used by
, ,

wiz a rds or witches who a re in them c a reering through

the a ir ; a n d it is s t
, ,

a ted by the M elus in e th a t in the

dep a rtment of the Orne storms a re a ttributed t o t he

clergy who a re s upposed to be circli ng i n them The
, .

sa me excellent journ a l s ta tes th a t some yea rs a go in th a t ,

dep a rtment a p a rishio n er who s a w his crops thre a te n ed

,

by a ha il storm fired into the cloud Th e next d a y he

-
.

hea rd th a t the p a rish pries t ha d broken his leg by a fa ll

for which he could not a ccount .

Th e following ex a mples a re give n by Kuhn N ea r .

St a ngenh a gen is a trea s u re hid in a mounta in which Lord

1 06 TH U N D E R -
GOD S
von Thiime n tried to seek but w a s c a ught up with h is
hors e by a whirlwind a nd depo s ited a t
,

home a g a in Th e
D evil is believed to be sea ted a t
.

the centre of eve ry whirl

wind A t
. Biesenth a l it is s a id a noble l a dy beca me t he
Wi n d s bride Sh e w a s in her time a fa mou s rider a nd
’
.

huntress who rode reckle s s ly over fa rmers fields a nd

,
’

ga rdens ; now s he is herself hunted by s n a kes a n d dragons ,

a nd m a y be he a rd howling in every s torm .

I suspect th a t the bri s tling h a ir so frequently portra yed

in the J a pa nese Oni D evils re fers t o their freque n t re s i

dence a t the centre of a ga le of wind Their demon of t

, ,

he .

storm is genera lly pictured throned upon a flower of fl a mes ,

h is upra ised a n d extended fi n gers emitting the mo s t terrific

lightnings which fa ll upon h is victims a nd envelop the m
,

in fl a mes S ometimes however the J a p a ne s e a rtists poke

fu n a t
.
, ,

their thu n der god a nd show him s pra wling on the

-
,

ground from the recoil of h is own lightnings The follow

o C/zr is t
.

ing extra ct from TIt ia n Hera ld (London A pril 12 , ,

1 8 77) will s how h ow fa r the dre a d of this J a p a n e s e Oni

ex t end s : A piou s fa t her writes A fe w d a ys a go there

‘
,
‘

wa s a severe thunders torm which s eemed to g a ther ve ry ,

hea vily i n the direction where my s on lived ; a nd I h a d a

feeling th a t I must go a n d pra y th a t he might be pro
t ect e d a n d not be killed by the lightni n g
, Th e impres .

sion s eemed to s a y There is no time to be lost I obeyed ’

a n d went a n d knelt down a n d pra yed th a t t

, .
,

h e Lord would
s p a re his li fe I believe he hea rd my p ra yer M y son
. .

ca lled on me a fter wa rds a n d spe a king of the s ho w er s a id

, , , ,

Th e lightni n g c a me do w nwa rds a n d s truck the very h oe

i n my h a nd s a n d numbed me I s a id Perh a p s you
, .
’
,

would h a ve been killed if s ome one ha d not been pra ying

for you S ince then he h a s been conve rted a n d I tru s t
’
.
, , ,

will be sa ved in God s everl a s ting kingdom

’
.
’

S uch pa ra gra phs m a y now strike even m a ny christi a ns

1 08 DEM ON S OF I N U N D A TI 01V .

storm demo ns of the coa st an ex a l t

-
a tion recently pro ,

cl a imed by the Government of the empire in obedience as ,

the edict sta ted to the belie f p reva iling a mong s a ilors
In thi s t h e C hine s e a re a lo n g w a y behind t
.
,

h e m a rine rs
a n d fi s hermen of the French coa s t who h a ve for centu ries , ,

by a piou s philology co n nected M a ri a with La M a ré e ,

’ '

and La M e r a n d whenever they h a ve been s a ved fro m

s torms bring their v otive o fferings to s e a s ide sh rine s o f
,
-

the Sta r of the S ea

Th e old Jewish theology in it
.

s e a gernes s to cl a i m for ,

Jehova h the a bs olutism which would m a ke h im Lord of ‘

lord s instituted h is re s pon s ibility for m a ny doubt ful per

,
’

form a n ce s the burthen of which is now es c a ped by the

,

device o f sa ying th a t be permitted them I n this w a y ‘ ’

.

the E lohim who brought on the D eluge h a ve bee n iden

t ifi e d with Jehova h N one the le s s must we s e e in the
.

biblica l a ccount of the Flood the a ction of tempes tuou s

w a ter demons Wh a t power a chri s ti a n would recog n ise
-
.

in such a n event were it rela ted in the s a cred books of

a nother religion m a y be seen in the vision o f t he A po
c a lyps e Th e S e rpent ca s t out of his mouth a flood of
wa ter a fter the wom a n th a t he might ca u s e her to be ,

c a r ried a wa y with the flood ; a nd the e a rth he lped the

wom a n a nd ope n ed it s mouth a n d s w a llowed up the flood .
’

This D emon of Inund a tion meets the explorer of E gyp

ti a n a n d A cc a di a n inscriptions a t every turn Th e ter .

rible S even whom even the God of Fire ca n not co n t rol

brea k down t
, ,

h e b a nks of the A byss of Wa te rs 1

The
‘ ’

God of the Tigri s Tou rt t

.

a k (Ta rt a k of the Bible h

) i ‘
, s e ,

grea t destroyer 1
Levi a th a n m a keth the deep to boi l
.
’

like a pot when he ra i s es up him s el f the mighty a re

‘

a fra id by re a s on of bre a kings they p u ri fy themselves 1 ’

In the A s t
.

ronomica l Ta blets which Pro fes sor Sa yce ,

1
C‘
ifo mI u ne 15 r 1hns 27 , iv.J ob li.
1
. 11. .
1
x .
 SE A DR A GON S

d a tes a bout we ha ve the conti n u a l a s soci a tion of

EC . 1600,

eclip s e a nd flood : On the fi fteenth d a y a n eclip s e ta kes

‘

pl a ce The ki ng dies ; a nd ra in s in t
. h e he a ve n flood s in ,

the cha nnel s a re In the month of E lul (A ugu s t) the

.
’ ‘
,

fourteenth d a y a n eclip s e t a kes pl a ce N orthw a rd

it
, .

s s h a dow is s een ; a n d to the King of M ulli a s a crown

S given To the king the crown is a n omen ; a n d over

”

1 .

the ki n g the eclip s e pa sses R a ins in hea ven floods in .

,

the ch a nnels flow A fa mine is in the country M e n

A ft
. .

their so ns for silver sell er a ye a r the A ir god inun .

’
-

d a te s 1
.
’

In the C hald e o Ba byloni a n cosmogony the three zone s

-

of t h e universe w ere ruled over by a Tri a d a s follo ws

th e He a ven by A n u ; t h e surfa ce of the e a rth includi n g
t
,

h e a tmos phere by Bel ; the unde r world by N ou a h

’
-
, .

Thi s s a me N ou a h is the A ssyri a n He a or S a viour ; a nd

it is N oa h of the Bible The n a me me a n s a re s t or .

residence the pl a ce where ma n ma y dwell When Tia

—
ma t the D ra gon or t
.
,

h e L evi a th a n opens the fount a ins of

t
, ,

h e g re a t deep a n d A n u the windows of He aven it is

’ ‘ ’
, ,

He a or N o a h who sa ve s the li fe of ma n M Fra ncoi s

an t
. .

L e n orm h as shown thi s to be the prob a ble se n se of one

o f the mo s t a n c ient A cc a di a n fra gments in the Briti s h

M useum In it a llusion is ma d e to the se rpent of seven

.
‘

hea d s th a t be a ts the s e a ”
He a however a ppe a rs .
, ,

to be more cle a rly indic ated in a fra gment which P ro

fes s or S a yce a ppe n ds to thi s

B low i t
e he a by s s t
nhe fo ce f l mlt it
u d e my t h ey sacrifi ce r u u s a

w helm i g fea of An i t he m id s t
.

The o of Hea e em d e
’

ver n r n n v n

t
r s

h is pa h
i t tt might tt h im t
.

The s p ri s of ea r h, he ygd o s, w i h s an d no

ligh t
.

The ki g likn igfl h p

e a n n -
as o e ne d .

h P t
t mntLa Magie
1 ’ 1
Records of ei as Lenor a
’

h P tiii
t
, .
, .

1 ’
Record s of e as , . 129 .
1 10 THE FL OOD .

A D AR th tik ft
h f t
e s r er o e or re s s e s of t
h e rebe l b nd ope ed
a n

t tm i t b e p i kl d t
.
, ,

Like h h
e s rea i l s n e c rc e of h ea v en I s h e seed
r n e

m of

t
e n.

His m h i g i t y of B l t
h f lt he t
o t mpl e I d ir ec ed ,
h p t t f m ki d f
arc n n e ea e e

(He t
is ) h e h ero t
of
h g d t e o s, e r o ec or o an n , ar (a nd )
n ea r

O my lo d life f N b (b t
h t i ) i li t
h y i pi t hi
t(b t
r o e o re a e ns ra on nc ne ne ea r.

h ) t t
, ,

0 Ad a r, h e ro, cr ow n of ligh h i rea e y n s pira i on, (incline)

t
,

hi n e e a r.

Th wh lm
e ov e r igf fth my t
e h k n ea r o ee a e s ea n ow

Th y t ti g (i ) t
se h h ld f h i
n tf mm h i g
s e e ra o s re s ro a rc n

I t d h (i ) t t
,

hy m h i g M e ro a c
1

mit
n a rc n s a re s

Th y f th hi t h t
h d tt os

mit
a er on s ron e ou no e

hi t t d t t
.

B l e h
on h s ron e ou os no s e.

Th p i it
e s f th r th i t
hs o m y h
ea r m on e r ron e a e con s u e

M yt hy f t i t t ft t t t
.

a h h h da hy l
er ( h
n o m) g f h e an s o v a ou r ca u se e o o or

M y B l i tt ft t t t
.

a h h e d hyn ol ( h m)
e g f h an s o v a ou r ca u s e e o o or

t t t t
.

(Th e k in g h e pr ocla i e d ) of A n n h e fi rs or n of h e godms b

ttt b t tt t
.
, ,

He h a s a n d s e fore Bel, h e h e a r of he life of he Hou se of

t
h B l d e e ove
’

ft ti (f t h t
t t t
.

Th e h h m
e ro o h ) d i i m
e l i d ou n a n or ose a e n u u e s.

th g d h w ill tg
e on e o ,
e no ur e .
1

In thi s p rimitive fra gment we find the hero of the

mounta in (N o a h ) invoking both Be l a n d N ebo a eria l a nd
, ,

i n fe rn a l I n telligences a n d A d a r the Ch a ld e a n He rcules

th a t bre a t
, ,

for their in s pira tion — ‘

h which in the biblica l
st
,

o ry goes forth in the fo rm of the D ove ( the hera ld or ‘

h is re s tin the A cca d i a n fra gment) a n d in the w ind

,

’ ’
‘
,

by which the w a te rs were a s s u a ged (in the fra gment the ‘

s pirits o f the e a rth which a re given i n to the h a n d of the

violent hero of the moun t a in whom a lone the gods will ,
’ ‘

not
The Hydra m a y be t a ken a s a type of the d e s t ructive

wa ter demon in a double sen s e for It

-
s he a d s rem a in in

m a ny mythica l form s Th e Syri a n D a gon a n d A t e rga t

,

is .
,

fi sh deities h a ve beque a thed but their element to our

-
,

1 The god of t
h E
e u ph ra es. t The Ass yi r an has of t
h high pl
e a ces .
’

1
Record s of t
h P tiii
e as ,
’
. 129 , 130 .
 N I CK O F THE WOO D S .

a ttended by his Knecht K la u ba u f— pers on a ted by those

who kne w a ll a bout the childre n—bringing a s o rt of
doomsd a y The gi fts h a ving been bestowed on the good
children S t N ichol as the n ordered K la u ba u f to put t
.

, . he
n a ughty ones into his p a n n ier a n d ca rry them 0 6 for
puni s hment Th e te rror a nd s hrieks thus c a used h a ve
.

crea ted va st mi s ery a mong childre n a nd in M unich a nd ,

s ome other pl a ce s the a uthorities h a ve very prope rly m a de

such tra gedies illega l B ut for m a n y centuries it w as t

. he
cu s tom of nurs e s a nd mothe rs to threa te n re fra ctory
children with being ca rried off a t the end of the ye a r by
N ichol a s ; a n d in this w a y e a ch ye a r closed in the young ,

a pprehension with a J u d gment D a y a Weighin g of S ouls

, , ,

a n d a D evil or Old N ick a s a gent of ret r ibution .

N ick h a s long si nce lost his a qu a tic ch a ra cter a nd we ,

find his n a me in the Fa r West (A merica ) turning up as

‘
Th e N i ck of the Wood s — the wild legend of a settler
,
’

who following a vow of venge a n ce for h is wrongs used to

, ,

kill the red men while they s lept an d w a s suppos ed to ,

.
—
be a demon Th e J a p a ne s e h a ve a wa ter d ra gon Ka pp a -

— of a retributive a n d mora l kind whose o ffice it is to ,

swa llo w ba d boys who go to swim in di s obedie n ce to their

p a rents c omm a nd s or a t
’
improper times a nd pl a ces It
, .

is not improba ble th a t s uch d a ngers to the young origi

nat e d some of the w a ter demo n s — proba bly such a s a re
-
,

thought of a s diminutive a nd mischievou s N ixies , .

Th e N ix a w a s for a long time on the Ba ltic coa st the

fem a le Old N ick a nd much fe a red by fishermen
‘
,
’
He r .

m a lign di s pos ition is represented in the Kelpie of S cotl a nd ,

— a wa ter horse believed to ca rry a w a y the un w a ry by

-
,

sudd en floods to devour them In Germ a ny there w a s a

river goddess whose temple stood a t
.

- M a gdeburg whe n ce ,

its n a me A legend exi s ts of h er h a ving a ppea red in the

.

m a rket there in christi a n costume but s he wa s detected by ,

 N I XI E S .

a continu al dripping of wa ter from h e corner of her t

a pron . In Germ a ny the N ixies genera lly pla yed the p a rt
of the n a i a ds of a ncient times In R u ssi a simil a r beings
1
.
,

ca lled R u s a lka s a re much more formid a ble

In m a ny regions of Christendom it is rela ted th at
.
,

these
demons rela tives of the Swa n m a idens considered in
,
-
,

a nother ch a pter h a ve been converted into friendly or even

,

piou s cre a tures a nd ba ptized into s a intly n a mes Some

, .

time s there a re legends which reve a l this tra nsition Thus

it
.

is rela ted th a t in the yea r 14 4 0 the dikes of Holla nd being

broken down by a violent tempest the s ea ov e rflowed t
,

he ,

me a dows ; a nd some m a iden s of the town of E d a m in ,

West Friesl a nd going in a bo a t to milk their co ws espied

, ,

a merm a id emb a rra ssed in the mud the w a ters being very ,

sh a llo w They took i t into their boa t a nd brought it to

.

E d a m a n d dres s ed it in women s a pp a rel a nd t a ught it

’

to Spin It a t e as they did but could not be brought t

, ,

.
, o

spe a k It w as c a rried to Ha a rlem where it lived for some

.
,

yea rs though showi n g an inclin a tion to wa ter P a riv a l

w h o tells the story rel a tes th a t they h a d conveyed t
.
, ,

, o it

some notions of the existence of a deity a nd it m a de its ,

reverences devoutly whenever it p a s s ed a crucifix

A nother cre a ture of the sa me species w a s in t
.

h e yea r
1 531 ca ught in the Ba ltic an d sent as a present to S igis
,

m u nd King of Pol a nd It w as se en by a ll the persons

, . .

a bout the court but only lived three d a ys

, .

—
Th e Hydra the torrent which cut off in one direction , ,

—
m akes m a ny he adwa ys in others h a s its surviva ls in the
ma ny di a bolica l n a mes a ssigned to boiling springs a nd t o

torrents th a t become d a ngerously s wollen In Ca li forni a .

the boiling springs ca lled D evil s Te a kettle a nd D evil s ’

-
’

M ush pot repe a t the D evil s Punch bowls of E urope

’ ’ ’
- -

era ble D evi l s B ikes a nd D itches St

,

a n d the innu m
’
. .

D Pl y
1
e a nC
VO L . 1
.
1 14 THE H YD R A .

Gera rd s Hill ne a r Pesth on which the sa i nt s u fle red

'
’

, ,

m a rtyrdom is believed to be crowded with dev ils when

,

ever a n inund a tion threa tens the city ; they indulge in

fiendi s h l a ughter a nd pla y with the telescopes of the ob
s e rv a t
,

ory so th a t they who look through them a fte rwa rds

see only devils a nd witches d a nces ! A t

,

B ud a a cross th e
’ 1 ’

river from P esth is the fa mous D evil s D itch w hich t

,

he ‘ ’ ’
, ,

Fig 6 . .
—Ha nc ur s s . A N D 1 111: a u L
( ouvre ) .

inh a bita nts use a s a sewer while it is dry m a king it a ,

Gehenna to poison them with stenches but which often ,

become s a deva st a ting torrent when th a w comes on the

Block sberg In 1874 the inh a bit a nts va ulted it over to
.

keep a wa y the norm a l stench but the Hydra he a d so ,

-

1
A n ind ivid ual by t
hi m s eans sa w h is w ife mong t
a h e withes so d et ect
ig
he e t
c

t o a sa ying t
t
n

h t us t
,

her u nha llowe d na ure, w hich ga ve r is e h us bands m

b tg
r

t
a

no e s ar -
a zin on
g S tG . era rd s
’
Eve .
1 16 THE B LA CK M ON K .

inevita ble destru ction A ll these prepa ra tions joined by

. ,

the wildness of the a dj a cent Scenery the terrific a spect of

t
,

h e rocks a n d the tempe s tuous st a te of the w a te r were

, ,

su fficient to produce a powerfu l sensa tion on the minds

even of those who ha d been all their lives fa mili a r with
d a ngers ; while the sh a dowy ph a ntoms with which s upe r
st ition h a d peopled it threw a deeper gloom over t he
whole s cene .
’

C oncerning the whirlpool c a lled Wirbel an d the Su r ,

rounding ruins the s a me a uthor w rites : E a ch of these

,
‘

mouldering fortresses w as the subject of some mira culous

tra dition which circul a ted a t
,
eve ry hea rth Th e sombre .

a n d mysterious a spect of the pl a ce its wild scenery a n d

t he freque n t a ccidents which occurred in t

, ,

h e p a ssa ge ,

invested it with a w e a nd terror ; but a bove a ll the super

st it
,

ion s of the time a belie f in the m a rvellous a n d the

, ,

credulity of the bo a tmen m a de the n a vig a tion of the

,

Strudel a nd the Wirbel a theme of the wilde s t rom a nce

At
.

night sounds th a t were hea rd fa r a bove the roa r of the

,

D a nube issued from every ruin M a gic a l lights fla s hed

through t heir loopholes an d eas emen t
.

s festiva ls were held ,

in the long deserted h a lls m as kers glided fro mroom to

-

room the wa ltzers m a ddened to t

,

, he strains of a n in fern a l
orchestra a rmed sentinel s p a ra ded the ba ttlements while
at
, ,

interva ls the cl a sh of a rms the neighing of steeds a n d

the shrieks of une a rthly comba t a nts smote fi t
, ,

fu lly on the
boa t men s ca r But the tower on which these scenes were
’
.

most fea rfully ena cted w a s th a t on the Longstone com ,

mon ly ca lled the D evil s Tower a s it well deserved to

’
,
’

—
be for here in close communion with h is m a ster resided
, ,

the Bla ck M onk whose oflice it was to exhibit fa lse

’

lights a nd l a ndm a rks a long the gul f so a s t

,

o decoy the ,

vessels into the whirlpool or d a sh the maga inst the rocks

, .

He was consid era bly a nnoyed in h is q u a rters however on , ,

 DEM ON S OF THE R HON E .
m .

t
h e a rriva l of the gre a t Solim a n in these regions ; for to
repel the turba ned host or a t lea st t
, o check their t riu m

pha nt progress to the Upper D a nube the inh a bita nt s were

summoned t
,

o join the n a tion a l st a n d a rd a n d e a ch to

de fend his own he a rth Fort ifi c a t

,

ion s were suddenly

t
.

hrown up even churches a nd other religious edifices were

,

pl a ced in a sta te of milit a ry de fence ; women a nd chil

dren t,
he a ged a n d t h e sick as a lre a dy mentioned in our
,

n otice of S ch a umb u rg were lodged in fortresses a n d thus

, ,

secured from the violence of the a ppro a chi ng M os lem

A mo n g the other points a t which the gre a te s t e ffort
.

s were
ma de to check the enemy the passage of the Strudel a nd
,

Wirbel w as re n dered as impregn a ble a s the time a n d cir

cu m sta n ce s of the c a se wo u ld a llow To supply m a teria l s
.

for the work p a triotism for a time got the better of super
st it
,

ion a n d the s a id D evil s Tower w a s demolished a nd

’

convert
,

ed into a strong bre a stwork Thus forcibly d is

lodged t h e Bl a ck M onk is s a id t
.

, o h a ve pronounced a

m a lediction on the intrude rs a n d to h a ve chosen a new

h a u nt a mong t
,

h e recesses of the Ha rz mount a ins

’
.

When the gla cie rs send do w n their to rrents a nd flood

the R ho n e it is t ,
h e immemori a l belie f th a t the D evil m ay

be sometimes seen swimming in it with a sword in one ,

ha nd a n d a golden globe in the other S i nce it is con

t
.

ra ry to a ll orthodox folklore th a t the D evil should be

s o friend ly with wa ter the n a me m u s t be reg a rded as a

,

modern substitute for the ea rlier Rhone demon We pro .

ba bly get clo s er to the o rigin a l form of the superstition

in the Swi ss Oberl a nd which interprets the noises of the
,

Furk a Gl a cier which feeds the R hone a s the gro a ns of

, ,

wicked souls co ndemned for ever to l a bour there in direct

ing the river s course ; th eir mistress bei ng a demoness
’

who sometimes a ppe a rs j ust be fore t he floods floa ting on ,

a r a ft an d ordering the river to rise

,
.
1 18 US .

There is a tid a l demonol a try a lso The a uthor of

R a mbles in N ort
.

‘
humberl a nd gives a tra dition conce rn
’

ing the river Wa n s beck : Thi s river disch a rge s itsel f into
the sea a t a pl a ce c a lled C a mboi s a bout nine mile s to the
,

e a stwa rd a nd the tide flows to withi n five mile s of M or

peth Tra dition report
,

. s th a t M ich a el S cott w ho s e fa me ,

a s a wiz a rd is not confined to S cotl a nd would h ave ,

brought the tide to the town ha d not the coura ge of the

person fa iled u pon whom t h e execution of thi s project
d epended Thi s a gent of M ich a el a fter h is princip a l h a d
performed cert
.
,

a in spells w as to ru n from the neighbour

,

hood of Ca mbois to M orpeth without looking behind an d

t
,

h e tide would follow him A fter h a ving a dva nc ed a cer

t a in dista nce he bec a m e a l a rmed a t
.

the roa ring of the

w a ters behind him a nd forgetting the injunction ga ve a
, ,

gl a nce over his shoulder to s ee if the d a nger w a s immi

nent when the a dva ncing tide immedi a tely stopped a n d
, ,

the burge ss es of M orpeth thus lost the ch a nce of h a ving

the Wa n s beck n a viga ble between their town a nd the s ea .

It is a lso sa id th a t M ich a el inte n ded to con fer a simil a r

fa vour on the inh a bita nts of D urh a m by m a king the We a r ,

n a vigable to their city ; but h is good intention s which were

t
,

o be c a rried into e ffect in the s a me m a nner were a lso ,

frustra ted by the cowa rdice of the person who h a d to guide

the tide .
’

Th e gentle a n d just king B olu s who t a ught his

isl a nders n a viga tion in his m ythologic t ra n s fi gu ra t
,

ion h a d
t
,

o sh a re the w a yw a rd di s po s ition s of the winds he wa s

s a id to rule ; but though he wrecked the Troj a n fleet a nd

m a ny a s hip h is old hum a n he a rt rem a ined to be t rusted
,

on the a ppe a ra nce of Ha lcyon His u nh a ppy d a u ghter of

.

th a t n a me ca st hers el f into the s ea a fter the shipwreck of

her husb a nd (Ceyx) a n d the two were ch a nged into birds
, .

I t w a s believed th a t for seven d a ys be fore a nd seven a fter

to
s F A I R E R F OR M S .

are supposed especia lly mi s chievou s in t h e spring whe n ,

to rrents a nd floods a re po u ring from melted sno w Thos e .

u ndefin e d monsters which Beowul f sle w Grendel a n d his

moth er are interpret ed by S imrock a s pe rson ifi ca t

,

ion s of
the u nta med s ea a nd sto rmy floods inva ding the low flat
,

shores whose deva st a tions so filled Fa ust with ho rror (I I

,
.

a n d in comb a ting which his own hithe rto d esol a ting

p owers found their t a sk .

Th e Sea s w eeps on in t h ou s and qu a rt ers fl ow i ng

It
s elf n fru itf l b arr nnes s be s t
,

u u , eow ing

Itb ks n d sw lls and rolls and overwhelms

rea a e

Th e d sert stre tch of d e s ola t

, , ,

e ed re alm s

Let th t
.

h igh joy be m
a ine for ev erm ore

To shut the lord ly O cea f omt

,

he s h ore
n r

Th e wa tery was t e t it an d t
,

o lim o bar

An d pu sh it b a ck u pon it
,

s elf a fa r 1

In ch bra ve work Fa ust ha d m a ny forerunne rs whose

su

a rt
,

a n d coura ge h a ve their monument in the fa irer fa bles

of a ll these element a l powers in which fe a r s a w demons .

P a va n a in Indi a messenger of the gods rides upon the

wind s a n d in his fo rty nin e forms corresponding with t
, , ,

,
-
he ,

points of the Hindu comp a ss gu a rd s the ea rth Solomon

too journeyed on a m a gic c a rpet woven of t
, .
,

he w inds which
still serves the purposes of the Wise Fro mt
, ,

he chu rn ed
oce a n rose La ks hm i (a fter the sol a r origin w as lost to t
.

he
myth) Hindu goddess of prosperity ; a n d from the s ea
,

foa m rose A phrodite Bea uty These fa ir forms h a d their

,
.

tru e worshipper in the N orthma n who le ft on mas tered

wind a nd wa ve his song as E merson found it
,

The gale h a tt
w recked you on t
h e san d ,

t my
I h elped t row ers o row

Th tmi m b
e s or
y t
g ll y h s es a e a nd ,

An d d rives m wh
e ere I go .
 C H A P TE R V .

A N I M A LS .

Animl d emo
a ns it d s inguish ed —Trivial s ources of M yt
h ology—Hed ge
—
h og Fox — T ra sm
n igra t
ions in t
J a pa n— Horse s bew i tched — Ra s
— Lion s—Ca t
s— Th e D g— G t ho h f d g —S p
oe e s
’
ti orror o o s u ers

t
ion s of t
h P
e a rs ees , p pl f
eo T e o d A m i N
ra va n core , a n
g e r c an e r oe s ,

Red In d ian s, & c —Cy pb l —

i
n oceTh W lf— Ta od iti f t
h e o ra ons o e
—Th B —S p t
.

N ez P erces Fe nr i —F b l —Th B
s a es e oa r e ear er en

E ver y animal power t

o h armd emon ised —Horn s .

t
m
THE a nim a l demon s— those whose evil repute is h resulte

of so ething in their n a ture which ma y be inimica l to

ma n should be distinguished from the forms which h ave
—
been di a bolised by a ssoci a tion with mythologica l pers on
a ges or ide a s Th e lion tiger a n d wol f a re ex a mples of the
one cl a ss ; the st a g horse owl a nd ra ven of the other But
.
, ,

there a re circumst a nces which render it ve ry di ffi cult t

, , , .

observe this di s tinction Th e line h a s to be dra wn if at

.
,

a ll between the me a sureles s forces of de gra d a tion on the

,

one side discovering some evil in a nim a ls which but for

, ,

their ba d a ssoci a tions would not h a ve been much thou ght

,

of ; a n d of euphemi s m on the other tra ns forming h a rm fu l ,

be a st s to benign a nt agents by dwelling upon some minor

ch a ra cteri s tic .

There a re a fe w obviously d a ngerous a nim a ls such as ,

the se rpent where it is e a sy to pick our w a y ; we ca n

recognis e the fe a r th a t fla tt
e rs it
,

to a n a g athodemon a nd
r z2 THE R E D GE H OG .

the diminished fe a r th at pronounces it a ccurst But wh a t 1

sh a ll be s a id of the Goa t ? W a s there re a lly a nyt

.

hing
in its smell or in its flesh when firs t e a ten it s butting , ,

or injury to p la nts which o rigin a lly cl a ssed it a mong the

,

uncle a n a nim a ls ? or w a s it merely demonised beca u s e of

its u nca n ny a nd sh a ggy a ppe a ra nce ? Wh a t expla n a tion
ca n be given of the evil repute of our household friend the

C at ? Is it derived by inherit a nce from it s fierce a nce s to rs

of the j ungle ? W a s it fi rst suggested by its horrible

hum a n like sleep murde ring c a terwa uli n gs a t
- -
night ? or
h a s it simply s u flere d from a theologica l curse on the ca ts
'

s a id to dra w the ch a riots of the godde s ses of Be a uty ?

Th e demonic D og is if a nything a s till more complex

subject The student of myt
, ,

hology a nd folklore speedily

becomes fa mili a r with t
.

h e trivi a l sources from which vas t

stre a ms of superstition o ften issue Th e cock s ch a llenge .
’

to the a ll detecting s u n no doubt origina ted his omin

-

ou s c a reer from the C ode of M a nu to t h e cock he a ded -

devils frescoed in the ca thedra ls of R uss i a Th e fleshy .

,

forked roots of a s oporifi c pl a nt issued in th a t v a st M a n

dra ke M ythology which ha s been the subject of m a ny
volumes without being even yet fully explored The
Ita li a n s h a ve a sa ying th a t One kn a very of t
.
,

h e hedgehog is
worth more th a n m a ny of the fox ; yet the nocturn a l a nd ’

hibern a ting h a bits a n d genera l q u a intness of the humble

hedgehog ra ther th a n his furtive propensity to prey on
,

eggs a nd chickens m u st h a ve ra ised hi m to the honours

,

of d e m onh ood In va rio u s popul a r fa bles thi s little a nim a l

proves more th a n a m a tch for the wol f a n d the serpen t
.

It w a s in the form of a hedgehog tha t the D evil is sa id

to h a ve m a de the a ttempt to let in t h e s ea through the
Brighton D owns which w a s prevented by a light being
,

1 Thi P t t
s yp ro ean e ofboth d m d d il m t om
e p y
on an ev us acc an us so con

t
i lly t
nua h rough t
hi
s v ol m th t
u b t t
lit
l
e d ba u i t
id of it hi
e nee e sa n t
s chap er.
1 24 THE HA R E .

to h is visi t ; a nd on such occ a sion s the su ffere rs a n d

their friends rep a i r to some a ncient gn a rled tree in which
th e fox is t heoretica lly resident a nd propiti a te him j u s t ,

as would be done to a serpent in other regions In J a pa n

the fox is not
.

reg a rded a s a lwa ys h a rm ful but genera lly

He is not t
,

so. o be killed on a n y a ccount Bein g thus .

sp a red through superstition the foxes increase su ffi ciently

to s u pply a bu n d a n t
,

m a teri a l for the continu a nce of its

’

demonic ch a ra cter Ta ke us the foxes t

.
‘
h e little foxes ,

th a t spoil the vines is a n a dmonition reversed in J a p a n

1 ’
, .

Th e correspondence between the cunning respected in thi s

a nim a l a n d th a t of t h e serpe n t reverenced elsewhere is , ,

confirmed by M r Fitz C u nlifle Owen who observed as

'

h e in forms me th a t t h e J a p a nese will n ot kill even t

.
, ,

, he
poisonous sn a kes which cra wl freely a mid the decaying
Buddhist temples of N ikko one of the most s a cred pl aces ,

in J a pa n where once as m a ny a s eight thous a nd mon a s tic

,

Buddhists were h a rboured It is the red fox th a t a bounds

in J a pa n a nd its hum a n like cry a t
.

night nea r hum a n h a bi

-

tat ion s is such a s might e a sily encoura ge these s u pe rs t

,

i
tions But furthermore mythology supplies m a ny illus
tra t ion s of a credita ble tende n cy a mong rude tribes t
.
, ,

ma rk out for speci a l veneration or fe a r a ny force in n a ture

finer th a n mere strength E merson s ays Foxes a re so .
,
‘

cunning bec a use they a re not strong In our J a pa ne s e .

’

demon whose three eyes a lone connect it with the p rae

te rn a t t
,

u ra l vision a scribed by th a t ra ce to the fox he ,

h a relip is very pronounced Th a t little a nim a l the Ha re .

, ,

is a ssoci a ted with a l a rge mythology perh a ps beca use out ,

of its we a kness proceeds its m a in forces of surviva l

timidity vigil a nce a nd swi ft n ess The superstition con

, , .

cerning the h a re is found in A frica The sa me a nim a l is .

the much venera ted good genius of the Ca lmucs who c a ll

-
,

1
C a n icles t u. 15 .
 THE WE A SE L 125

him s akya muni (Bu d dh a) a n d s ay th a t

-
on ea r th he sub
mit t
,

ed himsel f to be e a ten by a sta rv ing m a n for which

gra cious deed he w a s ra ised t

,

o dominion over the moon

where they pro fess t

,

o see him Th e leg end is proba bly

.

tra ce a ble b a ck to the S a nskrit word s as zfz moo n which

'

t
, ,

mea ns lite ra lly he h are ma rked S ara mea ns h a re

-
’ ’

Pa usa ni a s rel a tes th e story of t

. .

he moon goddess instructing -

exiles to build their city where they s h a ll s ee a h a re ta ke

re fuge i n a my rtle grove In the demonic fa un a of J a pa n
- l

fi gu es t
.

a nother cunning a nim a l r — h e We a se l Th e n a me of

this demon is the sickle we a sel a n d it a lso seems t
.

‘ ’
o

occupy t In t
,

h e position of a sc a pe go a t he l a ngu a ge of
-
.

a J a p a nese report ,When a person s clogs s lip fro munder

‘ ’

his feet a nd he fa lls a n d cuts his fa ce on the gra vel or

when a person w ho is out a t night when he ought t
, ,

h a ve been a t home presents himsel f t

,

o h is fa mily with a

freshly sca rred fa ce t t

,

h e wound is re ferred o the a gency

t
-
,

of he m a lign an t invisibl e we a sel a n d his sh a rp sickle

’

In an a borigin a l legend of A merica a lso t

.

wo siste r de , ,

mons commonly ta ke the form of weas els .

Th e popul a r feeling which underla y much of the a nim a l

worship in a ncient times w as proba bly th a t which is re
flect e d in the J a p a nese notions of to d a y as told in the -
,

subjoined sketch from an a musing book .

O ne of thes e vi s itors wa s a n old m a n who himsel f w as

at
,

the time a victim of a popula r superstition th a t the

depa rted revi s it the scenes of their li fe in t his world in
sh a pes of di fferent a nim a ls We noticed tha t he w a s not
.

in his usu a l s pirits a nd pressed him to unburden h is mind

t
,

o us. He sa id he ha d lost his little son C hios in but th a t ,

w a s not so much the c a use of h is grie f as the a bsurd w a y

in which his wi fe b a cked up by a whole concla ve of old
women wh o had ta ken up their a bode in his house t
,

o
1
t
De Guberna is, n . viii
.
1 26 AN I M A LS P OSS E SSE D .

com fo rt her was going on , Wh a t d o they a ll do ? w e

.
‘ ’

a sked symp a thetic a lly Why he replied every bea stly ’

.
, ,

a nim al th a t comes to my house there is a cry a mongst ,

them a ll Ch ios in Chios in ha s come b a ck a nd the whole

, ,

—
house sw a rms with ca ts a n d dogs a nd b a ts for they s a y
they a re not q uite sure which is Chios in a nd th a t they ,

h a d better be kind to the lot th a n run the ch a nce of tre a t

ing h im b a dly ; the conseque nce is a ll these brutes a re ,

fe d on my rice a nd me a t a n d n ow I a mdriven out of ,

doors a n d ca lled a n unn a tura l pa rent beca us e I killed a

mosquito which bit me l 1

Th e st ra nge a nd inexplica ble beh aviour of a nim a ls in

ca ses of fea r p a nic or p a i n ha s been genera lly a ttributed
, ,

by ignora nt ra ces to thei r possession by demons O f this .

n a ture is the story of the devil entering the herd of s wine

a n d ca rrying them into the s ea rel a ted in the N e w Test a ,

ment It is s a id th a t even yet in some p a rts of Scotla nd

the milkm a id c a rries a switch of t
.

h e m a gic a l ro w a n to
expel the de mon th a t sometime s enters the c ow Pro .

fe s s or M onier Willi a ms writes from S outhern Indi a

When my fellow tra vellers a nd mysel f were nea rly
-

d a shed to pieces over a p recipice the o t her d a y by some

re s tive hors es on a gh a t nea r Poon a we were told th a t the
roa d a t
,

this p a rticula r point w a s h a unted by devil s who

o ften ca used simil a r a ccidents a n d we were given t o ,

u ndersta nd tha t we should h a ve done well to concili a te

Ga nes a son of the god S iva a n d a ll his troops of evil
, ,

S pi rits before sta rting Th e s a me writer a lso tells us

,
.
’

th a t the gu a rdi a n Spirits or mothers who h a unt most ‘ ’

regions of the Peninsul a a re believed to ride a bout on

hors es a nd if they a re a ngry sca tter blight a nd di s e a se
, , .

Hence the tra veller j ust a rrived from E urope is st a rtled

1 ‘
O ur Life in Japan '
(Jephs on and El h irsm t9 t
, h R gim t
) Ch pm
e en , a an

Ha ll, 1869 .
1 28 THE S TA G A N D THE RA T!

a nd D emonology To
the list of a nim als demonised by
N o doubt t
.

a ssoci a tion must a lso be a dded the S t ag he .

a nxious mothers wives or s w eethea rts of ra sh young

, ,

huntsmen utilised the old fa bles of bea uti ful hind s wh ich
in the deep forests cha nged to demons a n d devoured their
pu rsuers for a dmonition ; but the fact th a t such s ags h a d
,
1

to tra n s form themselves for evil work is a su ffi cien t cer tifi

t
c a te of c ha ra cter to prevent their being included a mong
the a nim a l demons proper th a t is such a s h a ve in whole
or p a rt supplied in their disposition t an t
, ,

o h a r mm h e b a sis
of a demonic represent a tion .

It will not be deemed wonderful th a t Ra ts be a r a ven e

ra ble ra nk in D emonology Th e shudder which som e
nervous persons feel a t
.

sight of even a h a rmless mouse is

a surviva l from the t i me when it wa s believed th a t in this
form u nshriven souls or u n b a ptized ch ildren h au nt ed thei r
for m er homes ; an d proba bly it would be di ffi cult to es ti
m a te the number of ghost stories wh ich h a ve origin a ted in
-

their nocturn al sc a mperings M a ny legends report t he

dep a rture of unha llowed souls from hum a n mouths in t
.

he
sha pe of a M ouse D u ring t . h e ea rlier N a poleonic wa rs
mice were used in S outhern Germ a ny as diviners by being
set with inked feet on the ma p of E urope t
,

o sho w where

the fa ta l Fre n chmen would m a rch They ga ined this

sa nc t
.

ity by a series of as soci ations with force stretching

b a ck t t
o h e Hindu fa ble of a mouse delivering the e le

ph a nt an d the lion by gna wing the cords th a t bound the m .

Th e ba ttle of the Frogs a nd M ice is a scribed to Homer .

M ice a re s a id to h ave foretold the first civil w a r in R ome

by gn a wing the gold in the temple R a ts a ppea r in .

va rious legends as a vengers The uncles of King Popel n s

.

I I murdered by him a nd his wi fe a nd thrown into a l a ke

rea pp ea r as ra ts a nd gn a w t
,

h e king a n d q ueen to de a th .

Eg t he d m o H o o i t he P e t am
1 ’
. .
, e n e o e
u rc n n r n .
 THE LI 01V .

Th e sa me fa te overt a kes M is k ila u s of P ol a n d throu gh the ,

tra nsformed widows a nd orph a ns he ha d wronged M ouse .

Tower st a nding in the middle of the R hine is the h a unted

, ,

monument of cruel A rchbishop Ha tto of M a inz who

t
, ,

( an no 97 )
0 b a de the fa mine str icken people rep a ir o h is -

ba rn w herein he shut them fa st a nd burned them Bu t

, .

next morning an a rmy of ra ts h aving ea ten a ll the corn ,

in h is gra n a ries d a rkened the roa ds to the pa l a ce Th e

,
.

prela te sought re fuge from them in the To w e r but they ,

swa m a fter gn a wed through the wa lls a nd devoured him 1

St
.
,

Gertrude we a ring the funere a l m a ntle of Hold a

.
, ,

comm a nd s a n a rmy of mice In thi s re s pect she succee d s

t
.

o the P ied Piper of Ha melin who a l s o le a ds off children ;

a n d my ingenious friend M r John Fi s ke sugges ts th a t t

,

hi s .

ma y be the rea son why Iri s h serva nt m a ids o ften show -

s uch fra ntic terror a t sight of a mou s e Th e c a re of

2
.

children is o ften intrusted to them a n d the a ppea ra nce of ,

mice prognostica ted of old the a ppea ra nce of the pre te r

n a tura l ra t
c a tcher a n d ps ychopomp P liny s a ys th a t in
-

his time it w as considered fo rtun a te t o meet a white ra t

.

Th e people of Ba ss o ra h a lw a ys bow to the s e revered a n i

m a l s when see n no doubt to propiti a te them
, .

Th e L ion is a symbol of m ajesty a n d of the s u n in h is

glory (rea ched in the zo d i a ca l L e o) though here a n d there ,

his origin a l demonic ch a ra cte r a ppe a rs — a s in the com ,

ba ts of I n d ra S a m s on a n d Hera kles with te rrible lion s

, , .

E uphemism in one sense fulfil s the condition s of Sa m

, ,

s on s riddle— Sweetnes s comin g out of the Strong— a n d

’ O

ha s brought honey out of the L ion His cruel ch a ra cte r .

h as subtly fa llen to S irius the D og s t a r to whom a re -

,

a s cribed the drought a nd m a l a ri a of dog d a ys (when the

’
-

1
tZ
See De Gu berna is oologica l M yt
h l gy
o o
’
which con t
i a ns t
fu r her curious
t t bj t
,

de il
a hi
s on s su ec

M yt d M yt Bo t
.

1
h mk O good Co
’
h s an -
a ers . os n s .

VO L I . .
1 30 THE CA I ?

sun isin L eo) ; but the p rimitive fa ct is intim a ted in seve

ra l fa ble s lik e th a t of A ris t
a u s who born a fter his mother , ,

ha d been re s cued fro mthe Ly bia n lion w a s wors hipped ,

in C eo s a s a s a viou r from both d roughts a n d lions The

L ion co uching a t
.

the feet of be a uti ful D oo rga in Indi a t e ,

a ppe a rs dra wing the ch a riot of A ph rodite a n d typifie s the ,

potency of bea uty ra the r t ha n a s E merson interp rets tha t , ,

bea uty depend s on stre n gth Th e ch a riot of the N orse .

V en u s Fre yja w a s dra wn by C a t s dimini s hed forms of her

, , ,

S outhe rn si s ter 5 steed s It w a s p a rtly by the s e routes the

’

Ca t ca me to pl ay the s ometimes ben e fi cen t

.

r61e in R u s si an ,

a n d to s o m e extent in Ge rm a n French a nd E nglish folk

lore eg P uss in Boot s Whittington a n d h is Ca ta n d
, ,

M a d a me D A u ln oy s L a C/za t t
.
, , , ,

The demonic
’
e B la n e/w
’
.

ch a ra cteri s tics of the destructive ca ts h a ve bee n inherited

by the bl a ck — o r as in a cbeth the brindled c a tI n
M —
Germ a ny the a pp ro ach of a ca t t
, , , ,
.

o a sick bed a nnounce s -

de a th ; to dre a m of one is a n evil omen In Hunga ry it

is s a id every bl a ck c a t becomes a witch a t
.

the a ge of
seven It is t . h e witch s fa vourite riding hors e but m ay
’
-
,

som eti mes be sa ved from s uch servitu d e by incision of the

s ign of the c ro s s A scra tch from a bl a ck c a t is thought
to be t
.

h e beginning o f a fa ta l spell
D e Gu be rn a t
.

is 1
h as a very curious s pecul a tion c on
c erning the origin of our fa mili a r fa ble the Kilkenny
C a ts which he t ra ce s to the Ge rm a n superstition which
,

dre ads the comba t between ca ts a s pres aging de a th to

one who witnesses it a nd thi s belief he finds reflected in
the Tusca n child s ga me of soul s in which t ’
h e devil a n d ,
’

a ngel a re supposed to contend for the s oul Th e a uthor .

thi nks this may be one outco me of the contest bet wee n
N ight a n d Twilight in M ythology ; but if the connec ,

tion ca n be tra ced it would proba bly prove to be d e rived

,

Z logi l M y th logy p 64
1 ’
oo ca o , . .
1 32 THE D O G .

of this kind we h ave too m a ny (God wot) athome

,

King J a mes a gre a t while w a s lo a th to believe there

were witches ; but th a t which h a ppened to my Lord
Fra ncis of R u t la n d s children convinced him who were
'

bewitched by a n old wom a n th a t w as a serva nt of Belvoir

Ca stle but being di s ple a s ed s h e contra cted with the
D evil who conversed with her in the form o f a C a t
, , ,

who m
s h e c a lled R u tt
, ,

e rk in to m a ke a wa y those children out of

,

mere m a lignity a n d thirst of revenge It is to be fea red .

’

th at m a ny a poor wom a n h a s been burned as a witch

a g a inst whom her cherished c a t w a s the chie f witness .

It would be a curious psychologica l study to tra ce how

fa r the s uperstition owns a s urvival in even scientific
minds a s in Bu flon s vitupera tion of the cat
— a n d in t
’
’
he
of a c a t
, ,

a stonishing story told by M r Wood , which sa w .

,

a gho s t (a nno 18 77) l

Th e D og so long the fa ith ful frie n d of m

, a n a n d even , ,

possibly beca use of the degree to which he h a s ca ught

,

his m a ster s m a nners h as a l a rge de monic history In

’
, .

the Semitic stories there a re m a ny tha t indic a te the p a t h

by which dog beca me the M ussulm a n synonym of
’

infidel ; a n d the one dog K a t mir who in A ra bic legend

w a s a dmitted to P a r a di s e for h is fa ith ful w a tching three
hund red a n d nine ye a rs b e fore the ca ve of the Seven
S leepe rs mu s t h a ve d ri fted a mong the M o s lem s fro m
1

Indi a a s t he E phesi a n S leepe rs did from the christi a n

world I n the bea uti ful epi s od e of the M a h zibhé ra t a
’

Y u d h is t
.
,

h ira h a ving journeyed to the door of hea ven ,

re fu s e s to enter into th a t h a ppy a bode unle s s h is fa ith fu l

dog is a dmitted a lso He is told by Indra M y hea ven .
,

h ath no pl a ce for dogs ; they s te a l a wa y ou r o fferings on

ea rth ; a n d a g a in I f a d o but behold a sa crifice men
’ ‘

This d iflic u lt
, g ,

este em it unholy a nd void y w a s solved

.
’

K iii 1
ora n, xv .
 D OGS I N HAD E S . 1 33

by the D og — Ya ma in di s guise — revea ling himsel f a nd

pra ising h is friend s fidelity It is tolera bly cle a r th a t it

’
.

is to his connection with Y a m a god of D e a th a n d unde r

, ,

the evolution of th a t du a li s m which divided the u n iverse

into upper a n d nether,th a t the D og w as degra ded a mong
our A rya n a ncestors ; a t the sa me time his s ometime s
w olfi s h di s po s ition a n d s o me othe r n a tura l ch a ra cters sup

plied the ba s is of his demonic ch a ra cter He w a s a t once .

a d a ngerous a n d a corruptible gu a rd .

In the e a rly V edi c M ythol ogy it is the a bode of the

gods th a t is gu a rded by the two dogs identified by sol a r ,

Fig 8
. . m
— i m(C lmt
s a ) e .

mytho logists a s the mo rni ng a n d evening twilight : a

l a ter ph a s e s hows them in the s ervice of Y a m a a n d they ,

rea ppea r in the gu a rdi a n of the Greek Ha des C erberu s

'

, ,

a n d Orthro s The first of these h as bee n tra ced to the

V edic S a rv a ra the l a tte r to the monster V rit
.

ra Orthros ‘ ’

is the phonetica l equiva lent of V rit

, .

ra The bitch Sa ra m a .
,

mother of the two Vedic dogs proved a trea cherous ,

 1 34 P S YCHO P O M P .

gu a rd a nd w as sl a in by I n dra He nce the R ussi a n

, .

pe as a nt comes fa i rly by a nother vers ion of how the D og ,

while on gu a rd a dmitted the D evil into hea ven on being

t hro w n a bone Bu t
,

the two w a tch dogs of the Hindu

m
-
.

yth do not s eem to bea r a n evil ch a ra cter I n a funera l .

hymn of the R ig V ed a (x -
a dd re ss ed to Y a m a Kin g
’
.
,

o f D e a th w e re a d
,
— By a n a u s picious p a th do thou
‘

h a s ten p a s t the two four eyed brind led dogs the o ffs pri n g -
,

of S a ra m a ; the n a ppro a ch the be a uti ful Pit ri s who re

j oice together with Y a m a Intru s t him O Y a m a to t . hy , ,

two w a tch dogs fou r eyed roa d gu a rding a nd ma n

- - -

obs e rving Th e t
, , ,

. w o brown me s s e n gers of Y a m a b ro a d of ,

n o s tril a n d i ns a ti a ble w a nder a bout a mong men ; ma y

,

they give us a ga in to d a y the a u s piciou s brea th of li fe

-

th a t we may se e the sun 1

A n d now thou s a nd s of yea rs a fter thi s w a s s a id we find
t h e D og s till reg a rded a s the s eer of gho s t s a n d w a tch e r
at
,

the g a te s of de a th of w hose opening h is howl forewa rn s

, .

Th e howling of a dog on the night of D ecembe r 9 18 71

at
, ,

S a n dri n gh a m whe re the P rince of Wa les la y ill w a s

, ,

thought impo rt a nt enough for news p a pers to report to a

s hudde ring country I re a d l a tely of a dog in a Ge rm a n
.

I v ill a ge which w a s suppo s ed to h a ve a nnounced s o m a ny

dea ths th a t he beca me a n object of gene ra l te rro r a n d ,

w a s put to de a th In th a t count ry belie f in the demo n ic

.

ch a ra cter of the dog s eem s to h a ve been s t rong enou gh

t o t ra nsmit a n influence even to the po w e rfu l b ra in o f

Goethe .

I n Goethe s poem it w a s when Fa u s t w a s w a lking with

’

the s tudent W ag n e r t
,

h a t the bl a ck D og a ppe a red ru s hing ,

a round them in s r —
pira l cu ves s pre a di n g a s Fa u s t s a id a , ,
‘

m a gic coil a s a sn a re a round them ; t h a t a fter thi s d og

1 ’

1
Wagn er B eh old hi mst
op — u pon h is b lly
e cra w l

t td th
.

The cleve r schola r of h e s u e n s, e 2

1
36 M E P HI S TOP HE LE S ’
D OG .

fo r m you will , vile la rva you sh a ll n ot subjuga te me !

,

A fter some p a use, he res umed with the rem a rk : Th is

ra bble of cre a tion is extremely ofle ns iv e It is a perfect
'

p a ck of mon a des with which we a re thrown together in

this pl a neta ry nook ; thei r compa ny will do u s lit tle h on ou r
’

with the i n h a bita nts of other pl a nets if they h a ppe n to ,

he a r a nything a bout them .

’

In visiting the hou se where Goethe once resided in

Weim a r I w a s s ta rtled to find a s the chie f orn a ment of
,

the h all a l a rge bronze dog of full s ize a nd ve ry d a rk , , ,

looking proudly forth as if he pos ses sed the Goethean

,

mon a s a fter a ll However it is not proba ble th a t the

.
,

poet s re a l di s like of dogs a rose solely fro mth a t specula

’

tion a bout mon a des It is more proba ble tha t in obs ervin g
.

the old wa ll picture in A uerb a ch s cell a r wherein a dog

-
’

sta nds be s ide M ephistopheles Goethe w a s led t

,

o consider ,

ca re fully the c a uses of th a t intim a cy Un fortun ately a n d .

,

notwithst a nding the fa ble s a n d the s entiment which invest

th a t a nim a l there a re some very repuls ive things a bout
,

him such a s h is tendency to m a dness a n d the infliction

,

on ma n of a fright ful dea th The Greek M a ni a s fleet .

’ ‘

hounds (Ba cch a 9 77) ha ve s prea d terrors fa r a n d wide

’
.

Those who c a re fully pe ru s e the a ccount given by M r .

L ewes of the qu a rrel between K a rl A ugu s t a nd Goethe

on a ccount of the O ppositio n of the l a tter t o th e in t
,

rod u c

—
tion of a pe rfo rming dog on the Weim a s t a ge an incident
r

which led t o his resign a tion of h is position of intend a nt of

the thea tre may detect this a version mingli ng with his
—
di s gust as a n a rtist ; a nd it ma y be a lso suspected th a t
i t w as n ot the mere n oi s e which ca u s ed th e to rture s he
described himself as h a ving once endured a t Gottingen
from the b a rking of dogs .

It is however not improba ble tha t in the wild notion of

, ,

Goethe joi n ed with his cynophobi a we find a s urviva l of

, ,
 THE B L OOD HO U N D . 1 37

the belie f of the Pa rsees of S ura t who venera te the D og ,

a bove a ll other a nim a ls a n d who when one is dying pl a ce

, , ,

a dog s muzzle ne a r h is mouth a n d m a ke it b a rk twice s o

’

, ,

tha t it may ca tch the dep a rting soul a nd bea r it to the ,

wa iting a ngel .

Th e devil worshippers o f Tra va nco re to this d a y decl a re

-

th a t the evil power a pproa ches th em in the form of a D og ,

a s M ephistopheles a pp roa ch ed Fa ust But be fore the .

s uperstition re a ched Goethe s poem it h a d undergone

’

m an y modifica tions ; an d esp eci ally its keen scent h a d

in flue n ced the N o rs e im a gin a tion to a scribe to it p rae ter
n a tu ra l wisdom Thus we rea d in the Sa ga of Ha kon the
Good th a t whe n E ys t
.

, ein the Ba d h a d conquered D ron

theim he offered the people choice of his sl a ve Thore r or

,

h is d og Sa uer to be their king They chose the D og

. .

N ow the dog was by witchc ra ft gi fted with three men s

‘ ’

wi sd om ; a n d when he ba rked he spoke one word a nd

ba rked two This D og wore a coll a r of gold a nd sa t
’
on
a throne bu t
.
,

, for a ll his wisdom a n d power seems to h a ve

, ,

been a dog s ti ll ; for when s ome w olves inva d ed the ca ttle ,

he a tta cked a nd w as torn to pieces by them .

A mong the negroes of the S outhern S t a tes in A merica

I h a ve found the belie f th a t the most fre quent form of a
di a bolica l a ppa rition is th a t of a la rge D og with fiery eye s
a y be a mong them a n o rigin a l superstition a t t
,

w hich m ri

bu t a ble t o their horror of the bloodhound by which in , ,

s ome regions they were pursued when a ttempting to esca pe

,
.

A mong the whites of the sa me region I h a ve neve r bee n

a ble to find a ny inst a nce of the s a m e belief though belie f ,

in the p res a ge of the howling dog is frequent ; a n d it is

possible th a t this is a survival from some region in A fric a ,

where the D og has a n evil n a me of the s a me kind as the

s c a pe go a t
-
A mong some tri bes in Fa z ogl there is an
a nnu a l c a r n iv a l a t
.

wh ich every one does a s he likes The .

1 38 CA N / N E Z U N A R D E M 01V .

k ing is then s e a ted in t h e open a ir a dog tied to the leg ,

of h is ch a ir a n d the a nim a l is then s ton ed to de a th

, .

M a rk Tw a in records the folklore of a vill a ge of M is

1

souri where we fi n d l a ds qu a king with fe a r a t

,
the howli n g
of a st ra y d og in the night but indi ffe rent to the howl
’
,

i ng o f a dog they recogni s e which ma y be a form of the ,

common E ngli s h belie f th a t it is unlucky to be followed

by a s tra nge dog From the sa me book it a ppe a rs a l s o
.

th a t the d og will a lwa ys h a ve h is hea d in the di rection of

t h e pers on whose doom is signified : the l a d s a re entirely
‘

relieved w hen th ey find the howling a nima l h a s h is b a ck

t u rn ed to them .

It is rem a rka ble th a t these fra gme nts of E u rope a n

supers titio n should meet in the Fa r Wes t a p lenti ful c rop
of their like which h a s spru n g up a mong the a bo rigine s ,

a s the following extra ct from M r B rinton s wo rk M yth s

’

will s how : D ogs we re s uppo s ed t

.
,

o f the N e w World
’ ‘
, o

s t a nd in some peculi a r rel a tion to the m oon prob a b ly

beca u s e they howl a t it a n d run a t
,

n ight unc a nny p ra ctice s

which h a ve cost them de a r in repu t

,

a tion Th e cu s tom .

p rev a i led a mo n g tribes s o widely a sunder a s P e ruvi a n s ,

Tupi s C reek s I roquoi s A lgonquins a n d G ree n l a nd

, , , ,

E skimos to th ra s h the cu rs most s oundly du ring a n

eclipse Th e C reek s exp la i n ed this by sa ying th a t the
big D og w a s s w a llowi n g the s u n a n d th a t by whipping t
.

he ,

little o n e s they could m a ke him de s i s t Wh a t the big D og

w a s they w ere n ot
.

prepa red to s a y We know It w a s . .

the night godde s s repre s ented by the D og w h o w a s th u s

s hrouding the wo rld a t
, ,

mid d a y I n a better s en s e they -

.
,

r ep re s ented the more a g ree a ble ch a r a c te ri s tic s of the lun a r

goddess X och iq u et . z a l mo s t fecund of A z t e c divinitie s

“

, ,

p a t rone s s of love of s ex u a l ple a su re a n d of child bi rth -

w a s likewise c a lled I t
, , ,

sm which lite ra l ly t ra n s l a ted

’

zna n , , ,

1 Th Ad
‘
t f T mS wy
e L d
ven u res o Ch t t Wi d
o a er .
’
on on a o n u s.
14 0 C YN O CE P HAL O Z

dog cogn a te with the unconsciou s s uperstition which s t ill

,

c a uses rura l m agi s tra tes to ord er a dog w hich ha s bitten

a n y on e to be s l a in Th e notion is th a t if the dog goes
.
,

ma d therea fter the ma n will a l s o O f cou rse it would be

, .

ra tion a l to pre se rve the dog s li fe c a re fully in orde r th a t if

’
, ,

it continues he a lthy the bitten ma y feel rea ss ured as he , ,

ca n not be if it be dea d .

But the degra d a tion of the dog ha d a c a u s e even in h is

fideli t y as a wa tch For this as we h a ve just s een m a de
.
, ,

him a common form a mong L a res or dome s tic demons

C h ri s ti a ni t
.

Th e tera phim a l s o were o ften in thi s sh a pe y .

h a d there fore a speci a l re a son for a s cribing a n in fe r n a l

ch a ra cte r to thes e little idol s which inte rfered with the ,

popul a r dependence on the s a ints It w ill thu s be s ee n

th a t there we re m a ny c a uses O pera t
.

ing to crea te th a t for

mid a ble c la ss of demon s which were c a lled in the M iddle
A ges C yn oc e ph a loi Th e a ncient holy pictures of R u s s i a
.

e s peci a lly a bound in th e s e d og hea ded devils ; in the six -

t ee n t h century they were frequently repre s e n ted rending

s oul s in hell a n d so metimes the dra gon of the A poc a lyp s e

is represented with seven horrible ca nine he a d s .

M Tou s s e n e l in h is tra n s cendenta l interpreta tions has

identified the Wol f as the ba ndit a n d out
.
, ,

l a w Th e pro
1
.

v er bia l m e d im v a l ph ra se for a n outl a w — one who we a rs a

t es te leer/e capmlupznu m w u {fes /zeo d which the ingenious
'

f
‘
,
o , ,

a uthor pe rh a ps remembered — is of good a ntiquity Th e .

wol f is ca lled robber in the R ig V ed a a nd he is there a lso -

,
’

demoni s ed s ince we find him fleeing be fore a devotee (In

,
.

the Zend V endid a d the soul s of the pious fe a r to meet the ’

wol f on the w a y to hea ven ) Th e god P ush a n is invoked

a g a inst the evil wol f t
.

h e m a lign a nt s pi rit 11
C a rd a no s a ys
, .

1
Spi it ftrh B tf F
o e h i e as s o ra n ce,
’
c

t t
. .

1
Rig i 5 v 8 ’
4 z V
10 d id d 1i 08 Q 2, d by D G ‘
b i
en a
’
x x 1 uo e e u erna s

f Z l g M yt t l bl w o k I ml g ly i d bt
. .
. .
, , ,

h l gy ii o who i d
‘ ’
oo o o o se n v a ua e r a ar e n e e

t t
.
.
,

in h is ch a p er .
 THE WOLF . 14 1

th a t to dre a m of a wol f a nnounces a robber The re is in

the wol f a t t
.

,
h e s a me time th a t a lwa ys a ttra ctive love of
,

liberty which in the well known fa ble m a kes him pre

,
-
,

fe r lea nness to the com fort of the coll a r w e a ring dog -

,

which m a kes him a mong demonic a nim a ls sometimes the

s a me as the mighty hunts m en N imrod a nd sh aggy E s a u
a mong hum a ni s ed demons O ne is n ot .surprised to find
occa s ion a lly good stories a bout the wol f Thus the N ez .

P erces tribe in A merica tra ce the origin of the hum a n

ra ce to a wol f They say th a t origin a lly when there were
.
,

nothing but a nim a ls there w a s a hu ge monster which

,

devoured them whole a n d a live This monster s w a l

lowed a wol f who when he ente red it
.

s belly found the

a nim a ls therein sn a rling a t

, , ,

a n d biting one a nother a s

they h a d done on the e a rth outside The wol f exhorte d .

them th a t their common su fferings should te a ch them

friendliness a n d fin a lly he induced them to a system of
,

co opera tion by which they m a de their w a y out through

-

the s ide of the mo nster wh ich ins ta ntly perished Th e

a nim a ls s o rele a sed were a t
, .

once tra nsformed to men ,

h ow a n d why the a dvoca tes of c o opera tion will re a dily -

underst an d a nd fou nded the N ez Perces Indi a ns The

, .

myth s of A s i a a n d E urope a re unh a ppily a ntipod a l to thi s

i n s pirit a n d form telling of hum a n beings tra ns formed t
, o

wolves In the N orse M ythology however there s ta nds

.
, ,

a demon wol f who s e story be a rs a touch of feeling though ,

pe rh a ps it wa s o rigin a llythe mere expression for phys ica l

la w . This is the wol f Fenris which from being a t , fi rst ,

the pet of the gods a n d la pdog of the goddes s es bec a me ,

so huge a nd formid a ble tha t A sga rd itsel f w a s end a n

g e re d . Al l the skill a n d power of the gods could not
fo rge ch a in s whic h might ch a in him ; he sn a pped them
like stra ws an d toppled over the mounta ins to which he
w as fa stened Bu t
. the little E lves working underground
14 2 THE WOLF A GA THO D E M ON .

m a de th a t ch a in s o fine th a t none could see or feel it

fa shi oned it out of the be a rd s of women the bre a t
,

h of fi s h , ,

noise of the ca t s foot fa ll s pittle of bi rd s s inews of be a rs

’

by which a re mea nt t h ings non e x is te n t

, , ,

roo ts of s tones — ,
-
.

Thi s held him F c u ris is ch a ined ti ll the fi na l dest ruction

. ,

when he s h a ll brea k loose a nd devour Odin Th e fi n e

ch a in tha t binds ferocity — is it
.

the love th a t c a n ta me a ll
crea tures ? Is it t h e s unbe a m th a t defines t
,

o the s tronges t

c rea ture its h a bit a t ?

Th e two mon s ters formed when R ahu w a s cloven in

twa in in Hindu M ytho logy re a ppe a r in E dd a ic fa ble a s
, ,

the wolves Skoll a nd Ha ti w h o purs u e the sun a nd moon , .

As it is s a id in the V olu s p a

t t
E a s w a rd in h e I ron w ood
it
-

Th ld e o tth on e s e

A d t bigt h f t
,

h
n he re r n e or

i f ll k i d d
’
F e nr r s e n re

Oft t i t
ight
.

h h m
es e one , e es ,

Th e mo d o e on s
’
ev u r r,

In fo mmo t
r fi d like s en -

tt bl d
,

A nd fille d w i h h e life -
oo
t
O f h e d ea d d t
an h d yi g e n

t dd y g
,

Red d e n s w i h ru ore

Th e sea s o tf t
h high g d e o s .

E uphemi s m ttending p ropiti a tion of such monsters

a

ma y p a rtly expl a in the m a ny good things told of wolves

in popul a r legend Th e s torie s of the she wol f nouris h
.
-

ing children a s R omulus a n d R emu s a re fou nd in m a ny

, ,

l a nds They mu s t indeed h a ve h a d s ome pres tige to

. , , ,

h ave bee n so l a rgely a dopted in s a intly t ra dition L ike .

the be a rs th a t E li s h a ca lled to devou r the children the ,

wolve s do not lo s e thei r n a tura l fe rocity by becoming

pious They devour heretics a nd s a c rilegious people
One gu a rded t h e he a d of St
.
.

E dmund the M a rtyr of

E ngl a nd ; a nother esco rted S t
.

Oddo A bbot of C luny a s .

, ,
14 4 THE B OA R .

Th e wol f h avi ng a ccused the l a mb he mea ns to devour of

fouling the s tre a m a n d receivin g a nswe r th a t the l a mb w a s
,

drinking fa rther do w n the current a lters the ch a rge a nd

sa ys Y ou oppos ed my c a n did a tu re a t
,

, the c a ucus two

yea rs a go I w a s not then born replies the l a mb The
.
’ ’

, .

wol f then sa ys A ny one he a ring my a ccu s a tion s would ‘

testi fy t hat
,

I a m in s a ne a n d not responsible for my

a ctio n s a n d thereupon devours the l a mb with full fa ith in
’
,

a j u ry of his countrymen M Tou s s e ne l sa ys the wol f is . .

a terrible st ra tegi s t a lbeit the le s s obs er va nt h a ve found ,

little in h is ch a r a cte r to wa rra nt t his a t t

ribute of c ra ft h is ,

phys iognomy a n d h a bits s howing him a ra ther tra nspa re n t

highwa ym a n It is proba ble th a t the fa ble s of thi s ch a ra c
.

ter h a ve derived th a t tra it from h is ass oci a tion with demon s

a n d devil s suppo s ed to t a ke on h is s h a pe

I n a be a uti ful hymn to the E a rth in the A t

.

h a rva V ed a
’

it is s a id The E a rth which end u reth the bu rden of the

, ,

O pp ressor be a reth up the a bode of the lo fty a n d of the

lowly s u ffereth the hog a n d giveth entra nce to t
,

,
h e wild ,

boa r Bo a r hound s in Britt a ny a nd s ome other region s

’
-

a re still kept a t
.

Gove rnment expense Th e re a re m a ny .

indica tion s of this kind th a t in ea rly tim e s men h a d to

de fend them s elves v igorou s ly a ga in s t the ra va ges of the
wild boa r a n d as D e Gu be rn a t ,
is rem a rks it1
s ch a ra ct e r
, ,

is ge n er a lly demoni a ca l Th e contes t s of He rcule s w it h

the E rym a nthi a n a nd of M ele a ger with t
.

h e C a ly
d on ia n Boa r a re enough to s how th a t it w a s th rough it
,

, , s

d a ngerou s ch a ra cter th a t he bec a me s a c red to the gods of

w a r M a rs a n d Odin
,
Bu t it is a l s o to be remembered .

th a t the third inca rn a tion of V i s hnu w as as a Wild Bo a r ;

a n d a s the fe a rles s exte rmin a tor of sn a ke s the pig me rited

thi s a s s oci a tion with the P reserver P rovided with a thick

coa t of fa tno venom ca n h a rm him unles s it be on t
.

,
he
1 Zoolog . 11. 7
. Tru bn er 81 Co .
 THE B E A R . 14
5

lip It ma y be this a bility to defy the sn a ke orde a l which -

its uncle a nliness h a d excepted t

.
,

a fter h e hog from hum a n

vora city in some regions assigned it a di a bolica l ch a ra cter
I n ra bbinic a l fa ble the hog a nd ra t
, .

were cre a ted by N oa h

to clea r the A rk of filt h ; but th e ra ts becom in g a n u isa nce
he evoked a ca t
,

from the lion s nos e

’

It is clea r t
.

h a t our A si a tic a nd N orse a nces tors never

h a d s uch a ferociou s be a st to encounter as the Grisly
Be a r (U rs a: karr zbzlzlr) of A merica else the a ppe a ra nces
' ’

of this a nim a l in D emonology could never h a ve been s o

respect a ble The comp a ra tively timid A s i a tic Bea r (U

la bza tus ) the sm a ll a n d a lmost h a rmle s s Thibe t
. .

a n specie s
'

t t
,

(U . T i nbe a n us ) would a ppe a r

,
o h a ve preponder a ted over
the fi e rce r but ra rer Bea rs of the N orth in giving us the
I ndo Germ a nic fa bles in which this a nim a l is on t
-
,
he ,

whole a fa vo u rite E merson finds in the fondness of the

, .

E ngli s h for their n a tion a l legend of Bea uty a n d the

B e a st a s ign of the E nglishm a n s own n a ture He is a ’
.

bea r with a so ft pl a ce in h is hea rt he sa ys N o a n d help s ,

y o u T
’
h e o ld legend f o u nd pl a ce in the he a rt o f a p a r

t
.

l s —
icu la r y repre s ent a tive A meric a n a l o Theodo re P a rker ,

who loved to ca ll his dea rest friend Be a r a n d who on ,

’
,

a rriving in E urope went to Berne to s e e his fa vourites

, ,

from whi ch its n a me is derive d Th e fondnes s of the

Be a r for honey whence it
.

— s R u s si a n n a me m erit
/ yeti
honey ea ter h a d proba bly something to do with it
, ,

‘
— -
’
s

d ainty ta ste for roses a nd its a dmira tion for fem a le bea uty
I n h is compa r a tive trea tmen t
,

as told in m a ny m yth s of

the mythology of t h e Be a r D e Gu be rn a t
.

is 1
mentions the
,

tra nsfo rm a tion of King Trisa nku s into a be a r a n d con

n ect s this wit h t h e Constell a tion of the G re a t Be a r ; bu t
,

it ma y with e q u a l proba bility be rel a ted to the m a ny

fa bles of princes who rem a in under the form o f a bea r
1 ‘
Zoolog W
von r .
14 6 T WO C A R C TE R S 01 THE B E AR
H A 7 .

until the spell is broken by the ki s s of s ome ma iden I t

is wort
.

hy of note th a t in the R ussi a n legend s the Be a r is

by no me a n s s o a m ia ble as in those of o u r Weste rn folk
lore In one the Be ar prin ce lurki n g in h is founta in hold s
.
,
-

by the be a rd the king who while hunting tries to quench , ,

h is thirs t a n d relea s es him only a fter a promise to deliver

t
,

u
p wh a tever he h a s a home without hi s k n o w ledge ;
the twins Iva n a n d M a ri a born during h is a b s ence a re
, , ,

—
thus doomed a re c oncea led but discovered by the bea r , ,

who ca rries them a wa y They a re s a ved by help of .

the bu ll When esc a ping the be a r Iva n t hrows down

.

a comb which become s a t a ngled fores t which how

, , ,

ever the bea r penetra tes ; but the sp rea d out towe l
,
-

w hich becomes a l a ke of fire sends the be a r b a ck 1

It
is thu s t
.

h e feroci ous A rctic Be a r which gives the story

it s s ombre ch a ra cter S uch a lso is the R ussi a n t a le
.

of the Be a r with iron h a ir s which de va st a tes the king

d om devouring t
,

,
h e inh a bit a nts until Iva n a n d Helen a
a lone rem a in a fter the two in v a riou s w a ys try to esca pe ,

their s uccess is secured by the Bull which m ore kindly , ,

th a n E lish a blinds the Bea r with his horns (The Bea r

,
11
.

retire s in win ter In N orwegi n story the B e r becomes

) a
. a
—
milder a bea uti ful youth by night who s e wi fe loses him
, ,

bec a u s e s he wi s hes to see him by l a mplight : her pl a ce is

ta ken by a long nosed p rince ss u ntil by a id of the golden
-
, ,

a pple a n d the rose she recovers her hu s b a nd I n the

P ent a meron P re t
, .

11
ios a to e s c a pe the pers ecutions of h e r
, ,

fa ther goes into the fore s t disguise d a s a she bea r ; she

,
-

n urse s a n d cures the p rince who is en a moured of her a n d

at
, ,

h is ki s s becomes a bea uti ful m a id The Be a r thus h as .

a two fold development in folklore He used to be killed

t t
.

(3i h century ) a the en d of the C a rniva l in R ome a s the ,

1
A fanas
ie f, v 28
1
I bid v 27

t
.
, .
. .

3
ii 6 (De Guberna is, ii
. .
14 8 D E AI ON O F SE R P E N TS

sn a ke even in a cou ntry where they a re few a n d comp a ra

t a y sugge s t t
,

iv e ly h a rmle s s perh a ps thi s figure (1 1) m

,
he
fin a l ca use of the s hudder .

In conclusio n it may be sa id th a t not only eve ry a nim a l

,

ferocity but every force which ca n be exerted inj uriou s ly

h as h a d it
, ,

s demonic repr es ent a tions E very cla w fa ng .

, ,

Fig . 11 .
—$1
9a
1 s Dm
a on o r Sa a r z u r s'
.

s t
ing ,
h obf,
h orn h a s been a s ce rta in to be c a t a logued
,

a n d l a belled in demonology a s in phys ica l s cience It is

rem a rk a ble a l s o how supers tition ra tion a li s es Thu s t
.

he
horn in the a nim a l world th ough sometimes d a ngerou s t
.

, o

ma n w a s mo re d a ngerou s to a nim a ls which a s foes of the

, , ,

ho rned a n im a l s were foe s to m a n s intere s t s The ea rly

,
’
.

herd s m a n kn e w the v a lue of the horn a s a de fence a ga inst

d og a n d wol f bes ides it , s other utilitie s C o n sequently .
,

a lthough it w a s necess a ry th a t the horn principle s o to -

s a y in n a tur e mu s t be reg a rded a s one o f it

,

,
s retra ctile a n d

cruel fea tures ma n neve r demonised the a nim a ls whos e

,

butt w a s most d a ngerou s but for such purpose tra ns ferr e d

,
 HOE N S . 14 9

the horn s to the he a d of s ome nonde s cript crea ture The .

ho rn h a s thu s become a n a tu ra l we a pon of ma n demons

t
-
.

Th e s a me evolu ion ha s t a ken pl a ce in A meric a ; for

a lthough a mong it
,

s a bo rigin a l legend s we m a y meet with

a n occ a s ion a l demon bu ffa lo such a re r a re a n d o f a poc ry

-
,

o h a l a ntiquity
. Th e a ccomp a nying A meric a n fig u re (12 )
is from a photogr a ph s ent me by the P re s ident of V a n

d e rbilt Unive rsity Tennes s ee who fo u nd itin a n old

, ,

Fig . 12 .
—AM ERI C AN l n nu u D t
a n on .

mound (R e d Indi a n ) in t h e St a te o f Geo rgi a It is p ro .

b a bly a s a ncient a s a n y ex a mp le of a hum a n he a d with

horn s in the wo rld ; a n d a s it could not h a ve been in
flu e nce d by E u rope a n notion s it s upplies striking evi
,

d ence th a t the demoni s a tion o f the force s a n d d a ngers

of n a ture belo ngs to the s t ructu ra l a ction of the hu m an

mind .
 CH A P TE R VI .

E N EM IES .

Arya s , D a s y u s , N a ga s Ya kkh os Ly c ia s E
— — n — hiop ia n s — H ir pit
n i
t —
P oli es Sos po is i l — W r
e e w o —
l es G
v o h-
s a nd S c y hi t
a n s — Gia n s t t
a n d D w ar fs — B e rs e rkers — —
Bri ons Icela n d — t
M m i a cs — Gog a n d
M a gog.

W E pa int the D e vil bl a ck s a ys George He rbert O n the

other h a nd the neg ro pa in t
.
,

s him white with re a s on eno u g h

Th e n a me of the D evi l a t
.
,

M oz a mbique is M uzungu M a ya
or Wicked Whi t
,

e M a n O f thi s demon they m a ke little

.

im a ges of extreme hideou s ne s s w hic h a re kept by pe ople

,

on the co a s t a n d occa s ion a lly di s pl a yed in the belie f t ha t

if the White D evil is lurking n e a r them he wil l v a ni s h o u t
, ,

of sheer di s gu s t with a glimp s e of h is own ugline s s Th e

h ered it
.

a ry h o rror o f the kidn a pper di s pl a yed in thi s d rol l

s u per s titio n m a y po s s ibly h a ve been a s s i s ted by t h e fa mi

lia rity with a ll thi n g s in f e r n a l repre s ented in the l a ng u a g e

o f the whi t e s a ilo rs vi s iting t h e co as t C a pt a in Ba s i l Ha ll

biq u e a bo u t fi ft
. ,

o n vi s iting M oz a m y ye a rs a go found t h a t ,

the n a ti v e d ignita rie s h a d a pp rop ri a ted the title s of E ngli s h

noble men a n d a dumpy lit t
, le D uke of D evon s hire me t him
with h is w h ole voca bul a ry of E ngli s h How do you do , ,

s ir
. V e ry gl a d s e e you D a mn your eye s
. Joh a nn a ma n .

lik e E ngli s h ve y much God d a m n Th a t ve ry good

r . .
?

Eh D evili s h hot s ir Wh a t n ews ? H0 pe your s hip s t a y

, .

too long w hile v e ry D a mn my eye V e ry fine d a y

. . .
’

In most p a rts of Indi a S iva a l s o is p a inted white which ,

1 52 YA K K HOS .

lieved to ha ve t h e power of ren d ering t he m s e lves i n v is ibl e

B udd ha s vict ories over t

.

hese demonic be ings a re rela te d

t
’

in t h e M a ha w ans o It w a s k nown (by in s pira t

.
’ ‘
ion) by h e
va nq uishe rs tha t in La nka filled by ya kkhos , w ould be ,

the pl a ce w here his religion would be glorified I n like

ma n ner know ing t h a t in t
.

he centre of La n ka on the de
light
, ,

ful ba n k of a river in the a gr eea ble M a h a na ga

there w a s a grea t ass embly of t
,

ga rden h e principa l
t
,

y a k kh o s h e deity o f h a ppy a dvent a ppro a c hi n g

imm edi a tely ove r t
, ,

t ha t gr ea t co ngreg a tion he ir
hea ds hove ring in t
,

h e a ir s tr uck terror into them,

by ra in s tempests a n d da rkn ess Th e ya kkh os over

, , .
,

whelmed w ith a w e supplica t e d of the va nquisher to be

,

r ele a sed from their terror Th e con s oling van q ui s her

t
.

hu s rep lied : I will releas e ye ya kk hos from this your

‘

terror a nd a ffliction : give ye unto me here by un a n imous

consent a pla ce for me to a light on A ll these ya kk h os ’

L o rd we con fe r on t
.

replied : hee the w hole of La nk a

‘

gra nt thou com fort

, ,

to u s Th e v a n q ui s her th ereupon
.
’

d is pelling their terror a n d cold shivering a nd spre a d

t
,

i ng h is ca rpe of skin on the spot bes towed on him

he t here se a ted him s el f He t
,

hen ca u s e d the a fores a id

.

ca rpet re fulgent w ith a fringe of fl a me s to extend itsel f

on a ll s ides : they scorched by t
, ,

h e fl a mes (receding) stood

a round on t
, ,

h e shore s (of the i s l a nd ) te rrified Th e Sa v iour

then c a used t
.

h e delight ful i s le of Giri to a pproa ch for

them A s soon a s they tran sferred them s elves thereto
t t
.

( to e s ca pe the c on fl a g r a ion
) he re s tor e d it to i s former
,

pos ition 1
.
’

Thi s legend which remi n d s one i rres i s tibly of the ex

,

pul s ion of reptiles by s a ints from Irela n d a nd othe r ,

Wester n regions is the more interesting if it be con s idered

th a t these Y a kkh os a re the Sa nsk rit Y a ks ha s a tt end a n t
,

s ,

M h w o (T o t 6
1
) pp
‘
a a 3 ans u rn u ,
.
, .
 SE R RE N T M E N . 1 53

on Kuvera the god of wea l t

,
h employed in the ca re of ,

his ga rden a n d tre a sures They a re rega rded a s genera lly

.

ino ffensive Th e tra n s fer by E ngli sh a uthoritie s of the

.

Ta sm a ni a n s from their n ative i s l a nd to a nothe r with the ,

res ult of their extermin a tion ma y sugge s t the possible ,

origin of the story of Giri .

Buddh a s dea lings with the serpent men or n a ga s is

’
-

rel a ted a s follows in the s a me volume

Th e v a nquishe r o f the five de a dly sin s) in the
fi fth ye a r of h is buddh a hood while re s i d ing a t
,

,
the ga rden
o f (the prince) Jeto ob s ervi n g th a t on a ccount of a di s puted

cl a im for a gem set throne between t

, ,

-
i n a ga M a h od a ro
a n d a s imil a r C h a lod a ro a m a tern a l uncle a n d n ephew a

conflict w a s a t
, ,

h an d ta king with him h is s a c red di s h

a n d robes ou t
,

,
of comp a ss ion to the n a g a s visited N a ga d ipo , .

The s e mount a in n a ga s were moreover gi fted with , ,

s u pern a tur a l powers Th e S a viour a n d d i s peller of the

.

d a rkne s s of sin poi s ing him s el f in the a ir over the centre

,

o f the a s s embly c a u s ed a te rri fying d a rkne s s to the s e

n a g as A ttendi n g to t
,

he p ra yer of the di s m a yed n a ga s

he a ga in c a lled forth the light of d a y They overjoyed a t
.
,

h a ving s een the deity of felicitou s a dvent bowed d own a t

.
,

the feet of the divi n e te a cher To them the va nqui s he r .

prea ched a sermon of reconcili a tion Both p a rties rejoic .

ing therea t m a de a n o ffering of the gem throne to the

,
-

divine s a ge Th e divine te a cher a lighting on the ea rth

.
, ,

s e a ted him s el f o n the throne a n d w a s served by the n a g a

,

kings with cele s ti a l food a n d bevera ge The lord of the .

univers e p rocured for eighty koti s of n aga s dwelling on ,

l a nd a n d in the w a ters the s a lva tion of the fa it h a n d the

,

s t a te of pi ety
’

At
.

eve ry step in the conversion of the n a tive Singh a les e ,

— the demon s a nd serpent men — Buddh a a n d h is a po s -

,

tle s a re represent ed a s being a ttended by the d ee m— the s

 E THI O P I A N S .

—
deities of Indi a who spoken
gl a d to become
a re of as if
meni a ls of the n e w religion Bu t
,

we find Zoro a s ter u s ing

.

thi s te rm in a demonic sen s e a nd des c ribing a lien w or ,

s hippe rs a s chil d ren o f the D e v as (a S emite would sa y ,

S on s of Be li a l ) A n d in the convention a l P e rs i a n pictu re s

.

o f the L a s t J udgment (mo s lem ) the a rc h fi e n d h as the ,

Hindu complexion A s i mil a r phenom e n on ma y be

.

o b s e rved in v a riou s region s In the medi ae va l fre s coes of

.

M o s cow rep re s en t i ng in fe rn a l torture s it is not v e ry

d iflic u lt
, ,

to pick out devils repre s enting the phys ica l c h a r

act e ris t
ic s of mos t of the ra ces w ith w hich the M u s covit e
h as s t ru ggled in e a rly times There a re a l s o bl a ck E thi c
.

pi a n s a mong them which ma y be a re s ult of devil s being

‘

con s ide red the b rood of Tch e rn ibog god of D a rknes s ;

bu t
,

ma y a ls o not impos s ibly h a ve come of s uch a pocry

pha l n a rra ti ves a s th a t a s cribed to S t
, ,

A u gu s tine I was . .

a l re a dy Bi s hop of Hippo when I w e nt into E thiopi a wit h

s ome s e rva n t s o f C hrist there to p re ach the go s pel

, In .

thi s co u ntry w e s a w ma ny men a n d women without he a d s ,

who h a d two gre a t eyes in thei r bre a s t s ; a n d in count rie s

s till more southerly we s a w a pe ople who h a d but one e ye

in their forehe a d s 1
.
’

In con s i d e rin g a n im a l d e mon s the p rimitive d e mon is a

tion of the Wol f h a s been di s cu s s ed Bu t
,

it is m a inly a s .

a tr a n s form a tion of m a n a n d a type of s a v a ge foe s th a t

t his a n im a l h a s bee n a prominent figure in M ytholo gy

Pro fe s s or M a x M iille r h a s ma de it tole ra bly cle a r t h a t
.

Belle rophon me a n s S la yer of t h e Ha iry ; a n d th a t Be lle ros

is the t ra n s lite ra tion of S a n s krit v a r va m a te rm a pplied ,

to the d a rk A bo ri gines by their A ry a n inva ders equiva lent ,

to b a rb a ri a n s Thi s points u s for the o rigin of the title

2
.

r a th e r to Bel lerophon s co n ques t of the Lyci a n s or Wolf

’
,

men th a n to h is victo ry o ver the C hi mae ra Th e story of

,
.

1 H d ly it t wit i 8 1 ’
h D C C hip
'

iii Dd
‘
S
er . xx x . ar con s s en e zv .
, xv . . s, 11.
1 56 P OL I TE S .

of superstition w a s domestic a ted into a dog P ie riu s sa ys .

there w a s a t e mple of V ulca n in M ount E tn a in whose

grove were dogs th a t fa wned on the piou s but rent t
,

he ,

polluted wors hippers It wi ll be seen by the le ft form

.

of F ig 1 3 th a t the wol f h a d a di minution in picto ri a l

r epre s en t
.
,

a tion simil a r to th a t which the c an ine L a re s

underwent (p Thi s picture is re fe rred by John
Be a umont to Ca rt
.

1
a riu s work on Th e Im a ge s of the ’ ‘

Gods of the A ncient s ; the form we a ring a wol f s s kin ’ ’

a nd hea d is t h a t of the demon P olit es who in fes ted ,

Te m e s a in It a ly a ccording to a s tory rel a ted by P a u s a ni as

, .

Ul ys s es in h is w a ndering s h a vi ng come to thi s town one

, ,

o f h is comp a n ion s w a s s toned to de a th for h a vin g ra v is hed

a v irgin ; a fter which h is gho s t a ppe a red in for m of thi s

de mon which h a d to be a ppe a s ed by t

,
h e d i rection of ,

the o ra cle of A pollo by the a nnu a l s a c rifice to him of

t E ut
,

h e mo s t be a uti ful vi rgin in the pl a ce h ym us .

,

en a moured of a virgin a bout to be s o ofi e re d ga ve '

b a ttle to thi s demon a nd h a ving expelled him from

t
, ,

h e country m a rried the virgin

,
Howeve r s ince the in .
,

fe m a l power s ca nnot be deprived of their right s without

s u b s titution t his s a viour of Te me s a di s a ppe a red in the

,

rive r C ae c in u s .

Th e fo rm on the right in Fig 1 3 repre s ent s the geniu s .

o f the city of R ome a n d is found o n s ome of Ha dri a n s

’

coin s ; h e hold s the corn u copi a a n d the s a c rifici a l di s h .

Th e child a n d the s e rpent in the s a me picture repre s ent

the origin of the demonic ch a ra cter a t t ributed to the
E le a n s by the A rc a di a n s Thi s child a nd s erpent symbol .
- -
,

w hic h be a rs re s embl a nce to cert a in va ri a nt s of Be l a n d

the D ra gon no doubt w a s brought to E le a or V eli a in

‘

It
, ,

a ly by the P hocae a ns w hen they a b a ndoned their Ioni a n

, ,

h omes r athe r th a n s ub mit to C yru s a n d founded th a t ,

T t i of Spi itby J h B m tG tL do 7 5
’
1
rea se r s, o n ea u on , en .
, on n, 1 0 .
 S O SI P O L I S . 1 57

town B C 54 4 Th e two forms were jointly wors hipped

,
. . .

w ith a nnu a l s a c rifices in the temple of L ucin a under the ,

n a me S os i olis T h legend of this title i re l ted by

p e . s a

P a usa ni a s When the A rc a di a ns inva ded the E lea ns a

wom a n ca me to the E le a n comm a nder with a n in fa nt a t
.
,

her
breas t a n d sa id th a t sh e h a d been a dmonished in a d re a m
,

Fig
. 13 . AN D RO M AN GEN " .

to pl a ce her child in front of the a rmy Thi s w a s done ;

as t
.

h e A rc a di a n s a ppro a ched the child w a s ch a n ged to a

serpent a n d a s tounded a t the prodigy t hey fled without
giving b a ttle Th e child w a s repres ented by t
, , ,

. h e E le a n s
decora ted with s t a rs a nd holding the cornucopi a ; by the
It is n ot
,

A rca di a ns no d oubt in a les s cele s ti a l w a y

, ,
.

uncommon in M ythology to find the mo s t d a nge rou s

demon s rep re s ented under some g ui s e of we a k n es s a s
for in s t a nce a mong the S ou t
, ,

, h A frica n s s ome of who m ,

recently in formed E ngli s h o ffi cers th a t the Ga le ika s we re

led a ga in s t the m by a terrible s o rcere r in the for mof a
h a re Th e mo s t fea rful tra dition a l demon ever s l a in by
.
 AI E TA P H O R I CA L L Y CA N THR OP Y
.

hero in J p n a a wa s the Child fa ced D rinker

Sh u d e n D ozi — -
.

I n C eylon the a pp a rition of a demon is sa id to be freq uently

u nde r the form of a wom a n with a child in her a rm s .

M a ny a nim a l demo n s a re mere fa ble s for the ferocity of

hum a n tribes Th e We re wol f supe rs tition w hich e x i st s sti ll
.
-
,

in R us s i a whe re the tra n s fo rmed monster is c a lled walkOd

,
-

14 k (walk a wol f a n d d la k h a ir) might even h a ve o rigin a ted

in t
, , , ,

h e co s tume of N ors e b a rb a ri a n s a n d hunt s men The .

belie f w a s a lwa ys more or le s s ra tion a li s ed resembling th a t

held by Ve rs t
,

e ga n th ree hundred ye a r s a o a n d whic h

g
ma y be reg a rded a s p reva lent a mong both t
,

he E ngli s h a n d
F lemi s h p e ople of h is d a y The s e Were wolves he s a ys
’
-
.
, ,

a re cert a in so rcerers w h o h a vi n g a nointed their bodie s

‘
, ,

w ith a n ointment they m a ke by the instinct of the d evil ,

a n d putti n g on a cert a in ench a nted girdle do not only

u nto the view of others s eem a s wolve s bu t
,

to their ow n ,

thi n king h a ve both the n a tu re a n d sh a pe of wolves s o lo n g

a s they we ar the s a id i rdle n d they do di po e them
g ; a s s

s elve s a s ve ry wolves in wor rying a n d killing a n d w a ste

, ,

of hum a n cre a ture s D uring the Fr a nco— Germ a n w a r of

’

1 870 71 a fa mily of l a die s on the Germ a n side of t

.

— , he
Rh ine sitting up a ll night in a pp rehen s ion rel a ted to me
, ,

s uch s tories of the Tu rcos th a t I h a ve since found no

’

d iflic u lty in under s t a nding the belie f in wei rd a n d prae ter

n a tura l wolves which once filled E u rope with horror Th e .

fa cility with which the old Lyci a n wol f girdle s o to s a y -

, ,

w a s ca ught up a n d w orn in s o m a ny countries where ra ce

w a rs were chronic for m a n y a ges renders it nea rly certa in ,

th a t this supe rs tition (Lyca nth ropy) however it ma y h ave

o rigin a t
,

ed w a s continu ed through the custom of a s c ribing

,

demonic c ha ra cteri s tics to hostile a n d fierce ra ce s It has .

been indeed a gene ra l opinion th a t the theoretic a l belie f

, ,

origi na ted in the P yth a gore a n doctrine of metempsychosis .

Thu s S h a kspe re
1 60 G O THS A N D S C YTHI AJVS .

beha viou r a nd aspect a ppe a red to them to resemble th a t

of devils The A ry a n mind there fore n a tura lly pictured
to itsel f the regions of t
.
, ,

h e South a s the chie f reso rt

a n d stronghold of the demon ra ce a nd the dre a d o f ,

demonica l a gency beca me more deeply rooted in Southern

I ndi a th a n in the N orth C uriously enough too it is .
, ,

commonly believed in S outhern I ndi a th a t eve ry wicked

ma n cont ributes by his dea th to swell the ever increa sin g -

a nk s of devil legions H is evil p a ssion s do n ot die with

r .

him ; they a re inten s ified concentra ted a nd perpetu a ted , ,

in the fo rmof a m a lign a nt a nd mischievou s spirit 1

.
’

It is obvious tha t this principle ma y be extended from

individu a ls to entire tribes Th e C immeri a ns were re .

ga rded a s dwe lling in a l a nd a llied with hell In the .

legend of the A lh a mbra a s told by Wa s hington I rving , ,

the a s t rologer wa rn s the M o orish ki ng th a t the bea uti ful

d a msel is no doubt one of those Gothic sorce resses of
whom they h a ve he a rd s o much A lthough a s we h a ve .
,

seen E ngl a nd w a s reg a rded on the C ontinent a s a n i s l a n d

of demon s be c a use of it
,

s northern l a tit u de prob a bly some ,

of its tribes were of a ch a ra cter d a ngerous enough to pro

long the supers tition Th e nightm a re elves were believed

to come from E ngl a nd a n d to hurry a wa y through t
.

he
keyhole s a t
,

d ybre k
a a s a ying T h e bell s a re c a lling in
‘

V isigoth proba bly le ft us our word bigot

o ,

E ngl a nd 1 ’
.

and Goth s a n d Va nd a ls sometimes de s ig n a te E ngli s h ’

roughs as Turks thos e of Con s t a ntinople Herodotu s

,
‘ ’
.

s a y s the S cythi a ns of the Bl a ck S e a re ga rded the N e u

ri a n s a s w iz a rd s who tra ns formed them s elves into wolve s

,

1
Lo Tim J
n d on
‘
e s,
’
une 1 1, 18 77.
1
Wu t
t
k V lk b
e, o sa e rgla u b e,
’
4 02 Pli y (i 6) y
n v 1 sa s b
Al ion insula sic

t b lb mpib it Th i t mt
. .

d ic a a a
'

zs u: q uas mare a llu

’
ym s e on of A lb i on fro h e

w h itliff i t bl b ti A 16 d E lf t
.

e c yq s s v er u es i on a e u s nce an a re ge n e ral l y rela ed ,

it might d t
t t b t t
,

h gg a v e su es e h i E gli h d m
e no on a ou n s e on s. Hein e id en ifi
es

the W hit I l d e s an ,
’
or Pl t lm f C t i
’
u o s reat l f lk l o on ne n a o ore, as Engla nd .
 GI AN TS AN D D WA R FS 161

for a d a ys a nnu a lly ; but the Scythi a ns themselves

fe w
a re s a id by Herodotus to h a ve sprung from a monster ,

ha l f wom a n h a l f serpent ; a nd pos sibly the a ss oci a tion of

- -

the S cotch wit h the Scythi a ns by the Germ a n s who c a lled

t hem both S ent
,

ren h a d something to do with the unc an ny

ch a ra cte r a s cribed to t
,

h e Briti s h I s les S ir W a lter R a leigh .

d esc ribed the Re d M e n of A me ric a a s giga ntic mon s ters

R e d D evils is still the pionee r s epithet for them in t
.

‘ ’ ’
he

Fa r WestTh e h a i ry D ukes of E s a u were connected with

.

the go a t a n d demonised a s E dom ; a nd I s hm a el w a s not

believed much be t
,

t e r by the more pea ceful Semitic tribes .

S uch notion s a re a kin to tho s e which m a ny now h a ve

o f the Thugs a n d B a sh i Ba z ou ks a n d a re t
-
oo uni form

a n d n a tura l to t
,

a x much the ingenuity of C omp a ra tive

M ythology .

Underlying m a ny of the legends of gi a nts a n d dwa rfs

ma y be found a simil a r demonologic fo rm a tion A p rin .

c iple of n a tura l selection would expl a in the existence o f

tribes which though of sm a ll sta ture a re a ble t

, , o hold their ,

ow n ag a inst the l a rger a n d more powe rful by their s upe

rior cunni ng Th a t such equ a li s a tion of a pp a rently u n

.

equ a l force s h a s been known i n pre historic ages may be -

g a thered from m a ny fa bles B e fore Ba li the mon a rch .

,

a l re a dy mentioned who s e power a l a rmed the god s them

, ,

selves V ishnu a ppea red a s a dwa rf a s king only so much

, ,

l a nd a s he could me a sure with three steps ; the a ppa rently

ridiculous reque s t gra nted the god st rode over the whole ,

e a rth with two steps a n d brought his thi rd on the hea d of

Ba li In Sc a ndin a vi a n fa ble we h a ve the young gi a ntess
coming t
.

o her mother with the plough a n d ploughm a n

in her a pron which she h a d picked up in the field To

, .

her child s inquiry Wh a t sort of beetle is this I found

’

,
‘

wriggling in the s a nd ? the gi a ntess replie s Go put ’

,
‘

it b a ck in the pl a ce where thou h a st found it We

'

VO L I . . L
162 B E R SE R K E R S .

mu s t be go n e out of this l a nd for these little peopl e ,

will dwell in it .
’

The Sa g a s cont a in m a n y stories which while written in ,

glorifica tion of the gi a nt ra ce rel a te the de st ruction of ’

,

their chie fs by the m a gica l powe rs of the dwa rfs I mu s t .

limit mysel f to a fe w notes on the Y nglinga S ag a In ‘

S w it
.

h iod we a re tol d a re m a ny gre a t dom a ins a n d m a ny

’ ‘
, , ,

wonderful ra ces of me n a nd m a ny kind s of la ngu ages ,

.

There a re gi a nt s a n d there a re dw a r fs a n d there a re a lso

, ,

blue men There a re w ild be a sts a n d d rea d fully l a rge

.
,

dra gon s We le a rn th a t in A s a la n d w a s a gre a t chie f

.
’

Odin w h o went out to conquer Va n a la n d Th e Va n a

, .

l a nders a re decl a red to h a ve m a gic a rts — s uch as a re ,

a s cribed to Finns a n d L a pp s to thi s d a by the more

y
igno ra nt of thei r neighbou rs Bu t th a t t h e people of A sa .

l a nd le a rned their m a gic ch a rm s Odin w a s the clevere s t .

o f them a ll a n d from h im a ll the others le a rned their

,

m a gic a rt s Odin could m a ke his enemies in ba ttle

.
’ ‘

blind or de a f or terror struck a n d their we a pon s so blunt

, ,
-
,

th a t they could no more cut th a n a willow twig ; on the

othe r h a nd h is men rushed forw a rd with out a rmour were
, ,

as m a d a s dog s o r wolve s bit their shields a n d w ere a s

s t rong as be a rs or wild bull s a n d killed people a t

, ,

a blow , ,

an d neithe r fi re nor i ron told upon them The s e were .

c a l led Bers e rker s From b be ar a n d ser kr s a rk or

(
’
er .
, , ,

coa t ; the wo rd being p roba bly a s M a urer s a ys a s u rviva l , ,

o f a n e a rlie r belie f in the tr a ns form a tion of m e n into

be a rs ) Bu t
. the succes s ors of Odin did not preserve h is
occult power S v e gd ir for inst a nce s a w a l a rge stone
a n d a dw a r f a t
.
, ,

the door entering in it Th e dw a rf ca lled .

him to come in a n d he should s ee Odin Swedge r ra n .

into the sto n e which inst a ntly clo s ed behind him a n d

, ,

S wedger never c a me b a ck Th e w itchcra ft of the Finn

’
.

people is sa id to h a ve led Va n la n d i (Svegd ir s s on) to h is ’

1 64 B R ]TON S .

Hugh M iller,
the whole of B rit a in w a s peopled by gia nt s

— a fa ct a mply s upported by e a rly E ngli s h hi s tori a n s a n d

the tra ditions of the N orth of S cotl a nd D iocleti a n king .
,

of S yri a s a y the histori a n s h a d thi rty three d a ughters

, ,
-
,

who like the d a ughters of D a n a u s killed their hu s b a nd s

, ,

on their wedding night The kin g their fa ther in a bhor

.
, ,

rence of the c rime crowd ed them a ll into a ship which he

, ,

a b a ndoned to the mercy of the w a ves a n d which w as ,

dri fted by tides a nd winds till it a rrived on the co a s t of

Brita in then a n uninha bited isla nd There they lived
, .

solita ry subs i s ting on roots a nd berries the n a tura l pro

, ,

duce of the soil until a n o rder of demons becoming e n a

, ,

mou red of them took the mfor their wives a nd a tribe of

,

gi a nts who must be rega rded a s the true a borigi nes of the
country if indeed t
,

h e demons h a ve not a prior cl a im were

t L ess fortun a te howeve r t
, ,

h e fruit of the s e m a rri a ges . ha n , ,

even their p rototypes the Cyc lo ps the whole tribe w a s ,

extirp a ted a fe w age s a fter by B rutus the pa rricide who , ,

with a va lour to which me re bulk could o ffer no e ffectu a l

re s i s ta nce overth rew Gog M agog a n d Te rma gol a nd a
,
-
,

w hole ho s t of othe rs with n a m es equ a lly terrible Tra di .

tion is les s explicit th a n the hi s tori a ns in wh a t rela tes to

the o rigin a n d exti n ction of the ra ce but it s n a rra tive s of ,

their p rowess a re more minute The re is a l a rge a n d

ponderous stone in the p a ri s h of E d d e rs t
.

on which a

gi a nte s s of the t ribe is s a id to h a ve flung from the point o f

a s pindle a cros s the D or n oc h Firt h ; a n d a nother with in a
'

fe w miles o f D ingw a ll still l a rger a n d more ponderous

, ,

w hich w a s th rown by a person of t h e s a me fa mily a nd ,

which still bea rs the m a rks of a giga ntic finger a nd

thumb 1
.
’

Pe rh a ps we ma y find the mythologic a l des cend a nts of

t h ese Tita ns a n d a l s o of the D ruid s in the s o ca lled
, ,
-

1 ’
S cenes and Legen d s , p . 13 .
 I CE LA N D . 16
5

Gre a t M e n once dre a ded by Hi ghl a nders Th e n a tives

’

of S outh Ui s t believed th a t a v a lley c a lled Glen s l t

.

y e , ,

s itu a ted between two mounta in s on the e a s t side of

the isl a nd w a s h a unted by these Grea t M e n a n d th a t if
a n y one en t
, ,

e red the va lley w itho u t form a lly resigning

themselves to the conduct of th os e beings they would ,

in fa llibly become ma d M a rtin h a ving remonst ra ted with

the people a g a inst this s upersti t
.
,

ion w a s told of a wom a n s ,

’
.

h a ving come out of the v a lley a lun a tic bec a use she h a d
not utte red the spel l of three sentences They a lso told .

him of voices hea rd in the a ir Th e Bro w nie a t a ll ma n .

with very long brown who h as cow s milk poured ’

out for him on a hill in the s a me region p roba bly of thi s

gi a nt tribe mi ght e a s ily h a ve been demoni s ed a t
,

the
time when the D ruids we re giving St
,

C olumb a s o mu c h .

t rouble a nd t rying to ret a in thei r influence over the

,

people by pro fe s s ing s upe rn a tura l po w e rs 1

.

Th e ma n of the s m a ller s t a tu re m a king up for h is ,

i n feriority by invention perh a ps fi rs t forged the s word the

, ,

coa t of m a il an d the shield a n d so con fronted the gi a nt

, ,

w ith s ucce s s Th e god with the Ha mmer might thus

M a gic a rt
.

s upersede the god of the Flint S pe a r seemed .

to h a ve rendered invulne ra ble the ma n from whom the

a rrow rebounded .

It would a ppe a r from King Ol a f Tryggva s on s Sa g a ’

th a t nine hundred yea rs a go the Icel a nders a n d the D a nes

reciproc a lly reg a rded e a ch other a s gi a nts a n d dwa rfs
Th e Icel a nders indited l a mpoon s a g a in s t t
.

h e D a nes which
a ll u d e to their diminutive s ize

t
Th e ga lla n Ha ra ld in h e fi eld t
t
Be w e e n h is legs le td
s rop h is s h ield ,

t y
I n o a pon h e w a s ch an ged , 81s .

On the othe r h a nd , the D a nes h a d by no mea ns a con

1
Dr . J m B ow
a es r
’
ne s His ty f t
or h Highl
o e an d s,
’

p . 1 13.
1 66 M I M A CS .

tmpt
e idea of their Icel a ndic enemies a s the following
u ou s ,

n a rra tive from He ims kringla p roves King Ha ra ld told

a w a rlock to hie to Icel a nd in some a ltered sh a pe a n d t
.

try wh a t he could le a rn the re to tell him : a n d he s et

.
,

out
in the sh a pe of a wh a le A n d when he ca me ne a r to the
l a nd he went to t
.

h e west side of Icel a nd north a rou n d

t h e l a nd when he sa w a ll t
,

,
h e mount a ins a n d hills full of
l a nd serpents some grea t some sm a ll When he ca me to
-
, ,
.

V a pn a fi ord he went i n towa rds the l a nd intendi n g to go ,

on shore ; but a huge dra gon rushed do w n the d a le a g a inst

h im with a tra in of se rpent s p a ddocks a n d to a ds t
,
ha t , , ,

blew poison tow a rds him Then he turned to go wes t .

wa rd a round the l a nd a s fa r a s E ya fi ord a nd he went into

t
,

h e fi ord Then a bird fle w a ga inst him which w a s so

.
,

grea t tha t its wi n gs stretched over the mounta in s on eithe r

s ide of the fi ord a n d m a ny birds gre a t a n d sm a ll with it
, , , .

Then he s wa m further we s t a n d then south into Ereid a ,

fi ord When he ca me into the fi ord a l a rge g rey bull ra n

.

a g a inst him w a ding into the s e a a n d bellowi n g fe a r fully

, , ,

a nd he w a s follo w ed by a crowd of l a nd serpents From -

thence he went round by R eika nes s a n d w a nted to l a nd a t

.

V ika rs t e d but there c a me down a hill gi a nt a ga inst him

,
-

w ith a n iron s ta ff in h is h a nds He w a s a he a d higher

t
.

ha n the mounta in s a n d m a ny other gi a nts followed him

, .
’

Th e most seductive Hesperi a n ga rdens of the South a n d

E a s t do not a ppe a r to h a ve been s o thoroughly gu a rded or
de fended a s Icel a nd a n d one ca n h a rdly c a ll it cowa rdice
,

when (a fter the wiz a rd wh a le brought ba ck the log of its-

voy a ge) it is recorded Then the D a ni s h ki ng turn ed a bout

with his fleet a nd s a iled b a ck to D enm a rk .
’

It is a su ffi ciently curious fa ct th a t the M ii ha c s a bo ri ,

gines of N ova Scoti a were found with a wh a le s tory

1
,
-
,

a lre a dy re ferred to (p s o much like this. They a l s o .

1 No th Am i R iw J r y 18 7e r ca n ev e ,
’
a nua r 1.
1 68 GOG AN D M A GOG .

but when within s ight of the m a gic i s l a nd s were d rive n

, ,

b a ck by contra ry winds .

Gog a n d M agog sta nd in Lond on Guildha ll though

much diminished in st at
,

ure to suit the E ngli s h muscles

th a t h a d t
,

o be a r them in processio ns monument s of the

raet rn a t
,

e u ra l size a ttributed to the enemie s which the

p
A rya n ra ce encountered in its gre a t wes twa rd migr a tion s
E ven t
.

o d a y when the pro gress of civili s a tion is h a ra s s ed

-

by unta med Scy t

,

hi a n horde s how s t ra ngely fa ll u pon ou r ,

e a rs the a ncient lege n d s a nd prophecies concerning them 1

Th sa it ush t h e Lo d J h o h r e va

Beh ld I m g i t
o a th ee O Gog a a ns , ,

P i ce of R h of M sh ch
r n os d of T b u l e e an u

A d I w ill t t b ck d le e b t the i t h part of t

, ,

n h u rn ee a h ee an av u s x

t t t t p t
,

A d I w ill ca
n h o c om f
u se
p o m h e o
ee
r h e u r n ar s ,

A d will b ri g t
n h ee po t he m
n o ti f I l u n u n a ns o sra e

A d I w ill m
n it t h y bow o t
s of t h y l ft
e ha d u e n

An d will ca e t t
o f ll f omt h y igh t
,

hi e ow
us n h
a rr d s a r r an

T ho h lt f ll po t ti of I l
.

u s a he m oa u n un a ns s ra e

T ho d ll t
,

u an h y ba d s
a n .
1

I n the Kora n it is rel a ted of D h u lka rne in He jou r

n e y e d from south to north until he c a me between the two

mounta ins bene a th which he found a people who could

,

sca rce understa nd wh a t w a s s a id A nd they s a id O D hul .

,

ka rn e in ve rily Gog a n d M a gog w a ste the l a nd ; s h a ll we

t
, ,

here fore pa y thee tribute on con d ition th a t thou build a

, ,

ra mp a rt between u s a n d them He a nswered Th e powe r ,

wherewith my L ord h a th st rengthened me is better th a n

your t ribute ; but a ss i s t me st re n uou s ly a n d I will s e t a

s trong w a ll between you a n d them Where fore when .

this w a ll w as fini s hed Gog a n d M a gog could not s c a le it ,

'

n either could they dig through it A nd D h u lk a rn e in s a id

This is a mercy from my L ord ; but when t
.
,

h e p rediction
of my L ord s h a ll come to be fulfilled he will re duce the ,

w a ll to du st .
’

1
E zek ie l xxxix.
 THE I M P R I S ON E D GI A N TS . 16
9

Th e te rror inspired by these b a rba ri a ns is reflected in

the prophecies of their certa in irru ption from their super
n a tur a lly built fa s tnesses
-
a s in E zekiel

T h o h lt ce d a d ome lik
u s a as n to m n c e a s r

T ho s h lt c lo d to co e t
,

ube lik a he l d
e a u v r an

T ho d ll t
,

u anh y ba d a n s,

A d m y p ople wit
n an h t hee
e

a n d in t h e Ko ra n Gog a n d M a gog sh a ll h a ve a p a ss a ge
open for t
,

hem a n d they sh a ll h a sten from e ve ry high

,

hill a n d in the A poca lypse Sa t a n s h a ll be loosed out of ,

h is prison a n d sh a ll go out to d eceive the n a tion s whi ch

a re in the fou r qu a rte rs of the e a rt
,

h Gog a n d M a gog to , ,

g a ther them in ba ttle : the number of whom is a s the s a nd

of the s e a Five centurie s a go S ir John M a u n d ev ille w a s
’
.

telling in E ngl a nd the legend he h a d he a rd in the E a s t

In th a t s a me regiou n ben the mou nt
.

a y n e s of C a s py e th a t
‘

men c lepe n Uber in the contree Bet ou n t

,

w e n e the m . a yn e s

the Jews of 10 lyn a ges ben encl osed th a t men c le pe n

Gothe a n d M a got
,

h e : a n d they mowe not gon out on n o

s yd e The re we ren enclo s ed 2 2 ky nge s with hire pe ple
th a t d w e lle d e n be t w e ne t ou n t
.
, ,

he m a y ns of S ythe The re
King A lis a n d re ch a c e d e h e mbe t ou n t
.

w e n e the m a y n es a n d

t here he thought for to enclo s e hem t

,

h orgh e wo rk o f h is
men Bu t when he sa u gh e t h a t h e mi ght not doon it n e
bringe it to a n ende he preyed to God of N a tu re t
.
,

, h a t he ,

wolde perfo rme th a t th a t he h a d begou n e A n d a ll w e re

it s o th a t he w a s a P a yn e me a nd not w ort hi t
.

o ben he rd

zit God of h is gra ce closed t ou n t

, , ,

he m a yn es to gy d re : s o

th a t thei d w e lle n the re a ll fa st ylokked a n d enclos e d with

ou n t
,

h igh e m a y n e s a ll a boute s a f only on o s yde ; a ,

n d on

tha t syde is the See of Cas pye .

’
 CH A P TE R VI I .

BA R R E N N ESS .

I nd ian f mi e
a n an d S un -
spot
s — Su n -
w orsh p i —D emo of n t
h D e e s er t
— y
Th e Sph in x E g p ia n plagu es d es c r t e s us Locu s s , ibe d by L p i t
— —
Hu rrica ne, Flood , M ice, Flies Th e Sh e ikh s rid e A a d d on
’
b
Se —tT yp h on — Th e C a in w in d — S e h— M ira ge — Th e D e s er E d en t t
—Aza zel— Ta w is ca ra a nd he W ild R os e t .

IN their a do ra tion of ra in giving I ndra a s a lso a sol a r -

m aje st y the a ncient Hindu s seem to ha ve been fully a wa re

,

of h is incon s istent h a bits Thy inebriety is most intense ‘ ’

.
,

excl a ims the eulogi st and s oothingly a dd s Tho u de s i rest

th a t both thy inebriety a n d thy ben e fi c e nce should be t
, ,

he
me a n s of des troying enemies a n d di s tributing rich es l
.
’

A g a in s t fa mine is invoked the thunderbolt of I ndra a n d it

is like n ed to the terrible Tva s h t
,

ri in whos e fe a rful sh a pe

re A gni once a ppe a red to t

,

(pure fi ) h e terror of god s a n d

men This Tva s ht

?
ri w a s not a n evil being hi m s el f but

a n a rt ifi ce r for t
, ,

a s we h a ve s een ,
h e god s s imil a r to
V ulc a n ; he w a s howeve r fa ther of a t h ree hea ded mon ster -

w h o h a s been identified w ith V rit

, ,

ra Though the s e e a rly .

wors hippers recognised th a t their chie f trouble w a s

connected wi t h gl a ring he a t (which Tva s h t
‘
ri s eem s to
’

mea n in the pa ss a ge j ust re ferred to) I n dra s celeb ra nts ,

’

beheld him s upe rs eding h is fa ther D y a u s a n d reigning ,

in the d a y s s plendour a s well a s in the cloud s

’ ’

bounty Thi s monopolist of p a rts in their theogony

.

1
Rig V d-
e 75 5 (W il
a, x
v. ) 1 , I b i
d i 133 6
son .
1
.
, .
, .
1 72 S U P E R S TI TI ON A N D M A CHI N E R K

They h a ve a d a pted their count ry perfectly for propit ia

tion of fa mine demons t h a t do not exi s t a t a cost which

would long ago h a ve rendered the m secure from t

-
,

he
fa mine fo rce s th a t do exi s t
-
We h a ve simil a rly covered
.

C hristendom with a complete sys tem of securitie s a ga in s t

hell s a n d devils a n d wra thful d eities th a t do not exi s t ,

while a round our churche s ch a pel s ca thedra l s a re the

, , ,

a ctu a lly exi s tent s eething hell s of p a uperism s h a me a n d

-
, ,

c rime
N othing ca n a dva nce a rt
.

in a ny di s trict of this a ccursed

m a chine a n d devil d riven E ngl a nd until s h e ch a nges h e r
- - -

mind in m a ny things So w rote John R u s kin recently

.
’
.

O f cours e s o long a s the m a chine toils a nd e a r n s we a lth

a n d ot her power which s till goes to s upport a n d fu rt
,

he r
s oci a l a n d eccle s i a stic a l forms constituted with re fere n ce

t
,

o s a lva tion from a devil or demon s no lo n ger believed in

the phra se m a chine a n d devil d riven is true Until t

,

he
’
- - -
.

invention a n d enterpri s e of the n a tion a re a dmini s tered in

the interest of right idea s w e ma y s till s igh like Joh n
, ,

S terling for a dozen men to st a nd up for ide a s a s

‘

But
,

C obden a n d his friend s do for m a c hinery it still ’

.

rem a ins a s t rue th a t a ll the m a chine ry a nd wea lth of

E n gl a nd devoted to m a n might m a ke it s every home

t
h a ppy a n d educ a te every inh a bita nt as th a t every idol a
, ,

trous temple in Indi a might be commu ed into a shield

a g a in s t fa mine .

O u r a s tronomers a n d eco n omi s ts h a ve en a bled us to see

cle a rly how the ca s e is with the cou ntry who s e temples
o ffer no obst ruction to ch risti a n vi s io n Th e fa ct s point
.

t o the conclusion th a t the s u n spots re a ch their m a ximum

-

a n d minimum of inten s ity a t interva ls of eleven yea rs a nd

t h a t their high a ctivity is a ttended with frequent flu ct
,

ua

tions of the m a gnetic needle a n d increa sed ra in fa ll I n

,
.

18 1 1 a n d since then fa mines in I n di a h a ve with one

, , ,
 S UN WOR SHI P . 1 73

exception followed yea rs of minimum s u mspots Thes e

,
-
.
1

fa ct s a re su ffi ciently w ell a ttested to wa rr a nt the belie f

th a t E ngli s h science a n d skill will be a ble to re a li s e in
Indi a the p rovision which Joseph is sa id to h a ve m a de for
the seven le a n ye a rs of which P h a ra oh drea med
Un t
.

il th a t h a ppy e ra sh a ll a rrive the poor Hindu s will ,

only go on a ltern a tely a doring a n d propiti a ting the s u n ,

a s its benign or its cruel influences sh a ll fa ll upon them .

Th e a rtist Turner s a id Th e sun is God Th e superb e ff ects

’
.
,

of light in Turner s picture s could h a rdly h a ve come fro m

’

a ny but a sun wors hipper dwelling a mid fog s -

U n fa m i
lia rit
.

y o ften breeds reve rence T here a re fe w count ries i n

w hich the s u n when it does shine is s o likely t

.

o be greeted

w ith enthu s i a s m a n d observed in a ll it

, ,

s va ri a tions of splen

dour a s one in which it Y et

,

,
s a ppea ra nc e is ra re the .

supers tition inherited from regions w here the sun is equ a lly
a desol a t ion w a s strong enough to blot ou t it s glory in the

mind of a writer fa mous in his time Tobi a s Swinden M A

w h o w rote a wo rk to prove the sun to be t
. .
, , ,

h e a bode of the
d a mn ed Th e specul a tion may now a ppea r only curiou s
?
,

but prob a bly it is no more curious tha n a hundred ye a rs

from n ow w ill s eem to a ll t
, ,

h e vulg a r notion of futu re fiery

torments for m a n kind t h e s criptura l nece s s ity of which
,

led the fa nci ful rector to h is grotesque conclu s ion These .

—
two extremes the S u n wo rs h ip of Turner the Su n ho rror -
,
-

of S winden — surv iva l s in E ngl a nd repres ent the two a nta

t
, ,

g o n is ic a s pects of the sun which wer e of overwhelming

impo rt to those who dwelt bene a th it
,

s gre a test potency .

His ill humou r or h is hunger a nd thirst in a ny ye a r t ra n s

-

fo r med the e a rth to a desert a nd de a lt de a t

, ,

h to thou s a n d s , .

In count ries whe re drouth b a rrennes s a n d conse quent , ,

1
Th N i t t
‘
e h C ty N mb 8 77 A t
ne e e n il
en u r S Sp t d
’
ove er 1 r ce :
‘
un - o s an

by N m L ky d W W H t
, .

F m i
’
a nes , or an oc e r an u n er.

A I q iy i t h N t
t
. .

1
d Pl f H ll by Tobi Swi d M A
’
n n u r n o e a u re an a ce o e as n en,

l t R t ti K t1727
, . .
,

a e o of C
ec r ux on - n - en . .
1 74 D EM ON O F THE D E SE R T .

fa mine were occa s ion a l a s in Indi a it w ould be a n inevi

, ,

t a ble result th a t they would represent the va rying moods

of a powerfu l will a n d in s uch region s we n a tura lly find
,

the mos t exten s ive a ppli a nce s for propiti a tion The pre
pondera nt number of fa t
.

yea rs would tell powerfully on

the popul a r im agin a tion in fav our of p ri estly interces s ion
a n d the a dva nt a ge of s a c rifice s t
,

o the gre a t Hu n ger demon -

who s o metimes con s umed the s eed s of the ea rth Bu t

’

in .

count rie s where b a rrenness w a s a n ever present visible -

, ,

u nva rying fa ct the D emon o f the D e s e rt would rep re s ent

,

N ece ssity a power not to be co a xed or ch a nged P eople

, .

dwelling in dista nt l a nd s might invent theoretica l myth s

to a ccount for the desert It might be a n a ccident re s ult
.

ing from the S u n god h a ving given up h is ch a riot one d a y

.
-

to a n inexperienced d river who c a me too clos e to the

e a rth Bu t
. to tho s e w h o lived be s ide the des ert it could
o n ly seem a n in fern a l re a lm quite i rrecovera ble Th e , .

a ncient civili sa tion of E gypt s o full o f gra ndeur might in

good pa rt h a ve been d ue t
, , ,

,
o the le s s on t a ug h t them by the

d es ert th a t they could not ch a nge the condition s a round

,

them by a ny entre a ties but m u s t m a ke the bes t of wh a t

,

w a s le ft I f such indeed w a s the force th a t built the

.
, ,

a ncie n t civilisa tio n who s e monuments rem a in s o m a g n ifi

cent in their ruins its deca y might be equ a lly a ccounted

for when t
,

h a t primitive fa ith pa s sed into a theologica l

.
t
pha s e For a s N eces s i y is the mothe r of invention Fa te ,

is fa t a l to the s a me Belie f in fa ct s a n d l a ws fixed in the

o rga nic n a ture of things s timul a tes ma n t
.
,

o s tudy them
,

a n d con s titute h is li fe with re ference to them but belie f

;
th a t things a re fixed by t h e a rbitr a ry decree of a n in d iv i
du a l power is the fin a l sentence of enterprise Fa te might .

thu s s te a dily bring to ruin the gra ndest a ch ievement s of

N ecess ity .

Ha d we only the true histo ry of the Sphinx — the

1 76 L O C U S TS

ti
or ou s bridegroom thou a rt her m a ngled victim sca ttered
on the precipices as a sl a ve fo u nd trea cherous recre a n t
,

, , ,

ought to be a nd m u st 1 ’

On the ve rge of t
, .

h e D es e rt P rime M inister to the N e

c ropolis a t
,

whos e ga teway it s ta nds the S ph inx reposes

a mid t
,

h e silence of science a n d the centuries Who built .

it ? N one ca n a n s wer so fa r a s the huma n a rtist or the

, ,

king u n d er whom he worked is concerned But the idea s , .

a n d n a tu ra l forces which built the S phinx s u r rou n d even

now the a rchae ol ogist who tries to di s cover it s hi s tory a n d

ch ronology A s fi ttest a ppend age to Ca rlyle s interpreta

.
’

tion let us re a d so me p a s sa ges from L epsiu s

Th e Oedipus for t
.
,

h is king of the S phinxes is yet wa nt

i ng Whoever would dra in the immea sura bl e sa n d flood
’

which bu ries the tomb s t

.

hemselves a n d lay ope n the base ,

of the S phinx the a ncient temple p a t h a n d the s u rround

,
-
,

ing hills could e a s ily decide it But with the e nigm as of

,
.

history the re a re joined m a ny riddles a n d wonders of

n a tu re which I mu s t not le a ve q uite unnot iced Th e ne w est
of a ll a t
.
,

le a st I must describe
, , .

I h a d descended with A beken into a mu mmy pit to -

,

open s ome newly di s covered sa rcoph a gi a nd w a s not a

litt
,

le as toni s hed upon des cending to find mys el f in a regu

, ,

la r sno w dri ft of locu s ts which a lmost d a rkening the

-
, ,

he a vens flew over our he a d s from the sou th we s t from the

,
-

desert in h u ndreds of thousa nds to the va lley I took it

for a si n gle flight a n d ca lled my comp a nions from t
.

, he
tombs whe re they were bu s y tha t t hey might s e e thi s
, ,

E gypti an wonde r ere it w as over But the flight continued ; .

i ndeed the w ork people sa id it h a d begu n a n hour be fo re

-
.

Then we fi rs t observed t ha t the whol e region nea r a n d ,

fa r w a s covered with locusts I s ent a n a ttend a nt into

t h e desert t
.
,

o d iscover the bre a dt h of the flock He ra n .

C lyl P td P 1 t2
ar e, as an resen , 1. .
 HOS TS OF THE C OM E T . 1 77

for the d ist a nce of a q u a rter of a n hour then returned a nd ,

told u s th a t a s fa r a s he could see there w a s no end to

, ,

them; I rode home in the mid s t of the locu s t sho w er

At
.

the edge of the fruit ful pl a in they fell down in showers ;

a n d s o it went on the whole d a y un t il th e evening a n d s o ,

the next d a y from morning till evening a n d the thi rd ; ,

in short to the s ixth d a y indeed in we a ker flights muc h

longer Y esterd a y it did seem t
,

. h a t a s torm of ra in in the
dese rt h a d knocked down a n d destroyed the l ast of them .

Th e A ra bs a re now lighting gre a t s moke fi re s in the fields -

,

a n d cl a ttering a n d m a king loud noise s a ll d a y long to

p rese rve their crops from the unexpected inva s ion It .

will ho w ever d o little good L ike a new a nim a ted v ege

t at ion t h ese millions of winged s poilers cove r eve n t
, , .

,
he
neighbou ring sa nd hills s o th at sca rcely a nything is to be
-
,

seen of the ground ; a n d when t h ey ri s e from one pl a ce

they immedi a t e ly fa ll down s omewhe re in the neighbour
hood they a re tired with their long jo u rney a nd s eem to ,

h a ve lost a ll fea r of their n a tura l enemie s men a n im a l s , , ,

smoke a nd noise in their furiou s wi s h to fill their stom a ch s

, , ,

a n d in the feeding of their immense number Th e mo s t .

wonderful thing in my es tim a tion is their fligh t over the

, ,

n a ked wilderne ss a nd the instinct which has guided them

from some o a s is over the inhospit a bl e de s ert t o the fa t
,

soil of the N ile v a le Fourteen ye a rs a go it s eem s this

.
, ,

E gypti a n pl a gue l as t vi s ited E gypt w ith the s a me fo rce

Th e popul a r idea is th a t they a re sent by t
.

h e comet whic h
we h a ve observed for twelve d a ys in the Sout h we s t a n d -
,

wh ich a s it is now n o longe r obscu red by the ra ys of the

moo n stretches fo rth it
,

s s t a tely t a il a c ro s s the he a ven s in

the ho u rs of the night The Zodi a ca l li ght t

,

. oo s o s eldo m , ,

seen in the north has l a tely been visible for seve ra l nights
,

in su ccess ion .
’

Other pl a gues of Egypt a re d escribed by Lepsiu s

VO L I M
. .
1 71
1 HU R R I CAN E , FL OOD , M I CE .

S uddenly the storm gre w to a tremendous hurrica ne ,

such a s I h a ve never seen in E urope a nd h a il fell upon us ,

in s uch m asses a s a lmos t to turn d a y into night Our .

tents lie in a va lley whither the pla te a u of the pyra mids

,

inclines a n d a re s heltered from the wo rs t winds from the

,

north a nd west Presently I s a w a d a shin g mounta i n flood

.

hurrying down upon our pros trate a n d s a nd covered tents -

like a gi a nt serpent upon it

,

s cert a in prey Th e princip a l .

s tre a m rolled on to the gre a t te n t ; a nother a rm threa tened

mine without rea ching it B ut eve rything th a t h a d been
.

was hed from our tents by the shower w a s torn a w a y by

the t wo stre a ms which joined behind the tents a n d c a rried
, ,

into a pool behind the S phinx where a grea t l ake imme

d ia t
,

e ly formed which fortu na tely ha d no outlet Just

, .

picture this scene to yoursel f ! Our tents d as hed down

by the storm a nd hea vy ra in lying between t
,

w o mount a in
,

torrents thru s ting themselves in severa l pl a ces to the depth

,

of six feet in the s a nd a n d depos iting our books dra w ings

, , ,

,
r ,
—
sketches shi ts a n instruments y es even ou r leve rs a nd
d ,

iron crow ba rs ; in short eve rything they could s eize in

-
, ,

the d a rk foa ming mud ocea n Beside s thi s ours elves wet
-
.
,

to the s kin without h a ts fa stening u p the weightier things

ru s hing a ft er t
, , ,

h e lighter ones wa ding into the l a ke to the

w a i s t to fi sh out
,

wh a t the s a nd ha d not yet swa llowed ;

a n d a ll this w a s the work of a qu a rter of a n hour a t the ,

end of w hich the s u n shone ra di a ntly a ga in a n d a nnounced ,

the end of thi s flood by a bright a n d glorious ra inbow .

N ow come s the pl a gue of mice with which we were not ,

formerly a cqu a inted ; in my tent they gro w pl a y a nd

w hi s tle a s if they h a d been a t
, ,

home here a ll their lives

At
, ,

a n d q uite reg a rdless of my presence night they h ave .

a lre a dy run a c ross my bed a n d fa ce a n d yesterd a y I ,

sta rted terrified from my slumbers a s I suddenly felt the

s h a rp tooth of such a d a ring guest a t
,

my foot .
 THE SHE I K H S R I D E
’
1 80 .

A mid such scenery t h e S phinx a rose E gypt w as a ble .

to recognise the problem of blend ed ba rrenness a n d be a uty

— a ltern a tion of N a ture s flowing b re a st a n d leonine cl a w
’

— but cou ld she return the right a ns w er ? Th e primitive

E gypti a n a nswer m a y indeed as I h a v e gu essed be t
, ,
he ,

g r ea t monument s of her civilis a tion but her hi s toric s olu

tion h a s been a nother world This wo rld a dese rt

,

. with ,

here an d there a momenta ry oas is where man ma y d a nce

a n d fe a st a littl e stimul a ted by t
,

,
h e corp s e bo rne rou nd
the ba nquet ere he p a ss es to p a ra d is e So thought they
,
.

a n d wer e deceived ; from gene ra tion to gener a tion h a ve

they been destroyed even unto thi s d a y How destroyed

, .
,

L e wi ns m a y a g a in be our witne ss

Th e S h eikh of t
.

h e Sa a d ich d e rw is h e s rides to the chie f

-

Sheik h of a ll the d e rw is h es of E gypt E l Bekri On the

wa y th ither a gre a t number of the s e holy folk a n d o t
.
,

,
hers , ,

too who fa ncy them s elves not a whit behind h a nd in piety -

th row thems elves fla t on the ground wi t

, ,

h their fa c e s down ,

w ard a n d so th a t the feet of one lie clos e to the he a d of

,

the next ; over this living c a rpet the s heikh rides on his
hors e w hich is led on ea ch s ide by a n a ttend a nt in order
, ,

to compel the a nim a l to the unn a tu ra l m a rch E a ch body .

receives two tre a ds of the horse ; mos t of them jump up

a g a in without hurt but whoever su ffers serious or as it
, ,

occas ion a lly h a ppens morta l inju ry ha s the a ddition a l

ignominy to be a r of n ot h a ving pronounced or not
, ,

bei n g ,

a ble to pronounce the proper pra yers a n d m agic a l ch a rms

,

th a t a lone could sa ve him ’

Wh a t a fea rful b a rba rous worship (t

.

h e S ik r in which
‘ ’
,

the d e rw is he s d a nce until ex ha usted howling N o God but ,

A ll a h ) which the a stounded multitude gre a t a n d s m a ll

’ ‘
, ,

gen tle a n d simple ga ze upon seriously a nd with s tupid

respect a n d in whic h it n ot
, ,

, un fre q uently ta kes a p a rt !

Th e invoked deity is m a ni festly m u ch less an obje ct of
 M E AN I N G OF THE S P HHVX . 181

reve rence th an the fa n a tic sa ints who invoke him ; for ma d ,

idiotic or other psychologica lly disea sed pe rsons are very

,
-

genera lly looked upon a s holy by the M oh a mmed a ns a n d ,

trea ted with grea t res pect It is the demoni a c a l in compre

.
,

h e n s ibly a cting a n d there fore fe a rfully observed power of

-
,
-
,

n a ture th a t the n a tura l ma n a lw ays reveres when he per

c e iv e s it bec a use he is se n sible of some connection betwe e n
,

it a n d his intellectu a l power without being a ble to com

,

m a nd it ; firs t in the mighty elements then in the wondrou s

but obs cure la w governed instincts of a nim a l s a n d a t
,

-
l a st ,

in the yet more overpowering ecsta tica l or genera lly a bnor

ma l menta l condition of h is own ra ce .
’

Th e right a nswer to the enigm a of the S phinx is M a n

Bu t
.

this cre a ture prostra ti n g himsel f under the Sheikh s ’

horse or u nder the invisible Sheikh ca lled A ll a h a n d

is not M a n at
, ,

a scribing s a nctity to the h a l f witted -

a ll

Th os e h a rd worked sl a ves who esca ped into t

, .

-
h e wilder
ness a n d set up for worship a n a n t
,
hropomorphic S uprem e
Will a nd sought their promi s ed milk a n d honey in this
,

world a lo n e c a rried with them the only force th a t could

,

rightly a nswer the S phinx TIzezr A ll a h or E lohim they

'

Why h ow lest
.

hea rd s a y ,
thou to me ? Go forwa rd .
’

Somewh a t more s ignifica nt th a n h is u su a l jest s w as th a t

ca rtoon of F u nd : which represented the S phinx with
rel a xed fa ce smiling recognition on the mo s t emi nent of

contempora ry Isra elites returning to the l a nd of h is ra ce s ’

a ncient bond a g e to buy the S uez C a n a l Th e S uez C a n a l

h a l f a ns w ers the S phinx ; when ma n h a s subdued t
.
,

he
Gre a t D esert to a s e a the solution will be complet e a nd
the Sphinx ma y c ast hersel f into it
, ,

Fa r a n d wide through the Southern w orld h a ve swa rm ed

the locusts described by Lepsius a n d with them h ave ,

migra ted ma ny superstitions Th e writer of this well re

membe rs the visit of the s o ca lled Seventeen yea r locust
.

’
-
s -
,
1 82 A B AD D ON .

to the region of V irgini a where he w a s born a n d a cross ,

m a ny ye a rs ca n he a r the terrible never cea sing roa r coming -

u p fro m the woo d s uttering as a ll a greed the ominous

word Ph a ra oh On e a ch wing every e ye could see t
, , ,

’
. he
letter W signi fying W a r With th a t modern bit of a ncient
, .

’
E gypt in my memory I find the old L ocu st mythology ,
-

su ffi ciently impressive .

By a n old tra dition the E gypti a n s as describe d by ,

L epsiu s connected the locusts w ith the co m et I n the

A poc a lypse (ix ) a fa lling sta r is the token of t
.
,

. h e descent
of the L ocust demon to unlock the pit th a t his swa rm s
-

ma y i s sue fort h for their work of de s truction Their .

—
king A b a ddon in Greek A pollyon D es troyer h a s ha d —
a n evolution from being the a ngel of the t
, , ,

w o (ra bbinic a l)
divisions of Ha des t o the succe ss ive C hie fs of S a ra ce n ic

hordes It is interes ting to compa re the gra phic des cription

.

of a locust s to r m in Joel w ith its a d a pt a tion to a n a rmy

-
,

of hum a n des troyers in the A poc a lyp s e A n d a ga in the .

cu rious desc ription of thes e hosts of A b a ddon in the l a tter

book p a rtly repe a t the s tra nge notion s of t
, h e Bedouins
—
concern ing the locu s t one of whom says N iebuhr com , , ,
‘

p a red the hea d of the locu s t to th a t of the hors e ; its

bre a st to th a t of a lion ; its feet to those of a c a mel ; it s

body t o th a t of the serpent ; it s t a il t

o t h a t of the s corpion ;

it s ho rns (a ntenn a ) to the locks of h a ir of a virgin Th e

’
.

present genera tion h as little re a s on to deny the a ppropri

at e n e s s of the biblic a l de s criptions of S cythi a n hordes a s

loc u s ts The l a nd is a s the ga rden of E den be fore them

.
,

a n d behind them a de s ol a te wilderness

’
.

Th e a ncient seeming conte s t bet w een a pp a rent Good

a nd E vil in E gypt w as represented in the w a rs of R a a n d

SetIt is s a id (Gen iv A n d to S e t
,

. . h to him a lso
.
‘
,

w as born a s on ; a n d he c a lled h is n a me E nos then bega n

men t o c a ll upon t h e n a me of the L ord A q uil a rea ds .

’
1 84 T YP HO N .

tA men R becomes H oru s a n d S et becom e s Typhon

’
f ee -
a

Th e Typhoni a n myth is ve ry complex a n d includes t

. .

he
conflict between the N ile a a t
,

n d ll i s enemies — the croco

diles th a t l urk in it the s ea th a t swa llows it t ,
h e drouth ,

t h a t drie s it the burning he a t th a t bri ngs m a la ri a fro mit

the floods th a t render it destructive a nd Se t
, ,

— w a s throug h

it evolved to a point where he beca me identified with

Sa turn S heita n or Sa t a n
,
Pluta rch identi fying Set
,
with .
,

Typho s ays th a t tho s e powers of the univers a l So u l

, ,

which a re su bject to the influences of p assions a n d in the ,

m a te ri a l sys tem wh atever is n oxious a s ba d a ir irregul a r

se as ons eclipse s of the sun a nd moo n a re a scribed t
, ,

Typho Th e n a me S et
, ,

a ccording to him me a n s violent ‘ ’

.
, ,

a nd hostile ; a n d he w as described a s double hea d ed

‘ ’ ‘
-
’

he who h a s two counten a nces an d the L ord of t

,

he
‘ ’ ‘

World N ot
,

the le a s t significa nt fa ct in a mora l sense is

’

th a t Se t
.
, ,

or Typho is represented as the brother of O s iris

whom he slew
Without here going into t
.

h e question of rel a tionship

bet w een Typh a on a n d Typhoeus we ma y feel tolera bly ,

cert a in th a t the fi re brea thing hurrica ne monster Typha on - -

of Homer a n d the hund red he a ded

, fi e rc e eyed ro a rer -
,
-

—
Typhoeu s s on of Ta rt a rus fa ther of Winds a n d Ha rpies ,

— represent the s a me ferocities of N a ture N o fitter pl a ce .

w a s ever a s signed him th a n the A frica n de s ert a n d the ,

s tory of the gods a n d go d de s se s fleeing be fore Typh on into

E gypt a n d the r e tra n s forming them s elves into a nim a ls

from terror is a tra nsp a rent t ribute t
, ,

o the dominion over

the wilderness of s a nd exercised by the typ h oon in it

,

m a ny moods Th e vultu re h a rpy te a ring the dea d is his -

child He is m a ny he a ded ; now h ot

.

. s tifling t a inted ; now

-
, ,

tempestuous ; here sciroc there hurrica ne a nd o ften tor

n a do It ma y be indeed t ha t a s at
, ,

. once coiled in the

whirlwind a nd bliste ring he is the fie ry serpent to a ppea se ,
 M I R A GE . 185

whom M oses li fted the bra sen serpent for t h e wors hip of
Isra el I h a ve o ften s een sn a kes hung up by neg roes in
.

V irgini a to bring ra in in time of drouth

, Typ h on as m ay .
,

ea s ily be seen by the a ccomp a nying fig u re is a h u n

gry a nd thirs ty demon His tongue is lolling ou t . w ith
thirs t His l a ter connection with the underworl d is sho w n
l
.

in va riou s myth s on e of which ,

seems to sugges t a popul a r belie f

th a t Typhon is not plea sed with
the mummies wit h held from him ,

a n d th a t he c a n enjoy h is hum a n

vi a nds only thro u gh buri a ls of t he

de a d In E gypt a fter the C optic
.
,

E a s ter M ond a y c a lled Sh e m

— me n
N e s se e m (smelling the zephyr)
—come the fi ft y d a y s hot wind-
’
,

c a lled Kh a m s een or C a in wind .

A fter s l a ying A bel C a in wa nde red ,

a mid such a wind to rtu red with ,

fever a n d thirs t Then he s a w two

.

birds fi ght in the a ir ; one h a vin g

killed the other sc ra tched a hole
in the d es e rt s a nd a n d buried it .

C a in then did the like by h is bro Fiz w

—T H (W ilki ) YP ON n son

t h e r s body when a zeph y r spra ng up a n d cooled his fever

’

But s til l s ay the A lex a ndri a ns the fi ft t

.
,

, y d a ys h o C a in ,
-
’

wind retu rn a n nu a lly .

I n pictures of the mirage or in cloud s h a pes fa intly ,

-

illumined by the a fterglow the dwellers bes ide the pl a in s ,

of s a nd s a w a s in ph a nt a sm a gori a the go rgeou s p a l a ce s

, , ,

the a ir ca s tle s a n d mysterious cities which m a ke the

-
, ,

rom a nce of the desert Unwilling to believe th a t such .

rea lms of b a rrenness h a d ever bee n cre a ted by a ny good

Com p K li Fig 18 1
are a ,
. .
1 86 THE D E SE R T E D E N .

god they beheld in drea ms which a n s wer to n ature s ow n

, ,
’

mirage d rea ming vision s of dyn a s ties p a ssed a wa y of

-
, ,

m a gnificent pa l a ces a nd mon a rchs on whose pomp a n d

he aven d e fying p ride the fa t a l s a nd storm h a d fa llen a n d
- -
,

buried t h eir glories in the dust for ever The de s ert h e .

ca me the emblem of imme a s ura ble a ll devouri n g Tim e -

.

I n m a ny of thes e legend s there a re intim a tion s of a belie f

th a t E den itsel f lay where n ow a ll is u nbroken des ert I n .

the be a uti ful legend in the M idra s h of S olomon s voya ge ’

on the Wind the mon a rch a lighted nea r a lo fty p a l a ce of

gol d a nd t
,

,
h e s cent there w as like the scent o f the g a rden
of E d en Th e du s t h a d so surrounded this p a l a ce tha t
’
.

S olomon a n d h is comp a nion s only le a rned t ha t the re h a d

been a n entra nce fro ma n e a gle in it thirteen centuries
old which h a d he a rd from it
,
s fa ther the tra dition of a n .

entra nce on the western side Th e obedient Wind h aving .

cle a red a w a y the sa nd a door w as found on whose lock ,

w a s written Be it known to you ye sons of men th a t w e

, , ,

dwelt in thi s p a l a ce in pros perity a nd delight m a ny ye a rs

When the fa mine c a me upon us we ground pe arls in t
.

he
mill inste a d of whea t but it profited u s nothing A mid , .
’

m a rvellous splendours from ch a mber to cha mber ga rnished

with ruby topa z emera ld Solomon p a ssed t
,

, , o a m a n s ion ,

on who s e three ga tes were w ritten a dmonitions of the

ll —
tra nsitory n a tu re of a things but D e a th L et not for .

tune deceive thee Th e world is given from one to

.
’ ‘

a nother On the third ga te w a s written Ta ke pro

’ ‘
.
,

vi s ion for thy jou rney a n d m a ke rea dy food for thysel f

whi le it is yet d a y ; for thou sh alt not be le ft on t
,

he
e a rth a n d thou k n owest n ot th e d a y of thy D e a t h ’
.
,

Thi s g a te S olo m on opened a n d s a w w ithin a li fe like -

im a ge sea ted : a s the mo na rch a pproa ched th is im ag e ,

c ried with a loud voice Come hith er ye children of Sa ta n ; ‘

s e e ! Ki n g Solomon is come t
, ,

o destroy you Then fi re

’
.
18 8 TA WI S CA R A

a la nd not inh a bited ; a nd h e sh a ll let go t h e go a t in t he

desert O f the mora l e lements here involved mu ch will
.
’

h a ve to be sa id herea fter This demon ultim a tely turned .

to a devil ; an d persisting thro ugh both fo rms is the fa mili a r

principle th a t it is well enough t ‘
o h ave friends on both

sides so pl a inly at
’
work in the levitica l custom ; but it is
p a rticul a rly i n teresting to observe th a t the sa me a nim a l
should be u sed as o fferings to the a ntagonistic deities I n .

E gy pti a n M ythology we find th a t the go a t h a d precisely

this t w o fold consecra tio n
-
It w as sa cred to Chem the
.
,

E gypti a n P a n god of orch a rds a n d of a ll fr u it fu l l a nds ;

,

a n d it bec a me a l s o s a cred to M endes the D es troye r or

’

It will thus be seen tha t t

, ,

A venging Power of R a he
’
.

s a me principle which from the sun deta ched the fructi fy

in g from the de s ert m a ki n g power a n d m a de Typho n
-
,

a n d Osiris hostile brothers preva iled to send the sa m e ,

a nim a l to A z a zel in the D e s ert a n d Jehova h of the mil k

a n d honey l a nd Origi n a lly the goa t w as supreme The

. .

S a m a rit a n Penta teuch O pens In the beginning the Goa t ,

‘

cre a ted the he a ven a n d the ea rth In the Hebrew cul .

’

ture myth of C a in a n d A bel a lso brothers there may be

-
, ,

represe nted a s Gold z ih er supposes the victo ry of the a gri

, ,

culturist over the nom a d or sheph erd ; but there is a lso

tra ce a ble in it the suprem a cy of the Go a t M endez or
A bel brought the fi rs t
,

A zim a ling of the go a t s

’
. .

V e ry striki n g is the A meric a n (Iroquois) myth of the

conflict between Joskeh a a n d Taw is ca ra the White O ne —
a n d the D a rk One They were t w ins born of a virgin
.
,

who died in giving them li fe Their gra ndmother w as the

moon (A t Oa t
.

a e n s ic s it
e 20l , /res ) These brothers fought .
,

J o s k e h a using a s we a pon the hor n s of a st a g T a w is c a ra

the wild rose Th e l a tter fled sorely wounded a nd t

,

-
he
blood gu s h ing from him turned t o flin t
.
,

stones Th e victor -
.
,

who used the sta g horns (the sa me we a pon th at Frey uses

-
 THE WI LD R OSE . 189

a g a inst Beli in the Prose E dd a a n d denoting perh a ps a

primitive bone a ge a rt
, ,

) destroyed
-
a monster
, frog which
swa llowed a ll the wa ters a n d guided the torrents into
,

smooth stre a ms a n d l a kes He stocked the woods with

.

ga me invented fire wa tched a nd wa te red crop s a nd with

ou t
, , ,

him s a ys the old m ission a ry Brebeu f they think they

could n ot
, ,

b oil a pot Th e use by the dese rt demo n

.
’
-

Ta w is ca ra of a wild rose a s his we a pon is a be a uti ful touch

in this myth So much loveliness grew even a mid the
h a rd flin t
.

s One is reminded of the closing scene in the

second p a rt of Goethe s Fa us tThere when Fa u s t h a s
.

’
.
,

rea li s ed the perfect hour to which he c a n say S ta y thou

a rt
, ,

fa ir by ca using by his la bour a wilderness to blos s o m

a s a ro s e ,
he lies down in h a ppy de a th ; a n d when the
demons come for h is soul a ngels pelt them with roses
which sting them like fl a mes N ot
, ,

wild roses were these

.
,

such a s gave the D a rk One such poor succour The .

de fence of Fa u s t is the roses he h as evoked from bri a rs .

 C H A P TE R V I I I .

T
O BS A C ES L .

M eph is t oph eles on Crags E m

— ers on on M ona d n oc —R u s ki n on Alpine
p eas a n s — H t
o ly a n d U n h oly M ou n a in s —T he D e t
v il s P u lpi
’
t
M on a gn ard st — — — —
Tarn s Tenj o T a i sha n Apoca equil T yro
’ — t
t
t
-

les e Lege nd s — R oc k O rd ea l — S cl a a n d C h a ry bd s
i — S co is h
G ian s — t t
P on ifex— D e vil s Brid ges —Le géan Yéous
’
t .

R E L ATED to the de mons of B a rrenness a n d to the hostile ,

hum a n demons but still po s sess ing ch a ra cteri s tics of their

,

own a re the demons supposed to h a unt gorges mounta in

, ,

ra nges ridges of rocks strea ms which ca nnot be forded

, ,

a n d a re yet unbridged rocks th a t wreck the r a ft or bo a t

, .

E a ch a n d eve ry obstruction th a t stood in the w a y of m a n s

’

plough or of his first fra il ship or his migra tion h as been

, , ,

a s s igned its demon Th e re a der of Goethe s p a ge h as

’
.

only to turn to the O pening line s of Wa lpu rgi s n a cht in

Fa us t to behold the re a l p a ndemonium of the N orthern
ma n a s in M ilton he may find th a t of the dweller a mid
,

fiery deserts a n d volca noes Th a t l a byrinth of va les

.
,

cross ed with wild cra g a n d fu rious to rrent is the n a tura l ,

scenery to surround the orgie s of the ph a ntoms which flit

from the uncultured bra in to uncultured n a ture E lse .

where in Goethe s grea t poe mM ephistopheles pits a ga inst

’

the philosophers the popul a r theo ry of the rugged remn a nts

of ch a os in n a ture an d the obst a cles before which m
, a n is

powerles s .
 ALP I N E P E A SA N TS .

Like w ise precept

or lu re his e ye

t t
,

To s oun d he scien ce of h ky e s .

But inste a d of finding there the ma n usi ng those

a fas tn es s t
o fight pollution of the mind be ,

s ea rc h ed t
h e region rou nd

An d in low bu t
my m on arc h fou nd
He w a s n o ea gle , a n d n o ear l
A la s my fo u n dlin g w a s a ch u rl,
Wih th tf t d y f b g
ea r o ca an e es o u

ll i t
,

Du i m f h i pip d mg
v c o s e an u .
1

R uskin h a s the sa me gloomy report to m a ke of t he

mount a inee rs of E urope Th e wild goats tha t lea p a long
.

those rocks h a ve a s much pa ssion of joy in all th a t fa ir

work of God a s the men th a t toil a mong them Perh a ps
I s it n ot
.

more .
’
stra nge to reflect th a t h a rdly a n even
ing pa sses in Londo n or P a ris but on e of those cott a ges
is p a inted for t h e better a musement of the fa ir a n d idle ,

a n d sh a ded with p a stebo a rd pi n es by the s cene shi fter ; -

a n d th a t good a n d kind people — poetica lly minded , ,

delight themselves in im a gining the h a ppy li fe led by

pe a s a nts who dwell by A lpine founta ins a nd kneel to
.
,

cros s es u pon pea ks of rock ? tha t n ightly we la y down our

gold t o fa shion forth simul a cra of pe a s a nts in ga y ribbons ,

a n d white bodice s singing sweet song s a n d bowing g ra c e

fully t
,

o the pictures q ue crosses ; a n d a ll the while the

verita ble pea sa nts a re kneeling songles sly to verita ble , ,

cro s s es in a nother temper th a n the kind a nd fa ir a udiences

drea m of a nd a s suredly with a no her kind of a nswer th an t
is got ou t
,

of the opera c a t a strophe

1 ’
.

Th e writer remembers well the emph a sis with which a

poor wom a n a t who s e cot t a ge he a sked the p a th to the

N a tura l B ridge in V irgini a s a id I don t kno w why s o ‘ ’

m a ny people come to these rocks ; for my pa rt give me a ,

1
E mu so n s
’
Poems . Monadnoc .
’ 1
Mod ern P ain tP t
Vers,
’
ar . 19 .
 HOL Y AN D U N H OL Y M O UN TS . 193

level country M a ny a ges la y between th a t a ged crone

3
.

a n d E merson or R uskin a n d they were a ges of he a vy w a r ,

with the fortresses of n a ture Th e fa bled ordeals of wa ter .

a n d fire through which the hum a n r a ce p a ssed were a sso

c ia t
e d with A ra ra t a nd S in a i beca use to migra ting or ,

fa rmi ng m a n the mount a in w a s a lwa ys a n orde a l irres pe c

tive even of its torrents or it

,

s occ a s ion a l l a va stre a ms A -

terrible vi s ta is opened by the cry of LotI c a nnot e s ca pe

.

t N ot
,

o the mount a in lest some evil t a ke m e l even the ’

fire consuming Sodom in the pl a ins could nerve him to

d a re cope with the demons of the steep pl a ces A s time .

went on devotees proved to the a w e stricken pe asa ntries

,
-

their sa nctity a nd a uthority by comba ting those mounta in

demons a n d erecting their a lt a rs in the high pla ces S o
,
.
’

m a ny s ummits beca me sa cred But this very sa nctity w a s .

the me a ns of bringing on successive demoni a c hordes to

h a unt them for every new religion sa w in those a lt a rs in
high pl a ce s n ot victories over de mon s but demon shrines ,
-
.

A n d thus mount a ins beca me the ve ry ba ttlefields between

riva l deities ea ch demon to h is or her riva l ; a n d the c on
flict
,

l a sts from the cursing of the high pl a ces by the ‘ ’

priests of Isra el to the D evil s Pulpits of the A lps a n d

1 ’

A pennines A mong the be a u ti ful frescoes a t

. B a den is
th a t of the A ngel s a n d the D evil s Pulpit by Gdt ’
z en
’

berge r N e a r Gern sba ch a ppropri a t ely a t

,

. the point where ,

the cultiva ble va lley meets the unconquera ble cre sts of
rock st a nd the two pulpits from which S a t a n a nd a n
,

A n gel contended when the first christi a n mission a rie s

,

h a d fa iled to convert the rude fo resters When by the

A n gel s elo q uence a ll were w on from t
.
,

h e D evil s s ide
’ ’

except a fe w witches a nd u s ure rs the fiend tore up g rea t ,

m as s es of rock a nd built the D evil s M ill on the moun ’ ’

Bl m t Ho of th B l i A y
1 ’
e s i ou n a n, d ll d h igh pl
use e e ove 18 ca e
‘
a ce n ss

d w o ld b i l d d i t R o d of t he P t
,

ri n h
’
a , an u e nc u e n iii ese curses ec r s as , .

VO L I . .
1 94 M ON TA C N A R D S .

t a in top ; a n d he w a s hurled down by the A lmighty on t

-
he
r ocks n e a r L o rd s M e a dow where the m a rks of his cla w s
’ ’

ma y still be seen a n d where by a diminishing number of

, ,

u ndimini s hed e a rs his gro a ns a re still he a rd when a storm

,

ra ges through the va lley .

S uch conflicts a s thes e h a ve be en in some degree a sso

c ia te d with eve ry mount a in of holy or un holy fa me E a ch
w as in it
.

s time a pro s a ic Hill D i ffi culty with lions by no

mea ns ch a ined to a flrigh t

,

the hea rts of M istrust a n d Tim o

'

rous till D ervish or C hri s tia n impressed t h ere his holy

,

footp rint vi s ible from A d a m s Pe a k to Oliv et or built

’

, ,

there h is convents discernible from M eru and Olympus

to P ont t
,

yp yr d d a n d S C a th a rine
. s H il l By necess a ry ’
.

tru ces the demons a nd dei t ies repa ir gra du a lly to their
respective summits — Seir a n d S in a i hold e a ch their own
, .

But the Holy Hills h ave n ever equ a l led the number of
D a rk M ount a ins dre a ded by m
1
an These obstructive .

demons m a de the mount a ins M oul ge a nd N in ge na mes - -

,

for the King a n d Queen of the A cc a di a n Hell ; they m a de

t h e Finnish M ou n t K ippu m a k i the a bode of a ll Pests .

They h a ve identified their n a me (E lf) with the A lps given

a n d indeed cre at
,

n e a rly every t a rn a n evil fa me ed a,

speci a l cla ss of demons M onta gn a rd s much dre a ded by

, ,
’

medi e va l miners whose fa ces they sometimes t w i s ted s o

,

th a t they mu s t look ba ckwa rd phys ica lly a s they were ,

much in the h a bit of doing menta lly for ever a fterwa rd , .

Gerva i s of Tilbury in h is Chronicle decl a re s th a t on the

, ,

top of M ount C a n igon in Fra nce which h a s a very in a c ,

ces sible s ummit there is a bl a ck l a ke of unknown depth

at
, ,

whose bottom the demons h a ve a p a l a ce a nd th a t if a ny ,

on e drop s a stone into th a t w a ter the w ra th of the moun ,

t a in demons is shown in sudden a nd fright ful tempests .

From a like t a rn in C ornw a ll a s Cornish Folklore cl a ims

, ,

1
i. 16.
e r. xii
J
 TE N j o s TRI U M P H
'
19 6 -

a long nose who will disloca te your limbs if you p ersist in

,

going up the mount ain on this side .

’

How do you kno w he h as got a long nos e they a sk ed ,

Ha ve you ever seen him ? ’

Bec a use a ll evil spi rits h a ve lon g noses — here M u ln ey

hung his hea d a nd continued the old ma n not noticing
,
’

, ,

h ow drea d fully person a l he w as becomi n g to one of the

p a rty Ten jo has the longest of the lot D id you ever
,
‘ -
.

know a ma n with a long nose who w as good ? ’

C ome on s a id M u ln ey hurriedly to A bdul or the old

’ ‘
, ,

fool will m a ke me out a n evil s pi rit

’

bu t
.

Syon ara sa id the old m a n as they w a lk e d a w a y

’
, ,

look out for Te n jo l -

’

A fter climbi n g h a rd for some hours a nd not meeting a

single hum a n bei ng not even t
,

— he w ood cutter could be

'

tempted by t
,

h e fine timber to encro a ch on Te n jo s pre

’
-

c in t
c s — they re a ched t
,
h e top a n d enjoyed a m ag nificent ,

view A fter a rest they sta rted on their descen t the worst
.
,

p a rt of which they h a d a ccomplished when a s they were , ,

w a lking q uietly a long a good p a th A bdul s a nkle turned ,

’

under him a nd he went down as if he ha d been shot with

, ,

his leg broken in two pl a ces With di ffi culty M u ln ey ma n

a ged to get him to t
.

he vill a ge they h a d st a rted from a n d ,

the news ran like wild fi re th a t Te n jo ha d broken the leg - -

of on e of the a dventurous t ojin s .

‘
I told you how it would be excla imed the old ma n ,
’
,

but you would go A h Te n jo is a dre a d ful fellow !

.
,
-

A ll the villa gers clustering round too k u p the cry a nd

'

, , ,

shook their hea ds Ten jo s reputa tion h a d increa sed won

.
-
’

d e rfu lly by this a ccident Poor A bdul w as on his ba ck .

for eleven weeks a nd numbers of J a p a nese— for he w as a

t
,

ener a l fa v ourite a mong t them

s — went to s e him n d o
g e a

express their regret a nd horror a t

,

Te n jo s beh a viou r
’
1 -
.

O r Lif i J p
1 ‘
By J ph o d Elmhirst
u e n a a n.
’
e s n an .
 T A I SHA N
’
-
19 7

It is obvious th a t to a d emon dwelling in a high moun

t a in a long nose would be va riously use ful to poke into
the a ffa irs of people dwelling i n the pl a ins a nd a l s o to
enjoy the scent of thei r Sa crifices o ffered a t
,

a re s pect ful

dist a nce Th a t fe a ture of the fa ce which N a poleon I

. .

rega rded a s of m a rti a l impo rt a nce a nd which is prominent

,

in the w a rriors m a rked on the M yce ne pottery h a s gene

ra lly been a phys iognomica l ch a ra cte ri s t
,

ic of E urope a n
ogre s who a re blood smellers Th a t the significa n ce of
,
-
.

Te n jo s long nose is thi s a pp ea rs proba ble when we c om

’
-
,

p a re him with the C a lmuck demon B rlik whose long nose

is for smelli n g ou t
,

the dyi n g Th e Cos s a cks believed th a t

.

the protector of the e a rth w a s a m a ny hea ded eleph a nt -

.

Th e snouted demon (figure 1 5) is from a picture of C hrist

delivering A d a m a n d Ev e from hell by L uca s V a n Ley ,

den 1 52 1
, .

Fig . 1 5. —8 1100e D t a n on .

Th e C hine s e M o u nt ain slso h a ve their demo n s The

a .

demon of the mou nta in T a i sh a n in Sh a ntung is believed

’
-
, ,

to regul a te the puni s hments of men in thi s world a n d the

next ? Four other demon p rinces rule over the p rincip a l
mount a in ch a ins of the E mpire M r D ennys rem a rk s
th a t mounta inous loc a lities a re so regul a rly t
. .

h e homes of
fa iries in Chine s e superstition th a t some connection be
tween the fa ct a nd the rel a tion of E lf to A lp in E urope ’ ‘ ’
198 A F O CA TE OU I L .

is suggested But this coincidence is by no mea ns s o

?

rem a rk a ble as the a ppea ra nce a mong these Chinese mou n

t a in sprites of the m a gica l S es a me s o fa mili a r to us in ‘
,
’

A ra bi a n legend Th e ce lebra ted mount a in Ku en Lu n

’
.

( usu a lly identified w ith the H indoo Kush ) is s a id to be

peopled with fa iries who cultiva te upon its terra ces t

,
he
fields of sesa mum a n d ga rdens of cori a nder seed s whic h ,
’

a re e a ten as ordin a ry food by those who possess the gift

of lo n ge v ity .

I n the superstitions of the A merica n A borigines we find

giga ntic demo ns who with their h a nds piled u p mount a in
chains as their castle s from whose pea k towers they hurled
t
-
,

s tones on their enemies in the pl a i ns a n d slung them o

t
,

h e four corners of the e a rth ?

S uc h w as the terrible
A pocat l whose sta tue w as erected on the mounta ins
e qu i , ,

with th a t of his mother on the one h a nd a nd his broth er

on the other He w a s Prince of E vil a n d the ch ief god of
.

the Pe ruvi a ns From Quito to C uzco every Indi a n would

give a ll he possessed t
.

o concili a te him Five priests two .

,

stewards a nd a crowd of sl a ves served his im a ge His

, .

p rincip a l temple w as surrounded by a consid e ra ble villa ge ,

whose inha bita nts h ad n o other occupa tion tha n to wa it

on him 11
.

The pl a udits which welcomed the first ra ilwa y tra in th a t

sped benea th the A lps echoing a mid their cra gs an d ,

gorges struck with dea th the old ph a ntasms which h a d so

,

lon g held swa y in the im a gin a tion of the S outhern pea

sa ntry The grea t tun n el w as hewn st
. ra ight through the
stony hea rts of gi a nts whom Christi a n ity h a d tried to sla y ,

and fa iling th a t b a ptised a n d a dopted

, , It is in the Tyrol .

1
t t f Elf (Alf) i t t
Ano her d eriva ion itwit
h S k it
o A lp lit
t
l s o conn ec ans r a e ;

h Lit
z

so t
h tth El
a t
e tl F lk P f
ves are B l f f M e gg t e o ro essor us ae o osc ow su

e/ it p t S
es s

t with t
.

connec i onh G k Ag pp 6 d
ree 3 s e, a s ec re. ee 1 0n an 22

B i t p 85
e . . .

1
r n on , . . I bid p 66 1
.
, . 1 .
2 00 HE I M O .

to rrents a nd d evast ated by this m ea n s the most flourish

ing t ra cts of l a nd ; on other pl a ces the Unholde s et
,

on

fire whole mount a in forests to a llow free room for the ,

a va l a nches to rush dow n a n d overwhelm the fa rms .

Through cert a in mea ns they cut holes a n d fissures in the

rocks in which during the summer q u a ntities of wa ter
, , ,

collected which froze in the winter a nd then in the sp ring

, ,

the th a wing ice split the rock s which then rolled down ,

into the va lleys de s troying everything be fore them

But a t
,

la s t He a ven s venge a nce rea ched them A n ea rth

’
.

qu a ke thre w the fore s ter s house i n to ru ins wild to rrent s ’

tore over ita n d thunderbolts s eta ll a round it in a

,

bl a ze ; a nd by fire a n d wa ter with which they h a d sin ,

ned fa ther a nd son perished a nd were condemned to

, ,

everl asting torments Up to the presen t d a y they a re

to be seen a t
.

night fa ll on the mount a in i n the form of

two fiery boa rs 1
.
’

S ome of these gi a nts a s h a s been intim a ted were con , ,

verted S uch w a s the ca se with Heimo w ho own ed a n d

.
,

deva st a ted a va st tra ct of count ry on the river I nn which , ,

however he bridged—wh ence Inn s bruck— when he bec a me

,

a christi a n a n d a monk Thi s conversion w a s a te rrible .

dis a ppointment to the devil who s ent a huge dra gon to ,

stop the buildi n g of the mon as tery ; but Heimo a tta cke d
the dra gon killed him a n d cut out his tongue With
, , .

this tongue a ya rd a n d a h a l f long in his h a nd he is

, , ,

represented in his sta tue a n d the tongue is still pre

served in the cloister Heimo beca me a monk a t
,

Wilten lived a pious li fe a nd on h is dea th w a s buried

, ,

ne a r the mon a stery The stone c oflin in which the giga ntic
.

bones repose is shown there a nd me a sures over t w enty ,

eight feet .

O f ne a rly the sa me c ha ra cter as the M ounta in D emo ns ,

Tal and Leg d of t

1 ‘
h Ty ol
es (Ch pm d H ll
en s e r .
’
a an an a ,
 THE R O CK OR D E AL . 20 1

a nd possessing even more fea tures of the D emons of Ba r

re n n e s s a re the monsters gu a rdi ng rocky p a sses
, They .

a re distributed through l a nd s e a a n d rivers Th e fa mous , , .

rocks between Ita ly a n d S icily bore the n a mes of d a n

g e rou s monst e rs S cyll a a,
n d C h a rybdis which h a ve now ,

become proverbi a l expressions for a ltern a tive perils be

setting a ny enterprise A ccording to Homer S cyll a w as .
,

a kind of c a nine mo n ster with s ix long n eck s the mouths ,

p aved e a ch with three rows of sh a rp teeth ; while C ha ryb

n u fi —
dis sitti g nder her g tree d a ily swa llowed the wa ters
ited them up a ga in D ist
, ,

a n d vo m a ntly rel a ted to these

?

fa bulous monster s prob a bly a re m a ny of the old n otions of

, ,

ordea ls u ndergone between rock s sta nding close together or ,

sometimes through holes in rocks of which ex a mples a re

A n orde a l of thi s kind exists a t
,

found in Gre a t Brit a in .

Pera where the holy well is rea ched through a n a rrow slit
, .

V i s itors going there recently on N ew Y ea r s D a y were

’

wa rned by the dervish in ch a rgk Look through it a t the ‘

wa ter if you ple a se but do not essa y to enter u nless your

,

consciences a re co mpletely free from sin for as sure a s ,

.

you try to p a ss throu gh with a ta int upon your soul you ,

will be gripped by the rock a n d held there for ever 1

Th e .
’

Bocc a dell a V erita — a gre a t stone fa ce like a huge mill

.
’

s tone — s t a nds in the portico of the church S M a ri a in

e d in a t R ome a n d it
.

Cos m s legend is th a t a s u spected

,

pers on w as re q uired to pl a ce his h a nd through the open

mont h ; if he swore fa l s ely it would bite off the h a nd
the expl a n a tion now given being th a t a s w ord s m a n w as
conce a led behind to m a ke good the j udici a l shrewdne s s
of the stone in ca se the o a th were disple a sing to t he
a uthorities .

Th e myth of Scyll a which rel a tes th a t s h e w a s a bea n

,

ti ful m a iden beloved by Gl a ucus whom Ci rce throug h

, ,

1
0d . xii. 73 ; 235, &c .
1
London D a ily Telegrapfi Correspond en ce .
2 02 A THU RI N GI AN SC I LLA ’
.

j ea lousy tra ns formed to a monster by throwing m agi c

herbs into the well where s he w a s wont to b a the is ,

reca lled by va rious E u ropea n legends In Thuringi a on .

,

the roa d to Oberho f sta nds the R ed S tone with its ros e
, ,

bush a n d a stre a m issuing from bene a th it where a bea u

, ,

ti ful m a id is imprisoned Every seven ye a rs s he may be

.

seen b a thing in the stre a m O n one occ a sion a pe a s a n t

.

p a ssing by hea rd a sneeze i n the rock a n d ca lled out , ,

God help thee ! The sneeze a nd the benediction were

repeated until a t the seventh time the ma n cried Oh ‘

thou curs ed witch deceive n ot

, , ,

,
honest people ! A s he
then w a lked off a wa iling voice c a me out of the stone
Oh h a dst t
, ,

, hou but only wished the l a st time th a t God

would help me He would h ave helped me a nd thou
, ,

wouldst h ave delivered me ; n ow I must ta rry till the

D a y of Ju d gment ! Th e voice once c ried out to a wed
ding procession p assi n g by the stone To d a y wed next -

yea r de a d a n d t
, ,

h e bride h a ving died a ye a r a fter ,

wedding processions dre ad the spot .

Th e legend s of gi a nts a n d gi a ntesses so num erous in ,

Grea t Brita in a re e qu a lly a ssoci a t ed with rocky mounta in

,

p a sses or the boulders they were supposed to h ave toss ed

,

thence when sportively stoning e a ch other They a re the .

Tor of the S outh a nd Ben of the N orth The h ills of R oss .

shire in S cotla nd a re mythologica l monuments of Ca zllzack

' ’

more grea t wom a n who while ca rrying a pa nnier filled

, , ,

with e a rth a nd stones on her ba ck p a u s ed for a moment ,

on a level spot n ow the site of Ben V a is h a rd when the

,
-
,

bottom of the p a nnier ga ve w ay forming the hills Th e , .

recurrence of the n a mes Gog a nd M a gog in S cotl a nd

suggests th a t in mount a inous region s the demons were
especi ally derived from the hordes of robbers a nd savages ,

a mong whom in their uncultiv a ble hills the ploughsh a re

, ,

could never con q uer the S pea r a nd club .

2 04 R ON TI FEX .

obvious a spects but it is n ecess a ry to m e ntion here h e

, t
s imple obstructive river demons h a unting fo nd s a n d bu rns
-
,

an d h a ting bridges M any tra gedies a n d m a ny person i

fi ca t ions of the forces which c a used them preced ed t
.
,

he
s a nctity of the title P on t
,

if ex Th e torrent th a t ro a red
t
.

a cros s m a n s p a th s ee med the vomit of a demon h e s acred

’

power w as h e who could b ridge it I n one of the most .

be a uti ful celebra tio ns of Indra it is sa id He tra nquillised

thi s grea t river so th a t it might be crossed ; he conveyed
a cro s s it in s a fety the sa ges who h a d be e n un a ble to p a ss

over it a nd who ha ving cross ed proceeded t

, ,
o re a lise t he ,

we a lth they sought ; in the exhil a ra tion of the s om a Indra

I n C eylon t
,

h as done these deeds 1

h e demon Tota still
’
.
,

c a s ts m a lign a nt spells a bout fords a nd ferries

M a ny a re the legends of t
.

h e O ppositio n o ffere d by de
mons t o bridge buildi ng a n d of the s a crifices which h a d to
-

be m a de t
,

o them be fore such work s could be a ccomplished .

A few specimens must su ffi ce us M r D ennys rel a tes a

Loh fa mily bridge a t
. .

v ery interesting on e of the S h a ng

’

t
-

h a i D i fficulty h a ving been found in l a ying h e found a tions

the builder vowed to Hea ven two thousa nd childre n if t
,
.

he
s tones could be pl aced properly Th e goddess a ddressed
sa id s he would not require their lives but t
.

h a t the number ,

n a med would be a tta cked by sm a ll pox which took -

,

pl a ce a nd ha l f the number died A Chinese a uthor sa ys

, .
,

‘
I f bridge s a re not pl a ced in proper positions s uch as ,

the l a ws of geom a ncy indica te they ma y end a nger the ,

live s of thou s a nds by bringing a bout a visit a tion of s ma ll

pox or sore eye s A t Ha ng C how a t
,

ea merch a nt c a s t
’
- -

himsel f into the river Tsien ta ng a s a s a crifice to t

.

he -

S pi rit of the dikes which were const a ntly being wa shed

,

a wa y .

The D evil s B ridges to which M ephi s tophe les allude s

‘ ’ ’
,

1 ‘
Rig Ved a, ii
-
’
. 15, 5 . W ilson . 1854 .
 D E VI L S B R I D
’
GE S . 19 5

so proudly a re frequent in Germ a ny a nd most of them

, , ,

w hether n a tur a l or a rtifici a l h a ve di a bolic a l a ssoci a tions

, .

Th e O ldest structures o ften h a ve legends in which a re re

flec t e d the condition s ex a cted by evil powers of thos e ,

w h o s p a nned the ford s in which men h a d o ften been

d rowned Of t his cl a ss is the M ont a fon Bridge in the
Ty rol a n d a nother is the bridge a t
.

,
R a ti s bon Th e legend .

of the l a tter is a fa ir specimen of tho s e which genera lly

h a unt thes e a ncient structures Its a rchitect w as a ppre n.

tice to a m a ster w h o w a s building the c a thed ra l a nd l a id ,

a w a ger th a t he would bridge the D a nube be fore the other

la id the coping stone of the s a cred edifice Bu t

-
the work .

of bridging the river w a s h a rd a n d a fter repe a ted fa ilures

the a pprentice bega n t

,

o swe a r a n d wished the devil h a d

,

cha rge of the bu s iness ! Whereupon he of the cloven foot

a ppe a red in guise of a fri a r a n d a greed t
, o build the fi fteen

a rches — for a considera tion Th e fe e w a s to be the fi rs t

.

three th a t crossed the bridge Th e cunning a pprentice

c ontrived th a t these three should n ot
.

be hum a n but a dog

Th e devil in wr a th a t t
, ,

a cock a n d a hen h e fra ud tore

the a nim a ls t
.
, , ,

o piece s a n d di s a ppe a red ; a procession of

monks pa ssed over the bri d ge a n d ma de it sa fe ; a n d there

on a re c a rved figu res of t h e three a nim a ls In most of the .

s tories it is a go a t which is sent over a n d m a ngled th a t ,

poor a nim a l h a ving p reserved its ch a ra cter a s s ca pe go a t -

in a gre a t dea l of the Folklore of C hristendom Th e D a n .

ube w a s of old reg arded a s under the s peci a l gu a rdi a n s hip

of the Prince of D a rkness w h o used t o m a ke g re a t e fforts

t o obstruct the C ru sa ders voy aging down it t

,

o re s cue the

Holy L a nd from p a ga n s On on e occa sion nea r the con

flue n ce of t
.
,

h e V ilz a nd D a nube he beg a n hurling huge ,

rocks into the river bed from the cli ffs ; the holy w a rriors
-

resisted s uccessfully by signing the cross a n d s ingi n g a n

a nth em but t ,
h e h u ge ston e fi rst t hrown ca u se d a whirl
206 FR I E N D L Y O B S TA CLE S .

a nd swell in th a t p a rtof the river which were very d a n ,

gero ns until it w as removed by engineers .

It is obviou s especi a lly to the E ngli s h who h ave so lo n g

, ,

found a de fensive a dva nt a ge in the s ilver s tre a k of s ea th a t

sepa ra tes them from the Continent th a t a n obst a c le w h e the r
o f mount a in ra nge or s ea would a t
, ,

-
a cert a in point in the

form a tion o f a n a tion become a s va lu a ble a s a t

, ,

a nother it

might be obstruct
,

ive E uphemism is credited with h a v i n g

given the friendly n a me E uxine t
.

o the rough A xine

‘ ’ ‘ ’

S ea ,
terrible t o foreigners Bu t this is n ot
.
’
s o certa in .

M a ny a tri be h as found the Bl a ck Se a a protection a n d a

friend In the c a se of mou n t a ins their protect ive a d v a n
ta ges would a ccount a t
.
,

once for M ilton s celebra tion of ’

Freedom as a mount a in nymph a n d for t h e s tupidity of

the people th a t dwell a mid t
,

hem s o o ften rem a rked ; the ,

very mea ns of their independence would a ls o be the c a us e

of their insul a tion a n d b a rb a rity It is for those who go.

to a n d fro th a t knowledge is incre a sed Th e curious a n d

inquiring a re most a pt
.

to mig ra te ; the enterp rising will

not s ubmit to be shut a wa y behind rocks a nd mounta in s ;
by their dep a rture there wou ld be instituted behind t he ,

ba rriers of rock a n d hill a surviva l of the stupidest

, .

The s e might ultim a tely come to wors hip their cha i ns a nd

cove r thei r c ra ggy prison w a lls with convents a n d crosses
-
.

Th e demo n s of a liens would be their gods Th e climbing .

Ha nnib a l s would be their devils It might h a ve be en .

expected a fte r the p a ss a ge s quoted fro m M r R u s kin

concerni ng the bovine condi t
, .

ion of A lpine pea sa ntries ,

th a t he would s a lute the tunnel through M ont C enis .

Th e pea s a ntrie s who would s ee in the s u b a lpine engin e a -

demon a re e xtinct A dmi ra tion of the genii of obs t

. ru c

tion a n d horror of the demon s th a t va nquished them are

discovera ble only in folk ta les dista nt enough to be prett
, ,

-
y ,

such as the interesti ng Serb ia n story of Sa ta n s jugglings ’

208 LE GEA N T YEO U S .

no progress But as the boy grows a nd the contes t grows

a nd need comes there ga the rs in M iquel a desire t
.
, ,

o cle a r

t When he begins to think it is n o longer t

,

h e ground . he ,

p as s i on to a veng e his fa ther on the stony gi a nt which

possess es him but t o recover th e ir lost g a rden
, Th u s .
,

indeed the gi a nt himsel f could a lone be con q uered Th e

,
.

huge rocks a re split by gunpowder some fra gments a re ,

m a de into fences others into a com fort a ble m a nsion for

,

M iq u e l s mother a n d sisters When the ga rden smile s

’

a g a in a n d a ll a re h a ppy t
.

, h e demon form is no longer

discovera ble ?

This little t a le interprets with fine insight the d e m on o

logy of b a rrenness a n d obstruction Th e boy s wra th

’
.

a g a inst the unco nscious c a use of h is troubles is the r a ge

o ften observed in child ren who ret a li a te upon the t a ble or

ch a ir on which they h ave been brui s ed a nd it repe at s ,

embryologic a lly the ra ge of the world s boyhood inspired ’

by as cription of person a l motives t o in a nim a te ob s tru o

tion s Poss ibly such wra th might h a ve a dded something

to the force with which ma n entered upon h is comba t
.

with n a ture ; but George Sa nd s t a le reminds u s tha t ’

wh a tever w a s g a ined i n force w as lost in its mi s direction .

S uccess c a me in the proportion th a t fury w a s repl a ced

by the youth s growing recognition th a t he w a s dea ling
’

with fa cts th a t could not be raged out of ex is tence It is .

1
Du mons t
e q im rttt yé il tit
u
’
a vai
p l q an ti il é
en nut it p
’
n e a us u es on a ou r

j mi éd it il it t t
,

a s r u Il
nu s p l
en ce.f m d gé n ava
’
D ej é p i us or e e an en ar e

t
a

td d d m lémt itq i i t
. .

con v e r e ve r u re,d e ou sse e

g mi pé e l c a es u a va en r s ur

t
a

i
an c oh j i
’
é d p
a v a s cess i l é it p l
e l id b i
ass e r, t
fi t n l
’
a it us a ; en on n e e verra

t
p
l usd t
u t Jou m i i
e h j
e sen a s s
q l l i p d e ure ux t m ue e vou us u ar onn er, e

tl i d i j td mi t tj
p e

t t t tt
.
,

ou rn an l i
v ers — A p u z re sen u s - e, u or ras ons es ours e ous es

it t t t tt i ti
,

nu q
s s an s j d é ue g eL m
e i ran e.
p i q i é i e a uva s es
j r u a en o es va n cu ,

t
e

l id f d de en s i J
e re ven r. i d é li é t e f c t
'
ad
en a i t il a q lvr en e or a n e ven r u e

t
u ue

q ue ch oseq l f
; d t
ueé p g a ou re
q l ig
’
t it l ge
a r ne e l Il m ue a ne e e so e re e

se mbl p a l l gd l
asser, e p m
on t mm g d
e
’
esca r e
pi d en e ig co e un ran s ou r e r s na

t t t t t
,

d i d l h C f l e d i
’
i on q iu p se er a ns es d i f i q j
a u eu rs. l e u a ern re os ue e e n en a s.

e t j l
e ne i j m
’
i
a a t q il t
a s revu a u rem i t t u
’ ’
n es a n enan .
’
 N A TU R E A N D A R T! 2 09

cro w n ed when he m a kes friends with t h e unconqu e ra ble

re mn a nt of t h e gi an t a nd sees t , ha t he is not a ltogether
evil
It is at this sta ge tha t the higher A rt
.

conversa nt with
Be a uty enters t
,

o relieve m a n of m a ny mor a l wound s

received in t
,

h e struggle C lothed with moss a n d clem a tis

Y éou s a ppe a rs n ot
. ,

s o hideous a fter a ll F u rther inve s ted

.

by the geni u s of a Turner he would be be a uti ful Yéous

,
.

is a fa ir gi a nt a fter a ll only he n e eded fini s h

, He is a .

type of n a ture
Th e boyh ood of t h e world ha s n ot
.

p ass ed a way w ith

M iquel We find a fictitious d u a li s m cherished by t
. he
lo vers of n a ture in their belie f or feeling th a t n a ture
exert s upon ma n s ome sp iritu a l in fl u ence R uskin
h as s a id th a t in looki n g from the Ca mp a nile a t
.

V enice
to the circle of snow which crowns the A dri a tic a n d
then t o the buildings which cont a in the works of Ti t
,

ia n
a n d Tin t ore t he h a s felt un a ble to a nsw er the q u estio n
— the n a ture or t
,

of his ow n he a rt By which of the s e, he

m a nhood h a s God given mightier evidence of Himsel f ?
—

S o n a ture m a y te a ch the a lre a dy t a ught While R uskin

looks from the Ca mp a n ile the pe a sa nt is fighting t
.

,
he
mount a in a n d ca lli n g its rocky gra ndeurs by the devil s ’

n a me ; be fore the pictures he kneel s Unta ught by a rt .

a n d science the mind c a n d e r i ve no elev a tion from n a ture

, ,

ca n find no symp a thy in it It is a fa lse n otion th a t there

.

is a ny compens a tion for the ignora nt denied a ccess to

a rt ga lle rie s in a bility t
,

-
, o p a ss their S u nd a ys a mid n a tura l

s cenery He a lth th at ma y b ring them but ment a lly they

a re still inside the pri so n w a l ls from whi ch l ook t
.
,

-
h e s tony
eyes of Fa t e s a n d F u ries N a tura l su blimiti es c a nnot
.

re fine mind s cru de a s themselves ; they mu s t pas s through

thought be fore they c a n feed tho ught ; it is n a ture tra n s
figured in a rt th a t ch a nges the snow cl a d mount a in from a
-

hea rtle s s gi a nt to a s a viour in snow pure ra iment -

.

VO L I . .
0
 2 10

C H A P TE R I X .

I LL U S I O N .

Ma y a N tal T h e i
a ur rea c r es M is lea d ers Gla mo ur Lorelei
C hi M m id —
ne s eT mt io —
er Sw
a M id — P ig o ra n s for a ns an a en s e n
—
M id e s Th e Se l ki
a n— y T f l ee— Gohlit J p
N d it— a -
s n u eu e s see -
a a

n e Si ees— i
D opp g C e V
r n — b g— God i — W ill o W i p
r n av e nus er va -
’
-
s

Holy F
-
l i — T h Fo k M m
ra u e n — The W tM e rs a en er an a e r- an

S Ph t eaom—S k T an — S ic id un en rea s ures u e.

M O ST be a uti fu l of a ll the godde s s es of Indi a is M a ya ,

Illu s ion I n Hi ndu iconogra phy s h e is portra yed in d ra

.

p ery o f be a uti ful colo u rs with decor a tio n of riche s t gem s ,

a n d broidery of flowers From a bove her crown fa lls a .

veil which cu rving a bove her knee s retu rn s on the other

, ,

side m a king a s it we re a l s o a n a pron in which a re held

, , ,

—
fa i r a nim a l form s p rototypes of the cre a tion over which
she h a s dominion Th e youth ful yet serious bea uty of h e r
.

fa ce a n d he a d is su rrounded with a semi a ur eo le fringed -

w it
,

h s o ft lightning stri a ted with luminou s s p a rk s ; a n d

,

the s e a re b a ckg round for a cru ci for m nimb u s m a de of

three clu sters of ra ys M a y a p re ss es her fu ll b re a sts from
.
,

w hich flow fount a ins of milk which fa ll in gra ce ful stre a m s

to mingle with t h e s ea on which s h e st a nds .

So to our A ry a n a n ce s tors a ppe a red the Spi rit th a t

p a ints the universe flushing with tints so stra ngely impa r
,

ti a l fruit s fo rbidden a n d un forbidden for ma n a nd bea s t

elt
.

M a nkind a re sl a ndered by the p riest s creed P opu lus m

’
,

oi; they a re justly vindic a ted in P la to s a pho rism

’
a eezj
'

,
212 N A TU R A L TR E A C HE R I E S .

h a unted her nerv es through li fe — is a n experience which

may be tra ced in t h e h a unted childhood of every n a t io n .

There a re other phenom ena besi d es the s e p rism a tic

colours which h a ve h a d a n evil n a me in popul a r super
st it S tra nge it might see mt
,

ion despite their be a uty

,
o a .

Buddhist th a t yon exquisite tree with its blood red bud s -

s hould be c a lled the J ud a s tree as to us th a t the gra ce ful -

,

s wa n which might be the n a t u ra l emblem of purity s ho u ld

'

be a ssoci a ted with witchcra ft ! But the student of myt ho

lo gy will a t every mome n t be impre ssed by the fa ct th a t
myths oft ener represent a p rimitive s cie nce tha n mere
fa ncies an d conceits The sinuous neck of t h e swa n it
. s ,

p a s sion a te je a lousy a n d the unc a n ny whistle or el s e

, ,

dumbne s s found where from s o s nowy a n out sid e mel ody

, , ,

might h a ve been looked for ma y h a ve ma de this a nim al ,

the type of a double n a ture Th e tre a cherou s brilli a nts of

the se rpent or honey protected by stings or the bright
.

, ,

blo s s om s of poi s on s would h a ve tra ined the i n stinct which

a pp rehends evil under t
,

he a pp a ritio n of be a uty Thi s

a s we sh a ll h a ve occ a sio n t
.
,

o s e e h a s h a d a c ontrolli ng ,

i n fluence upon the ethic a l constitution of ou r n a tu re

But it is a t
.

pre s ent n ecessa ry to observe th a t the p rimi

tive s cience genera lly revers ed t he induction of our
l a ter philosophy ; for where a n evil or pa in w as d is
c overed in a nythi ng it concluded th a t s uch w as its
r a zs on d et
,

a n d its a ttr a ctive qu a litie s were simply a

'
’
re ,

demon s tre a cherou s ba it However here a re the fi rs t

’

stimul a nt s to sel f Co nt
.
,

rol in the le ss o ns th a t ta ught d is

-

trus t of a ppe a ra n ce s .

Bec a use m a ny a pilg rim peri s hed th rough a confidence

in the l a ke pictures of the mira ge which led to ca relessness
-

a bout economi s ing his s kin of w a ter the mi ra ge ga ined it s ,

—
present n a me Bah r Sheita n or D evil s Wa ter Th e ,
’
.

‘
Will 0 wi s p which a ppe a red to promi s e the night w a n
’
,
’
-
 M I SL E A D E R S 1 13

derer w a rmth or guid a nce but led him i nto a bog h a d it s , ,

excelle nt directions a s to the pl ace to a void perve rted by

a n unha ppy misunders t a nding into a wil ful fa lsehood a n d

s fat
,

h as been bra nded {gm M ost of the mimicries

'

u us

in na ture gra du a lly bec a me a s suspicious to t

.

h e pri m i
tive observer as a lia ses to a m agistra te The thing tha t
see med to be fire or wa ter but
.

w a s not ; the ins e ct or

, ,

an im a l w hic h took its h u e or form from som e other from

the le a f spotted or stem s t

,

-
riped ca ts to th a t innoc ent insect -

whos e vegeta l disguise has ga ined for it the fa mili ar n a m e

of D evil s Wa l k ing stick ; the hum a nlike hi ss l a ugh or
‘ ’ ’
-

cry of a n im a ls ; t
, ,

h e vibra tory sound or movement which so

often is felt as if nea r when it re a lly is fa r ; the s a nd which
seem s h a rd but sinks ; t h e s w a rd which proves a bog ,

a ll these h a ve their represent a tion in the demonolo gy o r

delusion Th e Coro a dos of Bra zil sa ys th a t the E vil One

.

‘
sometimes tra nsfor m s (him s el f) i n to a swa mp & c lea ds , .
,

him a stra y vexes him brings him into d a nger a nd even

It is like a n echo of Burt
, , ,

kills him 1 ’
on s a ccount Te r ’

res t t
. .

ria l devils a re those l a res genii fa unes sa yrs wood

'

, , , ,

nymphs foliots fa iries R obin Good fellows trulli & c

, , ,
-
, , .
,

which as they are most conversa nt with men so they do

, ,

them most h a rm These a re they th a t d a nce on he ath s

a n d greens a s L a v a ter thinks w ith Trit
.

,
he m ius a n d a s , ,

Ol a us M a gnus a dds lea ve: th a t green circle w hich we ,

commonly find in pl a in field s They a re someti mes seen .

by old women a nd child ren Hieron P a uli in his d esc rip . .

,

tion of the city of Bercino Sp a in rel a tes h ow they h ave , ,

been fa mili a rly seen n ea r th a t town a bout founta ins a nd

Sometimes s a ith Trit
,

hills he m iu s they lea d simple

‘ ’ ‘
.
, ,

people into the recesses of mounta ins a nd Show them won

d erfu l sights & c Gira ld u s Ca m bre n s is gives a n inst a nce of
’
.
,

a mo n k of Wa les th a t w a s s o deluded P a ra celsus recko ns .

1
d Vo M t T l i B il p 24 3 ’
V Spi i ‘ ’
on x an n ar n s ra ve s n raz , . .
2 14 GLA M O U R .

up m a ny pl a ce s in Ge rm a ny where they do u s u a lly wa lk

a bout in little co a t s s ome two feet long R ea l d a nge rs
?
,

bes et the woods a n d mount a in p a sses the swa mp a n d ,

quick sa nd ; in such forms did they h a unt the unta med

j u n gles of im a gin a tion
Over th a t s ea on which M a ya sta nds ex t end s the
s ilvery w a nd of Gl a m our It des cended to the immorta l .

Old M a n of the Sea fa vou rite of the nymph s ora cle , ,

of the co a st s p a tron of fi s he rmen friend o f Proteu s who

, , ,

could s e e th rough a ll the s ea s depth s a n d ass ume a ll ’

sh a pes How m a ny witcheries could p roceed from the

.

m a n y tinted s ea to a ffect the eye s a n d e n a ble them to s ee

-

Trito n w ith h is wre a thed horn a n d me rm a id s combing their ,

h a i r a n d m a rine mon sters a n d A phrodite poi s ed on the

, ,

w hite fo a m Gl a ucom a it ma y be to the phys ici a ns ; but

Gl a u cus it is in the s cheme of M aya who h as never l e ft ,

la nd or s e a without her wit n e s s Beside the Pol a r S e a a

Sa moyed s a ilor asked by C a s t
.

ré n
, where is N u m ‘ ’

J u m a la h is god,) pointed to the d,

a rk dist a nt s ea an d ,

s a id He is ”a r e
, .

To the a ncients the re were two s e a s — the a zure a bove , ,

a n d th a t bene a th Th e im a gin a tive child in its develop

.

ment p ass es a ll thos e drea my co a sts ; sees in clo u d s moun

t a in s of s no w on the horizon a n d in the s u ns et luminou s ,

s e a s la ving golden i s le s Wh en a s yet to the you n g world .

the shining s u n w a s Berchta the white fleecy clouds were

her s wa n s When s he des cended to the s e a a s a t
,

. housa nd ,

s to r ies rel a ted it w a s to repe a t the cou rse of the s u n for

,

a ll tribes looking on a we s tw a rd s e a N o one who h a s .

re a d tha t ch a r ming little book The God s in E xile will 1 ’

wonder a t
, ,

the ha ppy instinct of le a rning s hown in Hei n e s ’

1 ‘
A na tmy o of M elanchol y .
’
tt t
Fif ee n h Ed i ion, p 124 . .

1 ‘
Les D ieux en Ex ile .
’
Heinrich He ine R ev ue (les D eux M on d es,
.

A pril, 18 53.
2 16 CHI N E SE M E R M A I D .

a nd their weird He iaya h e ia 1 ca n h a rdly fa il to suspe ct ’

t ha t t hey beca me a ssoci a ted with t h e re a l hum a n nymphs

whom t he summer sun still find s freely sport ing in the “

bright s trea ms of R uss i a Hung a ry A ust ria a nd E a s t , , ,

Germ a ny n a ked a n d not a sh a med M a ny a wa rning

, .

voice a ga i ns t these ca reless Phryne s who ma y h a ve left

t a ttered r a im e nt on the shore to be t
,

ra n s fi u re d in the
g
s ilve ry w a ve s must h a ve gone forth from prie s ts a n d a nxiou s

mo t
,

hers N or w ould there be wa nting tra dition s enough

.

to impress such wa rnings Fe w regions h a ve been w ith

ou t
.

such sto rie s a s those which the t raveller Hiou e n

Ths a ng (7t h centu ry) found in Buddhist chronicles of the
R a ks h as is of C eylon They wa yl a y the merch a nts who
.
‘

l a nd in the isle a nd ch a nging themselves to w omen of

, ,

grea t bea uty come be fore them with fragra nt flo w ers a n d

,

music ; a ttra cting the mwith kind word s to the town of

Iron they ofi er them a fe ast a nd give the msel ves up to
'

, ,

plea sure with them ; then s hut them in a n iron prison a n d

ea t
,

them one a fter the other .

’

There is a strong a ccent of hum a n n a ture in the usu a l

plot of t h e Swa n m a iden legend her g a rments s tole n
-
,

while she ba thes a nd her willingness to pay wondro u s

,

—
p rices for them since they a re her fe a thers a nd her swa n
hood without which she must rem a in for ever c a ptive of
,

the thie f The stories a re told in regions s o widely sun

.

dered a nd their minor deta ils a re so di fferent th a t we ma y

at
, ,

a ny ra te be cert a in th a t they a re not a ll tra cea ble sole ly

to fleecy clou ds Sometimes the ga rments of the demoness

.

a n d these beings a re a lwa ys femini n e—a re not fe a thery ,

a s in the Ge rm a n storie s but se a l ski n s or of nondescript ,

-
,

red tissu e Thus the E nvoy L i Ting yu a n (180 1) record s

.
,
-

a C hinese legend of a m a n n a med M ing ling— tzu a poo r

a n d wort
-

hy fa rmer without fa mily who on going to dra w , ,

wa ter from a spring n ea r his house s aw a wom a n b a thing ,

 TR A N SF ORM A TI ON S .

in it She h a d hung her clothes on a pine tree a nd in

.
, ,

punishme nt for her sh a meless wa ys a nd for her fo u ling

‘ ’

th e well he ca rried off the dress

,
Th e clo t hing w as u n .

like the fa mili a r Lewch ewa n in style a n d of a ruddy s u n ,

set colour The wom a n h a ving finished her ba th cried

.
’
, ,

out in gre a t a nger Wh a t thie f h a s been here in broa d

,

d a y ? Bring b a ck my clothes quick Sh e then perceived

’
.
,

M ing ling tzu a nd thre w hersel f on the ground be fore him

-

He bega n t
-
, .

o scold her a n d a sked why She c a me a n d

,

fouled his wa ter ; to which she rep lied th a t both the pine
tre e a n d t h e wel l were m a de by t h e C re a tor for th e use of
a ll
. Th e fa rmer entered into conve rsa tion with her a nd ,

pointed out th a t fa te evidently intended her to be his wi fe ,

as he a bsolutely re fused to give up her clothes w h ile with

ou t
,

them she could not get a wa y The result w a s th a t

.
.

they were m a rried She lived with him for ten ye a rs a n d

bore him a s on a nd a d a ugh er A t t
.
,

the end of th a t time .

her fa te w a s fulfill ed : she a scended a tree during the

a bsence of her husb a nd a n d h a ving bidden his child re n
,

fa rewell glided off on a cloud a n d disa ppe a red

,
?

I n South A fri ca a p a ra llel m yth in its demonologica l ,

a spect be a rs no tra ce of a cloud origin

,
I n this ca se a .

Hottentot travelling with a Bu s hwom a n a nd her child

t
, ,

me a troop of wild horses They were a ll hungry ; a n d

the wom a n t
.

a king 0 5 a pettico a t m a de of h u m a n skin

, ,

w a s inst a ntly ch a nged into a liones s She struck down a

hors e a n d la pped its blood ; the n a t
.

the request of the

Hott
, ,

entot who in his terror h a d climbed a tree s h e re

, ,

sumed her petticoa t a nd woma nhood a nd the friend s a fter , ,

a me a l of h ors e fles h resumed their journey A mong the

?
,

M in u s s in ia n Ta rt a rs these demons p a rt a ke of the n a ture

of the Greek Ha rpies ; t hey a re bloodthirsty va mpyre
demons who drink the blood of men s l a in in ba ttle d a rke n ,

1
De nn y
s .
1
Blee k, I lottt
t F bl
en o a es ,
’
p 58 . .
2 18 —
S WA N M A I D E N S

t
h e a ir in their flight a n d hou s e them s elves in on e gre a t
bl a ck fiend A s we go E a s t the po rt
,

?
ra it of the Swa n
m a iden becomes le s s d a rk a n d She is not as s oci a ted with ,

the s e a or the u n der world S uch is on e a mong the M a-

.

l a ys rel a ted by M r Tylo r I n the isl a nd of C elebes it is

, . .

s a id th a t s even nymph s c a me down from the s k to b th e

y a

ba h a who a t
,

a n d were s ee n by K as im first thought them ,

w hite dove s but in the b a th perceived they were wome n

He stole the robe of one of them U t

, .

a h a gi a n d as s h e , ,

could not fly without it s h e bec a me h is w i fe a n d ba re h im

Sh e w a s c a lled U t
,

a s on a h a gi bec a u se of a single m a gic

w hite h a ir she h a d ; thi s h e r husb a nd pulled ou t

.

w he n ,

i mmedi a tely a s torm a rose a n d She flew to he a ven Th e , .

child w a s in gre a t grie f a n d the husba nd ca st a bout h ow ,

h e should follow her up into the s ky

Th e S w a n m a iden a ppe a rs s omewh a t in t
.

-
h e ch a ra cter of
a N eme s i s in a Sibe ri a n myth told by M r B a ring Gould
‘

-
. .

A cert a in Sa moyed who h a d s tolen a S w a n m a iden s

’
-

robe re fused to ret u rn it un les s s h e secu red for h imthe

,

he a rt of s even de m on robbers one of who mha d killed ,

the Sa moyed s mother Th e robbers w ere in the h a bit of

’
.

h a ngi ng up their he a rt s on pegs in their tent The S w a n .

m a iden proc ured them Th e S a moyed s m a s hed s ix of the

hea rts ; m a de the s eventh robber res uscit a te h is mo t
.

her ,

w ho s e soul kept in a purs e h a d only to be sh a ken over

t
, ,

h e old wom a n s gra ve for th a t fe a t to be a ccomplished

’

a n d the Sw a n m a iden got

,

ba ck her plum age an d flew a wa y

-

rejoicing
?

In S la vonic Folklore the S w a n m a iden is gener a lly of a -

d a ngerou s ch a ra cter a n d if a s wa n is killed they a re c a re

,

fu l not to show it to children for fe a r they w ill die Whe n .

they a ppe a r a s ducks geese a n d other wa ter fowl they -

a re a p t
, , ,

to be more mischievou s th a n when they come a s

B i g G ld C io M yt
1
ar n -
h &
ou , ur Ibid ii 299
us s,
’
c.
1
.
, . .
2 20 N U D I TY .

t
W a i for us , M a mmy, w e a re c o mi g t
noo
Here s Alice W illie ca n
’ ’
t
k eep u p w i h ty ou l
t t mi t t
,

M am my, s op j u s for a
— w n u e or o
At l t w m twh t
as h h ill
e ca e o ere e

Sl p tigh t
o es s ra d w t th b h o n o e eac

A d t td ll b t t
,

h
n w e re hl ill
e s oo a re a es s , s

F t li gi g
as c h t h
n n ea c o ea c

it
t t
.

W w he sa i g p er s n u on a s on e,

P t i gt
t h lit
u t
l l ki
n e e s ea -
s n on .

O Ma mmy ! Mammy !
She neve r s a id good by D e, a dd y
t t
,

Sh e d d n
ki h i ’
ss u s ree

Sh j t
e p tt
h littl
us l u e e s ea -
s kin on

A d lipt
i tt
n h s! n o e s ea

Some of the legends of thi s ch a ra cter a re nea rly as rea listic

as Mr S winburne s M ora li t y of D a vid a nd Ba thsheba
’ ’

To im agine t
. .

h e sca rcity of wiv es in region s to which the

primitive A rya n ra ce migra ted w e h a ve only to re member
the ben t r ava t
,

o sto ry of C a li forni a ns holding a b a ll in

honour of a bonnet in the d a ys be fore women h a d fol

,

lowed them ia migra tion To stea l Bathsheba s clothes ’

ight a t
.
,

a n d so c a pt u re her m one pe riod h ave been s u ffi

c ie n t
,

ly common in E urope to re q uire a ll the terrors

conta ined in the a rmou ry of tra dition concerning the
demonesses th a t might so be ta ken in a nd might s o
In t
,

tempt me n to t a ke them in h e end they migh t .

disa ppe a r c a rrying off t rea sures in the most prosa ic

,

fa s h ion or perh a ps they might bring to one s doors a sm a ll

’

Troj a n w a r It is proba ble th a t t

,

. h e senti m ent of modesty ,

s o fa r a s it is represented in the sh a me of nudity w a s the

Though t h e dre a d O f nudi t

,

result O f prudenti a l agencies . y

h a s become in some regions a superstition in the fem a le
mind st ong enou gh to h ve its m a rtyrs a s wa s seen a t
r a —
the sinking of the N ort /zjleeta n d the burning hote l in S t

it
.

L ouis — is one th a t h a s been fostered by men in distrust

of their own a nim a li s m In ba rba ro us regions where
ion introduces clothes t
civili s a t
.
,

h e women a re genera lly ,

 TE U FE L S EE . 22 1

t
h l
e a st to a dopt them an d though M r Herbert Spe n c e r .

a ttributes thi s to fem a le conserv a tism it a ppe a rs more

,

proba ble th a t it is bec a use the men a re the first to lose

their innocence a n d the women la st to receive a nything
expensive It is n oticea ble how genera lly the Sw a n
.

m a idens a re s a id i n the myths to be c a ptured by violence

or stra t a gem. At th e s a me time the mo s t unco n sciou s
temptre s s might be the me a ns of brea king up ho mes a n d
mislea ding workme n a n d thus become invested with a ll
,

the wild legend s told of the illu s o ry phenomen a of n a ture

in popul a r mythology .

It is ma rvellous to obse rve how a ll the ins inu a tions of

the ba n e were follo w ed by equ a l dexterities in the a nte
dote Th e fa ir tempters might disguise their intent in
.

a n a ppe a l to the w a y fa rer s hum a nity ; a n d behold there

’

were a t
, ,

hou s a nd well a ttested n a rra tives rea dy for the

-

lips of wi fe a n d mother s howing the demoness a ppea ling

for s uccou r to be fa t a le s t
of a ll !

There is a sto n e on the M u gge ls be rge r in A ltm a rk

which is s a id to cover a t rea s ure ; thi s stone is s ome t
, ,

im e s
c a lled D evil s A lt a r a n d sometimes it is s aid a fire is seen
’

,
’

there which di s a ppe a rs when a pp ro a ched It lies on the

ve rge of Te u fe ls e e a l a ke d a rk a nd s ma ll a nd believed t
.

— o
, ,

be fa thomless Where the stone lie s a c astle once stood

.

which sa nk into the g round with its fa ir princess But from

the undergrou n d ca st
.

le there is a subterra ne a n a venue to a

neighbouri ng hill a nd from thi s hill of a n evening s ome
,

time s comes a n old wom a n bent over her st a ff N ext

, .

d a y there will be seen a mo s t be a uti ful l a dy combing her

long golden h a ir To a ll who p a s s she m a kes her e nt re a

hey will s et
.

ti es th a t t her free h er p a thetic a ppea ls bei n g

,

ba cked by o ffer of a jew elled ca sket w hich sh e holds Th e .

only me a ns of li be ra ting her is s he a nnounces th a t some

, ,

on e sh a ll be a r h e r on h is sho u lders three times ro u n d

 G O HLI TZSE E .

Teu fe lsee church wit h o ut looking b a ck Th e experiment

One vill a ge r a t
.

h a s s evera l times been m a de . h is firs t

rou n d s a w a l a rge h a y w a ggon dra wn p as t him by four
-

mice a n d followi ng it with h is eyes received blows on the

,

e a rs A nother sa w a w a ggon dra wn by four co a l bl a c k

.
-

fi re b re a thi n g hors es coming st ra ight a g a i n s t him s t a rted

-

b a ck a nd a ll di sa ppe a red wi t
,

,
h the c ry Lost a ga in for ‘

ever ! A third tried a nd a lmost got through He w a s

’
.

found se nsele s s a n d on recov ering rel a ted th a t when he

,

took the princess on his sh oulders s he w a s light as a

fe a ther but s h e grew he a vie r a n d he avier a s he bore
,

her round S n a kes toa ds a nd a ll h orrible a nim a ls wit h

.
, ,

fiery eyes s urrounded him dwa rfs hurled block s of wood

a n d s tones a t him ; yet he did not look ba ck a nd h a d ,

n e a rly completed the third round when he s a w his vill a ge ,

—
b u rs t into fl a me s ; then he looked behind a blow felled
him— a n d he s eem s to h a ve only lived long enough to tell
thi s s to ry Th e youth of K Ope rn ick a re wa rned to steel
t
.

h eir h e a rts a ga in s t a ny fa ir m a id combing her h a ir ne a r

Te u fe ls e e But the folklore of the s a me neighbou rhood

.

adm it s th a t it is by n o mea ns so d a n gero u s for d a mes to

l is ten to a ppe a l s of this ki nd In the Goh lit . zs e e for ,

ex a mple a mid w i fe w a s induced to plunge in res po n se to

,

a c a ll for a id ; h a ving a ided a little M er w om a n in tr a va il ,

s h e w a s given a n a pron ful of dust which a ppea red odd ,

u ntil on s hore it p roved to be m a ny tha lers .

In countrie s whe re the p opula r im a gin a tion in s tea d of

being s cientific is tra ined t
,

o be religiously retrospective

it rel a ps es a t
, ,

the slighte s t touch into the in fa ntine s pec u

la t ion s of the hum a n ra ce N ot lo ng ago sta n ding a t
. a ,

shop window in Ostend where a J a p a nese S iren w as On

-
‘

vie w the clever i mposture interested me less th a n the

,

comments of the pa ssing a nd p a using observ ers The .

m os t freq uent wonders seriously e xpressed were whether ,

2 24 G OD ] VA .

—
bei ng elf being from the s a me word mea n ing white ;
s ,

but as in Goethe s E rl Konig o ften d is guisi n g a

’ ’

Th e S wan an d t
, ,

d a rk ch a ra cter . h e Pigeon meet (wit h

s ome modifica tions
) a s sy m bols of the Good a n d E vil
powers in t h e legend of L ohengr in Th e witch t ran s .
~

form s the boy into a Swa n which howev er dra w s to , , ,

s a ve h is si s ter fa lsely a ccused of h i

, s murder the Knight ,

o f the Sa ng r ea l who when the my s tery of h is holy

, ,

n a me is in q uired into by h i s too curiou s bride is borne ,

a w a y by white doves The s e legen ds a ll be a r i n them

however fa intly t
.
,

h e a ccent of the e a rly conflict of religio n

,

with the wild pa s sions of m a nkind Th e i r rel igious be a r

ings bring u s to in q uiries whi ch must be considered a t
.

la ter ph a se of ou r work But a pa rt fro m purely mora l

.

considera tions it is evid en t th a t there must h a ve been

,

p ra ctica l d an gers surrounding the e a rly soci a l ch a os a mid

w h ich t h e first immigra nts in E urope found them s elves .

A lthough the legend of La dy Godiva includes elements

of a nother ori gin it is prob a bl e th a t in the fa t e of Peeping

Tomthere is a dista nt reflec t

,

ion of the punishment s ome

t imes sa id to overt a ke those who g az ed t oo curiou s ly upon

the S w a n m a iden w ithout h e r fe a t

-
he rs Th e devotion of .

the n ude la dy of Coventry would not be out of keeping

w it h one cl as s of the s e merm a iden myth s; There is a
s uperstition now pa rticu la rly strong in Icel a nd th a t a ll
, ,

fa irie s a re ch ildren of E v e whom s h e hid a wa y on a n

,

occa sion when the Lord ca me to vi s it her beca u s e they ,

w ere not was hed an d presenta bl e So he condemned

t h em to be for ever invis ible This s u persti t
.

ion seems
1

to be rela te d t
.

o a n old deba te whether these pre te r

n a tura l bein gs are t he children of A d a m a n d Ev e or

not A Scotch s tor y bea rs a gain s t th a t conclu s ion A
. .

be a uti ful n ymph with a slight robe of gre en c a me from

, ,

the s ea a n d a pproa ched a fisherm a n while he w a s

 H OL Y FR AU L E I N . 115

rea ding h is Bible Sh e a sked him if it conta ined a ny

.

promise of mercy for her He replied th a t it conta ined

a n o ffer of s a lva tion t
.

a ll the children of A d a m ‘
o

whe reupon wit h a loud sh riek she d a shed into the s ea

a ga in E uphemism w ou ld c o opera te with n a tura l com
'

-
.

pa s s ion ia sa ying a good word for the good little people ‘

whether hiding in ea rth or s ea I n A ltm a rk Will o ‘ -

wisps a re believed t
.
,

o be the s ouls of unb a ptized child ren

’

— sometimes of lun a tics — un a ble to re s t in their gra ves ;

they a re c a lled Light me n a n d it is s a id th a t t h ough they
-
,
’

may sometimes misle a d they O ften guide rightly especi a lly ,

if a sm a ll coin be thrown the m—this being a l s o a n A frica n ,

pla n of brea king a sorcere r s s pell C hristi a nity long a fter ’

it
.

s a dvent in Germ a ny h a d to contend s eriously with cus

toms a nd belie fs found in s ome la ke s ide vill a ges where the

fi s hermen reg a rded them s elves a s in friendly rel a tions w ith
the pre tern a tura l gu a rdi a ns of the w aters a nd unto t h is ,

d a y spea k of their presidi n g s ea m a iden a s a Holy Frau -

lein They he a r her bells chiming up from the depth s in

.

holy se as on s to mingle with those whos e sou n d s a re w a fted

from church towe rs ; a n d it seem s to h a ve required m a ny

fa bles told by print s of fishermen fou nd sitting li fel e ss on

their boa ts while listeni n g to them to gra du ally t
,

ra n s fer ,

reverence to the new chri s ti a n fa i ry .

It may be they he a rd s ome s uc h melody a s th a t which

h a s found it s finest expre s sion in M r M a tthew A rno ld s
’

Fors a ken M erm a n

ty t y
C hild re n d ea r, w a s i e s e rd a
(C a llt tt
ye on c e ) h a s ht y
e w en a w a ?

O h
nce s tw it h y d m
e sa e ou a n e,

O d g ld t
n a re h i t h h o tf th rone n e ea r o e sea ,

A d th y
n g t te h k
ou n es s a e on er n ee.

Sh e co mb d itb igh t
’
h i s d h td d it
r w ll
a r an s e en e e

t t
, ,

W he n d w d fl b ll
'

ow g h
n s fun h f e s ou n o e ar - o e
igh d h l k d p t t
.

Sh e s
’
, s h e g h
oo h l
’
g u rou e c ear reen sea ;
v or . 1.
P
 THE HA TE R M A V
'

2 26 -
l .

S he sa id I m t
go us for my k in s fo lk ra
p y
h lit
I t t t t—d
,

n e h le gr e y c h u rc h on e s h ore o a y
im i t
T ill b E t t
.

’
w h w e as e r -
e n e orl d -
ah me
A n d I lose my poo r so u l, M er m an, h e re w i h h e e tt ’

tt t
.

I sa id , Go u p, d ea r h ea r h h
r ou gh e w a v es ,

t k tt
,

Sa y h y pra er y a n d co mb e ac h ki d o e n se a ca v es-
’

’
m
S h e s il d, s h e w en tp t
h o
u r u gh t
h f t
h b e su r in e av

td y
.

Ch ild re n d w ,
w ityas e s er a
?

P e rh a ps w e s hould fi n d t
h e a nt ec e den ts of th i s M e rm a n s
’

l o s t M a rgar et w hom he ca l led b a ck in v a i n in t h e D a n is h

ba lla d of Th e M e rm a n a n d t h e M a rs t
, ,

ig s D a u gh te r w h o
’ ’

in Goethe s ve rsion s o u g h t t
, ,

h e w in so me M a y in chu rch
’

t hit
, ,

he r riding as a ga y kn igh t o n
110 154: of t
h w t
e a er c le a r,

The s a d dle a n d b rid le of sea - sa n d w e re .

Th ey w en tf omt he h h wit
r h t h b id l t ai c u rc e r a r n,

T hey da n ed i gl d t
c h y d ce d f ll f i
n ee , an e an u a n

Th e y d ced t h md ow t
an o t
h lt sea t d
e n e sa -
s ra n

A d t h y l ftt
h ems t
a di g t
,

n e e h e h d i ha d n n er , an n n .

N ow w a it t
he lo e w it h m t d f
h t
y ee e,
s o v s ree ,

A d t m ies t ba k I ll b i g fo t
,
' ’
n e nn h r r n r ee

tt t hitw h it
.

A n d w h en hh yp e d a s s ed o e w e, e sa n

m ili g tt
,

Th hipe s s cah l d e sa n on o e an

B t wh
u t
h y w en t i t h me id tf th d
e re ou n e s o e s ou n

tth y ll i t
,

D w w o n h d pp f
en d
e a n e ee ro ou n

L g l g t
on h hon wh t
onh wi d w h igh
e s ore, en e n s e re

Th y h d f mt h w t t
, ,

h mid
’
e ea r ro y e a e rs e a en s c r .

I d yg d m l
re e b t l a se s , as es ca n

T d t
rea t
h d now it
h t h W tM e a n ce e a er o
an

A ccording to other l egends h ow ever t h e r e a lm unde r sea -

C h ild eyes beheld a ll t hat

, ,

w as not a pl a ce for w ee ping -

th e E rl ki n g p romise d in Goet
.

-
he s ba lla d ,
'

t
W ilth ou o
g , bon n y boy ? w il t
th ou go w i h tm e ?

M y d a u gh t ers s ha ll w a i on tt h d i tily ; e a n

M y da ugh t e rs a r ou n d t
h i d h ll
e p n a n ce s a s w ee

k t d ki t d i gt tl
,

And roc h e an h ss h ee , an s n ee o s eep

228 S U AKE
'
. TR E A S U R E S A N D CI TI E S

I mg l le np d ow n tt
oh h t: v a r

The te mpt at io ns of fis h ermen t o se cu re o bj e c ts see n a

th e bot tomof t ra ns p a r en t la k es s omet im s

e a ppe a ring lik e

box es or lumps o f gold a n d ev e n mo re reflec t

,

io ns o f
object s in t us t
,

h e up pe r w o rld or a ir m ha v e be e n s ou rce s
o f da n ge r ; t h er e a re m a n y ta les of t
,

h e ir be in g s o be gu ile d
to d es t ru ction Thes e things w ere be lie ve d trea su res o f
the lit tle folk who live u n d er w a ter a n d w o u ld n ot
.

pa r t
w it h the mex ce pt en th al la ke t
,

on p a y m en t I n Bl u m
’
.is ,

sa id ther e i s a n i ron bou n d yellow co ffe r w hic h fi s h e rm

-
en
o ften ha ve tri ed to ra is e but the ir co rd s a re cu t a s it
,

n ea rs

the s u rfa ce A t the bott om of t

,

he sa m e la ke va l u a bl e

cloth ing is see n a nd a w o ma n w ho on ce tried t o se cu r e it

.

w as so n ea r ly dro w n e d tha t it is t h o u ght sa fer to lea ve it

,

Th e legends of sunken tow n s (as in La ke P aa rst

.

e in ch e n

a n d Lo ugh N e a gh ) a n d be ll s (w hose c himes m

, a y be h ea r d

on certa in sa cred d a ys ) a re p roba bly v a ria n ts of this cl as s

,

of delu s ions Th ey are o ften sa id to h a ve be e n s u nk by

.

some fi na l vindictive stroke of a m a gici a n o r w itch re

solved to d e s troy t h e city no longer t rusting them La nd .

s lides e ngulfing s ea s ide homes might o rigin a te legend s

like tha t of King Gra d lon s d a ughter D a hut whom t
, ,

he
’

Breton pe a sa nt sees in rough w e a th er on rocks a round

Poul D a hut where she unlocked the s luice ga tes on t
-
,
he -

city Is in obedien ce to her fi e n d lover -

I f it be remembered tha t less th a n fi ft

.

y yea rs a go D r .

Be lon thou ght it desira ble to a n a tomis e gold fi s hes a n d

l

prove in va rious w a ys th a t it is a fa ll a cy to s uppose t

,

hey
feed on pu re gold (as m a ny a pe a s a nt ne a r Lyons decl a res
o f the l a uret s sold d a ily i n the m a rket ) it w ill h a rdly be ,

th ou ght wonderful th a t perilou s vi s ions of preciou s things

were seen by e a rly fishermen in pellucid depths a nd th a t ,

1
The M irror, April 7, 1832
‘ ’
.
 S U I CI D E . 2 29

these should at l a s t be rega rded a s s eductive a rt s of

Lorelei who h a ve given m a ny l a kes a nd rivers the reput a

t
,

ion of re q uiring one or more a n nu a l victims .

P o s sibly it wa s throu gh a ccumul a tion of m a ny dre a ms

a bout bea uti ful rea lms be nea th the s ea or a bove the
clouds th a t suicide beca me a mong the N ors e folk s o
co m mon It w a s a prove rb th a t the worst end w as to die
.

in bed a nd to die by suicide w a s to be like E gil a n d

, , ,

Om und a n d King Ha ke like ne a rly a ll the heroes who

, ,

s o p a ssed to V a lh a ll a Th e N orthm a n h a d no doubt con

.

c erning the p a r a di s e to w hich he w as going a n d did not ,

wish to rea ch it en feebled by a ge But the time would .

come when the e a rth a n d hum a n a ffection must a s s ert

thei r cl a im s a n d the wa tery tribes be pictured a s cruel
,

devou rers of the living E ven s o w ould the wood nymphs

.
-

a n d mount a in ny m phs be degra ded a nd fe a rful legend s of

-
,

those lost a nd wa ndering in d a rk forests be repe a ted to

s hudde r ing childhood Th e a ctu a l d a ngers would m a s k
.

them s elves in the endless disguises of illusion the wold ,

a n d w a ve be peopled with cru el a n d tre a cher o us seducers

Thu s suicide might gra du a lly lo s e it

.

s ch a rm s a n d a dism a l

unde rworld of he a rtless gno mes repl a ce t

,

h e grottoes a n d
fa irie s .

We ma y close thi s ch a pter with a Scotti s h legend rela t

i ng to the S h iich s or M e n of P e a ce in which there is a
’ ’
, ,

s t ra nge intim a tion of a hum a n mind dre a ming th a t it

drea ms a n d so fa r on it
,
s w a y to w a king A wom a n w a s .

ca rried a wa y by thes e sh a dowy beings in order tha t s h e

might suckle her child which they ha d p reviou s ly stole n .

D uring her retention s h e once ob s erved the S h iic h s a noint

’

in g their eyes from a c a ldron a n d seizing a n opport unity

s h e m a n a ged to a noint one of her own eyes with t
, ,

h e oint
ment With tha t one eye she n ow s aw the secret a bode
.

a n d a ll in it a s they re a lly we re Th e deceptive sple ndour

’
.
2 30 M E N OF P E A CE .

had va ni s he d Th e ga udy orna ments of a fa i ry grot ha d

.

become the n a ked wa ll s of a gloomy ca vern When thi s

.

wom a n h a d returned to live a mong hum a n beings a g a in ,

her a nointed eye sa w much th a t others s a w not ; a mong

ot her things sh e once s aw a ma n of pe a ce invisible to
‘ ’

ot he rs a n d a s ked him a bout her child A stoni s hed a t

,

.
,

being recognised he dem a nded how she h a d bee n a ble to

,

d iscover him a n d when sh e h a d con fes sed he s pit in her

,

eye a nd exti nguished it for ever .

3 3: NI GHT D E I TI E S .

sh a dow which goes to Ha des ; the other is h is im a ge as

,

reflected in wa te r a nd it is s upposed to s ta y nea r the pl a ce

,

where the ma n die s But li ke the gi a nts of the Brocken

1

th es e demons of the Sha dow a re trembled a t

.
, ,

long a fter
they a re known to be the tremblers themselves mi rro red
on a ir Ha ve w e not pries ts in E ngla nd s till fo s te ring the
belie f tha t t
.

h e ba ptized child goes a ttended by a white

spirit the unb a ptized by a d a rk one ? Why then need we
,

a pologi s e for the Fiji a n s ?

But little need be sa id here of demons of the D a rk for

they a re closely rela ted to t
,

h e ph a nta s ms of D elusion of
Winter a nd others a lrea dy de s cribed Y e t
,

h a ve they d is
t in c t
.
,

iv e ch a ra cters A s m a ny a s were the s u nbea m s were

.

the sh a dows every goddes s of the D a wn (U s h a s ) c a st her

s h a dow ; every D a y w as s w a llo w ed up by N ight Thi s is .

the ca vern where hide the trea cherou s Pa nis (fog) in V edic
mytholo gy t hey who ste a l a n d hide I n dra s cows ; t
, his is ’

the re a lm of Ha des (the invi s ible) ; this is the ca ve rn of

the h a g Thokk (d a rk ) in Sca ndin a vi a n myt —
hology s he ,

who a lone of a ll in the universe re fu s ed to weep for Ba ldur

when he w as s hut u p in He lh e im where he h a d been s ent
by t
,

h e d a rt of his blind brother Hod r (d a rkne s s ) In the .

ca vern of N ight s leep the Seven S leepe rs of E phesu s a n d ,

Ba rb a ross a a n d a ll slumbering ph a ntom s who s e geniu s is

t
,

h e night winged ra ven

-
Tho rr the N o rs e He rcule s once
tried to li ft a ca ta s it seemed to him from t
.
, ,

— — h e ground ;
but it w a s the gre a t mid ea rth s e rpent which encircles the
-

whole ea rth I mpossib e e a t a s it a s or ho r w h o

l f w f T r —
got only one pa w of the seeming c a t
.

off the ground —in

th a t gl a s sle ss a n d ga sless e ra invention h a s a ccompli s hed

much in th a t direction ; but the bl a ck C a t
,

is s till domi
ciled securely a mo n g idols of the menta l c a ve .

There is a n A nglo Sa xon word cof g od as (lit co ve god s)

-
,
-
.
-
,

Th O igi of C i ili t i & By Si J h L bbock ’

e r n v sa on, c . r o n u .
 K OB 01 0 8 . 2 33

e mployed as t h e equiva lent of t h e La tin [a res (the Pen a tes ,

too a re interpreted a s cof g od u cof a signi fying the inner -

recess of a hou s e pene t

, ,

r a le) Th e word in Germ a n corre

, .

s pon d in g to thi s cof a is k o ben ; a n d from this H ildebra nd ,

—
conjectures kob old to be derived The l a tter p a rt of the
word he s upposes to be w a it
.

(one who presid es over e

g
’

Wa lter) ; so tha t the origin a l form would be kob w a lt

, . .
,

‘ -
.

Here then in the recesses of the household a mong the

lea st enlightened of it
, , ,

s members — the meni a ls who still ,

o ften neutra lise the e fforts of ra tion a l people to dispel the

s r —
delusion of thei children the di s c redited deities a n d
demons of the p as t found re fuge a n d through a little ba p
t a l ch a nge of n a me s a re fa mili a rs of millions unto t
,

is m hi s
d ay In the word s of t
. h e a ncient Hebrew they la y in ,
‘

their own hou s es prisoners of d a rkness fettered with the ,

bonds of a long night N o power of the fire might give .

’

them light neithe r could the bright fl a mes of the s t a rs

,

lighten th a t ho rrible night 2

Well is it a dded Fea r is .
’
,
‘

nothi ng else but a betra ying of the succours which re a son

ofi e re t a t r uth which finds a mple i ll u s tra tion in the
'
’
h ,

Kobold s The s e im a gin a ry beings were n a tu ra lly a s s o

c ia t
.

e d with the d a rk rece s s es o f mi n es The re they ga ve

the n a me to our meta l Coba ltThe va lue of Coba lt w a s
.

1
Hild ebrand in G rimms W or erbuch ’
t ’

tt imp i ch pt y f t
.

W isd om of Solomon xvii Wha his h ress ve a er sa s o e

fth g ilt q lly t f t

.
,

d l i
e us ons o y e hu f ig
a re e Th y l pi g
ua ru e o ose o n ora n ce. e s ee n

th m l pt
e sa h t igh t
e s ee w p tly a n d w ith m t pp iti ere ar v ex e ons rou s a ar on s ,

an d p t ly f i t
ar d t h i h tf ili g t
a n e h m wh
e r th f ll d w
ea r a n e os oever ere e o n

tit ly k pth t t t t t
,

w as s ra p i p i e w i h s iu b
u W h h
n a i w r son ou ron a rs. e er e re

hi t m gt
,

a w li g w i d
s n ml d i i
n f bi d
or a he op d i g b h
ous n o se o r s a on e s re a n ran c es,

t t t t t
,

or a pl i g f ll f
eas n w i g ai l ly o ibl
a er ru n n n d f v o en or a err e sou n o s ones ca s

i g t h t ld tb t
,

d w o n , or a ru n n n f kippi g b
a cou i g no e s ee n o s n e as s, or a roa r n

i
v o ce f m t g o ild b
os t sa va b d i g h f mt
e w h h ll eas s, or a re oun n ec o ro e o ow

m t i
oun a ns : t
h t hi g md t h mt w
es e f
n f s Th w h l w ld
a e e o s oon or ear e o e or

light t t
.

sh i d w it
ne h l h m ly w
c ear p d h y igh o ve r e on as s rea a ea v n an

f th t ld ft th m b t t
,

img a e o d k whi h h
a ar w d ness i c y w s ou a er ar re ce ve e : u e ere

th y t t h ml m gi t th t
’
e o e h
se ves d k ore r e vous an a ar ness .
2 34 WALP U R GI SN A CH I !

not unders tood until the I 7t h century a nd the met a l w a s ,

first obt a ined by the S wedish chemist Bra ndt in 1733 .

Th e miners h a d believed th a t the silver w a s stolen a wa y

by Kobolds a nd these w orthless ores le ft in it
,
s pl a ce
’
.

N ickel h a d the like history a n d is n a med a fter Old N ick

, .

S o long did those Be a uties s lumber in the c a vern of

Igno ra nce till Science ki s s ed them with its sunbe a m a n d ,

led the mforth to decora te the w orld

How p a s sed this (ment a l) ca ve d w eller even a mid the -

upper s plendours a nd vas tness es of h is unlit world ? A

Fa ust guided by his M ep h i s topheles o nly a mid inter
min a ble Ha rtz l a byrinth s .

How sa d l y ri e
in co ple e a nd ru d d ,
s s, m t y
m
Th e oon s lon e d is k, w i h i s ela ed glow ,
’
ttb t
t my tt
And ligh s s o d i l , h a , a s one a d v an ces ,
At y teve r p t
s eik on e s r k t e s a roc or ree

L t t J k l t gl ’
e hus e n u se a ac -
o - a n e rn s
’
a n c es

I see on e y d b i g m ily on e r, u rn n err

H t t ttd
.

h ! m f i d y ’
o, y ere ! I ll l r en hi ev ne a en a nc e

W hy w t i ly t hy
a s e so va n
p l d ? re s en en ce

B ki d
e ng h t li
e nou
g h t po th tp 1 us u e s ee

T ll m if
e till
e, td i g
we s a re s a n n

O if f t
,

h
’
r ur di g ?
e r w e re a s cen n

All i t i g s h i li g b l d i g
u rn n w r n en n

it
, , ,

T d
rees a n k h g i i gf
roc s w r nn n ac e s ,

W d i g ligh t
an er nth t p i i sm a s n n aze s,

Still i ig d
n crea s np d i
an g ex an n .
‘

I t
could only h ve been a t a co m
a p a ra tively l a te period
o f soci a l development th a t S a ncho s benediction on t
’
he
inventor of s leep could h a ve found genera l respon s e Th e
R e d Indi a n found it
.

s helple ss ne s s fa t a l when the N ick o f

the Wood s w as a broa d ; the S cotch s a ilor fo u nd in it a
’

demon s O pi ate when t

’
h e N igg of the S e a w as g a t h e ring
’

his s t
orm s shove the sleeping w a tchm a n It w a s a mo ng .

By a ard T yl
a or s
’
Fa us t W lp
.
’
a urgis - nigh t
.
2 36 N I GH TM A R E .

then bec a me very drowsy a n d l a id himsel f down t o sleep ;

bu t
,

when he h a d s lept but a little while he c ried out s ay ,

ing M a ra w a s trea di n g on him His men h a stened to

, .
’

help him ; but when they took hold of his he a d s h e trod

on h is leg s a nd when they l a id hold of his legs s h e pres s ed
'
,

upon h is he a d ; a n d it w as h is dea th 1
.
’

Thi s w itch is n o doubt Hild u r a Wa lkyr of the E dd a

, , , ,

le a ding heroe s to Wa lha ll a I ndeed in We stph a li a night

.
, ,

ma re is ca lled W a lrid e rs k e It is a curious fa ct th a t .

M a ra should be pre s erved in the French word for night

’

ma re Ca uc/ze ma r c a uche being from L a tin ca lca re to

,
-
,
’
,

tre a d Through Teutonic folklore this N ight demon of

.
-

m a ny n a mes h a ving flo a ted from E ngl a nd in a s ieve

,

pa ddled with cow ribs rides to the distress of a n in creas

-

N ea rly a lwa ys s t
,

ingly unhe roic p a rt of the popula tion ill

the M a h rtis s a id t
.

o be a pretty wom a n
’
—s ometimes , ,

inde e d a s weethea rt is involu nta rily tra ns formed to one

, ,

— e very ru s tic s ettlement a bounding with t a les of h ow the

d e mones s ha s been ca ptured by stopping the keyhole ,

c a lli n g the ridden sleeper by his ba ptism a l n a me a nd ,

m a king the sign of the cross by s uch process the wicked

be a uty a ppe a r s in hum a n form a n d is a pt to m a rry t he ,

s leeper with usu a lly evil result s

,
Th e fond n e ss of c a ts for
.

getting on the bre a sts of s leepers or nea r their bre a th for , ,

wa rmth h as m a de th a t a nim a l a common fo rm of the

M a h rt S ometimes it is a bl a ck fly w ith red ring a round
it
.

s neck Thi s demone s s is believed to s u ffer more pa in

t h a n it inflicts a nd va i n ly ende a vou rs t
.

,
o de s troy hers el f .

I n s a va ge a nd noma dic times sound s leep being a n e le

ment of d a nger the secu rity which required men t
, o s leep

on their a rms dem a nded a l s o th a t they s hould s leep a s it

were with one eye O pen Thus there might h a ve a ri s en
.

both the intense vividness which demon s a cquired by

i
. 228 .
 D RE AM S . 2 37

blending subj ective a nd objective impress ions a nd the

curious in ability s o frequent a mong barba ri a n s a n d not
,

unknown a mong the men civili s ed t

,

o distingu i s h drea m ,

from fa ct Th e h a bit of d a y dre a ming seem s indeed

.
-
, ,

more genera l th a n is usu a lly s uppos ed D rea ms h a unt .

a ll the region of our intellectu a l twilight — the borderl a nd ,

of mystery where ri s e the s ources of the occult a n d the

,

mystica l which environ our lives The d a ily terrors of

ba rb a rou s li fe av a il t
.

o h a unt the nerves of civilised people ,

now m a ny gener a tions a fter they h a ve pa ssed a wa y with

s peci a l a n d irra tion a l shudders a t
,

cert a in objects or noises :

h ow then must they h a ve h a unted the dre a ms of hum a nity
w hen like the d a ughter of N a th a n the Wise rescued from
, ,

fl a me s it p a ssed the interva ls of stri fe

,

Wit
h n erve s t t
h
u n s rung rou gh fear,
An d fi re a nd fl ame i n all s h e s ee s or fan c ies
Her soul a w ake in s lee p, a s lee p w h en wid e a w . .ke

A mong the source s of demoni a c belie fs few indeed a re .

more prolific th a n D rea ms Th e witchcra ft of sleep

.
‘
,
’

sa ys E merson divides with truth the empire of our live s

, .

This so ft enc ha ntre s s vi s its two children lying locked in

ea ch othe r s a rms a nd c a rr ie s them a sunder by wide
’

s p a n s of l a nd a n d s e a wide interv a ls of time Tis super

’
.
,

flu ou s to think of the dre a m s of multitudes ; the a stoni s h

ment rem a ins th a t one s hould drea m ; th a t we s hould
res ign s o quietly this dei fying re a son a n d become the
thea tre of delu s ions shows wherein time spa ce person s
, , , , ,

cities a nim a l s should d a nce be fore us in merry a n d ma d

, ,

con fu s ion a delic a te crea tion outdoi ng the prime a nd

,

flower of a ctua l n a ture a ntic comedy a ltern a ti ng with

,

horrid spectres Or we seem busied for hours a n d d a ys in

.

peregrin a tions over s e as a n d l a nd s in ea rnest di a logues , ,

strenuou s a ctions for nothings a n d a bsu rdities che a ted by ,

s pectra l jok es a n d w a ki n g suddenly with ghostly l a ughter

, ,
2 38 I N VI SI B L E F OE S .

to be rebuked by the cold lonely s ilent midnight a n d to ,

ra ke w ith con fusion in memo ry a mo n g the gibbering non

s en s e to find the motive of this contemptible c ac h in n a

tion .
1’

It h a s a lwa ys been the worst of pe riod s of religiou s

excitement th at they s h a pe the dre a ms of old a n d young ,

and find there a fe a rful a n d di storte d but vivid a nd ,

re a li s tic embodiment of their feveri s h experiences In

, .

the d a ys of witchc ra ft thous a nds visited the Witches Sab ’

b a th s a s they believed a n d d a nced in the Wa lpurgis

,

o rgies borne (by heredit a ry orthodox c a non) on their own

,

brooms up their own chimneys ; a nd to d a y by the s a me -

,

morbid im a gin ations the victims a re a ble to se e them

,

s elve s o r others elong a ted levita ted flo a ti n g thro u gh the

, ,

a ir
. I f people only knew how few a re ever re a lly wide
a wa ke the s e spiritu a l nightm a res would s oo n re a ch their
,

te rmin ation Th e n a tu ra l terrors be fore which helpless ma n

.

once cowered h a ve been p rolo nged p a s t a ll h is rea l victories

,

over h is demon s by a succe s s ion of s uch nightm a res so ,

th a t the vulga r religion might be portra yed somewh a t

a s R ich a rd W a gner desc r ibed h is first tra gedy in which

h a ving killed off forty t

, ,

w o of his ch a ra cte rs he h a d to
-

bring them b a ck a s ghos ts t o c a rry on the fi fth a c t

,

!
Th e perils of d a rkness a s a mbush of foes hum a n a n d
,

a nim a l co n ce a le r of pit fa ll s
,
misguide r of foot s tep s mis
, ,

director of a im s were more re a l tha n me n ca n well im a gi n e

,

in a n a ge of g a s light plu s the policem a n Th e myth of

Jos h u a comm a nding the s u n t
.

o s t a n d s till ; the cry of A j a x

when d a rkne ss fell on the comba t Gra nt me but to s ee 1 ’

re fer us t
,

o the region from which come a ll childi s h s hudde rs

at goi ng into the d a rk Th e li mit of hum a n coura ge is

.

re a ched where its foe is beyond the rea ch of its force .

Fighting in the d a rk m a y even be s uicid a l A Germ a n .

No th Am i 1
R iw r M h 18 77
er can ev e . a rc .
24 0 THE P R I N CE O F D A RK N E S S .

S kin fa x i, or Shining -
h a rd a fte r her yet t
—
m a n e follow s he
Fo a m of t
,

foa m is by no me a n s d ru nk up by his fires he .

old ph a nt a sms still li n gers in our me d ia va l litu rgies a nd ,

even fa ll s a fresh where the d a ylight is shut out tha t a lta r

ca ndles ma y burn or for other d a rk se a nces a re prepared
the conditions neces s a ry for wha tsoever loves not t
,

he
light .

W h a t we c a ll the D a rk A ges were indeed s pi ritu a lly a

pe rpetu a l sea nce with lights lowered N a y hum a n super
st it
.
,

ion w a s a ble to turn the very moon a n d s t a rs into me re

blui s h night ta pers givi n g just light enough to m a ke the
-
,

d a r kness visible in fa nta stic sha pes fluttering a round the

P rince of D a rk n ess —or N on existence in C hie f !
,
How -

much of the theos ophic s pecul a tion of ou r time is the

mere a rtifici a l conserva tion of tha t da rkness ? How much
s ba t
tha t s till fi it winged from universities will in the future
-

be re a d with the sa me wonder a s th a t with which eve n t

, , ,

he
more respecta ble b ats ca n now rea d a ccount of the mid
night b rood which now for the most p a rt s leep t ra nquilly
in s uch books as Bu rton s A n a tomy of M el a n choly ? ’ ‘ ’

There a re he sa ys ce rta in spirits which M ira ld u s ca ll s

’

, ,

Am bu lon es th a t wa lk a bout midnight o n gre a t he a th s

which (s a ith La vater) dra w men ou t
,

a n d de s ert pl a ces ,

o f thei r w a y a n d le a d them a ll night by a bywa y

,
or ,

quite ba r them of their w a y The s e h a ve seve ra l n a mes.

in s evera l pl a ces We commonly c a ll them Pucks

. .

I n the desert s of Lop in A s i a such illu s ion s of wa lk

, ,

ing s pirits a re o ften perceived a s you ma y re a d in M

P a ulus the V ene t
.
,

,
i a n h is t ra vel s I f one los e h is com
, .

pa ny by ch a nce the s e devils will ca ll him by his n a m e

, ,

a nd counterfeit voices of h is comp a nion s to s educ e

him Lava ter a nd C icogn a h a ve a va riety of exa mple s
.

of s pirits a n d w a lking devils in this kind Sometime s

t t
hey s i by the wa yside t
.

o give men fa lls a n d m a k e ,

 THE B R OOD OF M I D N I GHT 24 :

their horse s stumble a n d sta rt a s they ride (a ccordi n g to

the n a rra tion of th a t holy m a n K et e llus in N u brigens is

th a t h ad a n especi a l gra ce t
,

o see devils) ; a n d if a m an

curse a n d s pur his horse for stumbling t h ey do hea rtily

rejoice a t
,

it .
’

While observing a spirited a nd im a gin a tive picture by

M a c a llum of the S iege of Jerusa le m it much intereste d
me to ob s erve the gre a ter or less ea se wi t
,

h which other
visitors d is covered the portents in the air which follow
t
ing h e n a rra tive of Joseph us the a rti st
,

h a d va guely por
t
,

raye d . The ch a riots a n d horsemen s a id to h a ve b e en

seen be fore th a t event were here fa intly blent with ih
definite outlines of clouds ; a nd while some of the a rti s t s
’

friends s a w them wit h a distinctness gre a te r, perh a ps tha n

th a t with which they impressed t
,

he eye of the a rtist him

sel f others could h a rdly be m a de to see a nything excep t
sh a pele s s va pour tho ugh of course they a ll a greed t
,

, hat
they were there a nd rem a rk a bly fine .

It would seem th a t thus in a L ondon studio th ere were , ,

present a ll the menta l pigments for frescoing the a ir a n d

s ky with those vision s of a eri a l a rmies or huntsmen which

h a ve become s o norm a l in history as to be in a s ubjective ,

sense n a tural In the yea r i76 3 a n a uthor styling him

self Theophilus I n s u la n us publi s hed a t
, .
, ,

E dinburgh a book
,

'
on Second S ight in whi ch he rel a ted moi e th a n a hund red
-

in s t a nces of t
,

h e power he believed to exi s t of s eeing

events be fore they ha d occurred a nd whilst of cours e
they did not exi st It is not
, , ,

di fficult in re a ding the m

.

to see th a t they a re a ll subst a nti a lly one a n d the s a me

story a n d th a t the s ight in opera tion w as indeed second
a n or wom a n a t
,

for m once im a gina tive a n d illitera te

, ,

h ave a second a n d supernumera ry pa ir of eyes inherited

from the tra dition a l s upe rstition s a n d ghost stories which
fi ll a ll the a ir t hey brea th e fro mt h e cra dl e t o the gra ve .

VO L I . . Q
24 2 SE C ON D SI GH T .

While the mind is in this condition th at s a me n a ture .

w hose a pp a ritions a n d illusions origin a lly evoked a nd

fostered the gl a mou ry still moves on with her minglings
,

of light a n d sh a de cloud a n d mira ge giving no word of

, ,

expl a n a tion There a re never w a nting the sh a do w y forms

.

without th a t c a st their shuttle s to the d a rk idol s of the

menta l ca ve together we a vi ng subtle spells round the
,

h a l f w a king mind
-
.

In the ye a r 174 3 a ll the N orth of E ngl a nd a n d S cot

l a n d w a s in a l a rm on a ccount of some spectres which
were seen on the mounta in of Souter Fell in C umberl a n d .

Th e mount a in is a bout h a l f a mile high On a summer

- -
.

evening a fa rmer a nd his serva nt looking from W ilton ,

Ha ll h a l f a mile off s a w the figures o f a ma n a n d a dog

, ,

pursuing s ome hors es a long the mount a in s ide w hich is

'

-
,

ve ry s teep ; a nd on the following morning they repa ired

to the pl a ce expecting t
, o find de a d bodies but finding ,

none A bout one yea r l a ter a troop of horsemen were

.

s een riding a long the s a me mounta in side by one of the -

s a me persons the serva nt

, who then ca lled others w ho
,

a l s o s a w the a eri a l troopers A fter a ye a r ha d e la psed

the a bove visio n w a s a ttested be fore a m a gistra te by t
.

wo

o f tho s e who sa w it The event occurred on the eve of

.

the R ebellion w hen hors emen were exerci s ing a n d when

, ,

a l s o the popul a r mind a long the Border m ay be supposed

t o h a ve been in a highly excited condition .

Wh a t w as seen on this strongly a uthentic a ted occa s ion ?

-

W a s a nythi n g seen ? N one c a n tell It is open to u s to .

believe th a t there ma y h a ve been some pl a y of mirage .

A s there a re purely a eri a l echoe s s o a re there a eri a l re

flec t
,

ors for the eye On the other h a nd the vi s ion s o

.
,

n e a rly resembles the s pectra l process ions which h ave

p a s se d through the mythology of t h e world th a t we ca n
t
it w as n ot
,

n ever be sure th a the troop of King A rthur ,

 M O OM SHJN E VA M P YK E
‘

24 4 .

logic he a ve ns of a ncient Indi a subs ta nti a lly s ubjective

s u ch s tu ff a s dre a m —
s a n d dre a me rs a re m a de of no doubt
there were outer cloud s sh a pes a nd a fterglo w s enough
eve n in the a bs ence of a n y f a t
, ,

a morga na to s upply
c a nva s a nd pigment to the cu nning a r t ist th a t hid es in
the eye
In a n old t a le the o ften sl a in V a mpyre ba t
.

only re - -

que s t s with p a t
,

ho s th a t h is body ma y be l a id wh e re n o
s unlight but only the moonlight will fa ll on it
, ,

— o n ly th a t !
But
, ,

it is under the moon s h ine th a t it a lw ays g a in s n ew

li fe N o demo n req u ire s a bs olu t
. e d a rkne s s but h a l f ,

d a rkne ss in which to live : enough light to di s clos e a

Somewh a t bu t
,

not enough to define a n d reve a l its n a tu re

is ju s t wh a t h a s bee n requi red for the ba t
, ,

eye s of fa bl e -

a n d ph a nt as y which c a n m a ke v a mp y re of a sp a rrow or
,

gi a nt out of a windmill .

Gla m ou r ! A m a rvellous hi s to ry h as thi s word of the

a rt i s ts a nd poet s s ometimes me a n ing the ch a rm w i t
— , h
whic h the eye inve s t s a ny obj e ct ; or in Word s wort h s ’

p h ras e the light t ha t never w a s on l a nd or s ea Bu t

,

,
‘
no .
’

a rti s t or po e t ever ro s e to the full height of the s imple

ter m i t
,

s el f which well illu s tra te s E merson s s a ying

,
’

Wo rd s a re foss il poetry P ro fe s s or C owell of C a mbridge ’

Gl am or in t
.

s a ys he nomin a tive Gld m r is a l s o a poeti

c a l n a me for t
, ,

he M oo n It doe s not a ctu a lly occur in the

but it is give n in the glo s sa ry in t
.

a ncient liter a ture ,

he
Pro s e E dd a in the li s t of the very old w ord s for the M oon .
’

V igfu ss on in h is diction a ry s a y s Th e word is intere s ting

on a ccount of it
,

s identity wit h S cot Gla m ou r which s ho w s .

,

tha t the ta le of Gla mw a s co mmon to Scotla nd a n d I ce

l a nd a n d thi s much older th a n Gre t
,
t
ir (in the ye a r
Th e Ghost or Gobli n Gl a ms e e ms evidently to h a ve a risen
fro m a pers onific a tion of t h e delusive a n d tre a ch erous
e ffects of moo n li ght on t he b enight ed tra veller ,
 GL AM O U R .

Q u a le per incer t
ml m
a u na s ub luce mliga na

Es t
iti er n s ylvis .

N ow , there is a curious old Sa nsk rit word g la u or g ld v , ,

which is e xpl a ined in a ll the old n a tive lexicon s a s mea n

ing the moon It might either be ta ken a s wa ni n g or
’ ’
.
,

in a c a su a l sense obscu ring ‘ ’

.

Th e following lines from a n e a rly medi ae va l poet Bh as a ,

( seventh century ) will illu s tra te the ,deceptive ch a ra cter o f

moonlight from a Hindu point of view Th e s tron g a nd
wild N ors e im a gin a tion delight s i n wh a t is t
.

e rrible a n d
gloomy : the Hindu loves to dwell on the milder a nd
quieter a s pects of hum a n li fe
Th e ca t la p s the moonbe a ms in t
.

‘
h e bowl of w a ter
t
,

hinki n g them to be milk : the eleph a nt think s th a t the

moonbe a ms threa ded through the i nterva l s of the trees
Th e wom a n s n a tches a t
, ,

a re the fibres of the lotus st a lk -

.

the moonbe a ms a s they lie on the be d ta king them for ,

her mu s li n ga rment : oh how the moon intoxica ted with , ,

r adi a nce bewilde rs a ll the wo rld I

,

A s imil a r p a s s a ge n o doubt im it ated from this is a l s o

, ,

q uoted :
‘
Th e bewildered he rds m en pl a ce t h e p a ils u n d er the
cows thinking th a t the milk is flowi ng ; the m a iden s a lso
,

put the bl u e lotu s blos som in thei r e a rs thinki ng th a t it is ,

the white ; the mounta inee r s wi fe sn a tches up the j uj u be ’

fruit a v a riciou s for pe a rls

,
Who s e mind is not led a stra y .

by the thickly cluste ring moonbe a ms 1

In the Icel a ndic legend of the struggle between the

hero Gre t t ir tra n s l a ted by M a gn t
,
is s e n a n d M or ri s (Lo n
’

d on ,
the s a ga s u pplies a scene ry a s a rch ae ologic a l
a s if the philologists h a d been con s ulted Bright moon .

light w a s there without a nd the dri ft w as broken n ow , ,

1 J ‘
l of Phil logy
ou rna i No 1 1 O t o h Wo d Gl m
,
’
ov . dt h L g d. . n e r a ur an e e en

of Gl m by P ofe o Cow ll
a , r ss r e .
24 6 GL AM A N D GR E TTI R .

d ra wn over the moon now driven off from her ; a n d e ve n

a s Gl a m fell a cloud w a s driven from t
,

,
h e moon a n d Gl a m ,

gl a red up a ga inst her Whe n the hero beheld these gla r ’

ing eyes of the gi a nt Ghos t he felt s ome fiendish cra ft

.

in ,

them a nd could not dr a w his s hort s w ord a nd lay wel l

, ,
‘

nigh twixt home a n d hell This h a l f light of the moon

’
.
’
-
,

w hich robs the S trong of h a l f h is power is repe a ted in

Gl a m s curs e : E xceedingly e a ger ha st thou s ought t

,

’ ‘
o

meet me Gre t tir but no wonder will it be deemed th ough

thou ge t test
, , ,

no good h a p of me ; a n d this I must tell the e ,

th a t thou now h a st got h a l f the strength a n d m a nhood

w h ich w as thy lot if thou h a dst not met me : n ow I ma y
not ta ke from thee the strength which thou h a st got be fore
this but tha t ma y I rule th a t thou s ha lt never be mighti e r
t
th a n now hou a rt there fore this weird I la y on the e
,

ever in those d a ys to s e e these eyes with thine eyes a nd

thou wilt find it h a rd t o be a lone — a n d th a t sh a l t
,

drag
thee unto de a th .
’

Th e M oon demon s power is limited to the spell of

’
o -

illu s io n he c a n ca st Presently he is la id low ; the short

s word of a sunbe a m pa les deca pita tes him Bu t
.

a fte r
’
.
,

Gl a m is burned to cold co a ls a n d his a shes buried in ski n ,

of a bea st where sheep p a stures were fewest or the w a ys -

Gret t
,

of men the s pell la y upon the hero s eyes ir s aid

’ ’
.
,

th a t h is temper h a d been nowis e bettered by thi s th a t he ,

w a s wors e to quiet th a n be fore a n d th a t he deemed a ll

trouble wors e th a n it w a s ; but th a t herein he found t
,

he
gre a test ch a nge in tha t he w as become s o fea rsome a ma n
,

in the d a rk th a t he durst go nowhither a lone a fter night

,

fa ll for then he seemed to s e e a ll kind s of ho rrors

, A nd .

th a t h a s fa llen since into a proverb th a t Gl a m lends eyes

or gives Gla ms ight
, ,

to thos e who s e e things nowi s e as they

a re .

In re a ding which on e my wonder how this world would

a
 A S TOR Y O F D A R TM OOR .

S terling once s aw p a trolling in eve ry p a rish to whom how

ever he surrendered a t l a st
, ,

.
,

A story is told of a m a n wa ndering on a d a rk night

over D a rtmoor whos e feet slippe d over the edge of a pit

,
.

He c a ught the bra nch of a t ree su s pended over the terrible

ch a s m bu t
, un a ble to rega in the ground sh rieked for help
,
.

N one c a me tho u gh he cried out till h is voice w a s gone ;

,

a n d there he rem a i n ed d a ngling in a gony u ntil the g rey

light revea led th a t his feet were only a fe w inche s from the
s olid g rou n d . S uch a re the chie f demon s th a t bind m an

till cockcrow S uch a re the a pprehension s th a t w a ste

a lso t
.

h e mora l a n d intellectu a l s trength of m a n a n d mur

,

der his pe a ce a s he rega rd s the neces sar y s cience of his

time to be cutti ng some fra il tenure susta ini ng him over a
bottomless pit inste a d of a relea se from re a l terror to the
,

s olid grou n d
 ( 24 9 )

C H A P TE R X I .

D I SE ASE .

The t
P la gue P h an tyi g A g l — Ah im
om D evil d a n ce s
— — D es
-
ro n n e s r an

i A t
n l gy—S t — S t
s ro o d J b— S t
— Th F t l S
a u rn a an an o e e a a ev en

Y k y — Th S i gh l
a se o P ty K i— M h S h
e n a es e re ra a ee r a a o on

M t L t D i d m G p l —M d — C t
—
oro ooh —u er on tl sea se -
e on s o o u a an a e

de mon in R u s s i a—Bihlweisen— Th e P lo u gh .

A FA M I LIA R fa ble
in the E a st tell s of one w ho met a fea r
fu l ph a ntom which in reply to h is q uestioning a nswered
,

‘
I a m P l a gue : I h a ve come from yon city where ten
thousa nd lie de a d : one thou sa nd were sl a in by me the ,

res t by Fe a r Perh a ps even this s tory d oes not fully

.
’

report the a lli a nce between the pla gue a n d fe a r ; for it is

h a rdly doubt ful t ha t e pidemics reta in their power in the
E a st l a rgely bec a use they h ave ga ined personifica tion
through fe a r as d e mons whose fa ta l power ma n c a n n either
prevent nor cure be fore which he ca n only cower a n d pra y
In the mi ss ion a ry school a t
.
,

C a nte rbu ry the young men

prepa re them s elve s to help the he a then medica lly a nd ’
,

so they go forth with m a teri a medic a in one h a nd a n d in ,

the other a n in fa llible revela tion from he a ven repo rting

pl a gue s a s the in flictio n s of J ehova h or the de s troying ,

a ngel or S a t a n a n d the he a ling of dise a se the je a lou s ly

, ,

re s erved monopoly of God 1

.

1
2 Ch i 12 ; 2 Ki g
ron. xv ; M k 6 ; J mn 1 s xx.
4 ; T h ar v. 2 a es v e

C t h follow t iptio by St
. .

holi Ch
a c urc h p s J m of p y
e d holy
rescr n . a es ra er an
2 so D E VI L D A N CE S .

Th e demonis ation of disea ses is not wonder ful To .

thought ful minds not even science h as di s pelled the

mystery which surrounds m a ny of the a ilments th a t a ffli c t
m a nkind especi a lly the norm a l disea ses be s etting children
, ,

heredit a ry compl a ints a nd the stra nge li a bilitie s to in fec ,

tion a n d conta gion A genuine ho wever p a rti a l obs erva .

, ,

tion would sugges t to p rimitive ma n some connection

between the s ymptoms of m a ny dise a ses a n d the myst e
'
rio n s universe of which he could not yet recogni s e himsel f
a n epitome There were indic a tions th a t ce rt a in troubles
.

of this kind were rel a ted to the se a sons consequently to ,

s a f —
the cele ti l r u lers o the sea s ons to the s u n th a t smote
by d a y a nd the moon a t
,

, night Pro fes s or M onier .

Willi a ms describing the D evil d a nces of S outhern Indi a

,
-
,

s a ys th a t there seems to be a n idea a mo n g them th at

when pestilences a re ri fe exception a l me as ure s must be
t a ken to dra w off the m a lign a nt spirits supposed to ca use ,

them by tempting them to enter into these wild d a ncers

, ,

a n d s o become dissip a ted He witnes s ed in C eylon a .

d a nce pe rformed by three men who pe rson a ted the form s

a n d ph a ses of typhus fever The s e d a nces prob a bly be
1
.

long to the sa me cl a ss of ide a s a s thos e of the de rvishes

in P ersi a who s e m a ni fold contortions a re suppos ed to
,

repe a t the movements of pl a nets They a re invoca tions .

of the souls of good sta rs a n d propiti a tions of s uch a s a re ,

an oi ti g fo t
n nh i k o ly ftmd i l id — f wh i h A d i d w h
r e s c n h p a er e ca a o c sa e en e re

f
erre d itt o tL
h d —h f il d ; £e tm t or io C t l mk t
as h t a e e ex re e un c n. as e a r re ar s a

t w hi h l t t
i t h Q ii l t t t
h V t
. .

h C
e l onc a ve d Pi I X c h
e ec e h i us sa n e u r na ra er an e a

w h il it h p d f t h i pi t f th H ly Spi it
.

can, b ‘
eca use, i e i y
o e or e ns ra on s o e o r n e ver

place i fear edt h t

t i t h p l p ll a d i i i
n p i ti e w l d
a ace t ar ex ce ence v ne ns ra on s ou no

ttt t f t t
,

ly ffl i h f Th l g l p i f
’
su fli i c en h coun era c e e u v as o e e ver. e e a rose cu ons o

t P li P pl f b y i g t h N w T t m t mm d i f
’
he ec u a r eo e or o e n e e es a en co an n cas e o

ik
s c ly
n ess s u
pp t b l mp l f th a q l
no ah y p i y f th
e exa p t t t e o e e ua oc r s o e ro es an

E l d h d i t ib t d t
h B ib l d i i l ti i 5 d iff t v n e re ve a on n 1 0 eren

t
a e.
g g n an as s r u e e e as a

l g g ;
an ua es d i L d it p
an i h ntf b d
oni t on f i p l i un s es a sec or o e e nce o one o s a n

es t
di t
i rec ons.
1
Lo nd on
‘
Time s,
’
J une 1 1, 1877.
2 52 D E S TR O YI N G AN GE LS .

d e rfu l, the p la gue s of thy seed;

a nd he will bring upon
thee a ll the di s ea ses of E gypt whereo f thou wa st a fra id 1
.
’

Th e emerod s which smote the worshippers of D a gon were

a s c ribed directly to the h a nd of J ehov a h In th a t va gue
11
.

degree of n a tura l du a li s tic development which preceded

the full Ira n i a n influence u pon the J e w s the infliction of ,

d i s e a s e s w a s delega ted to a n a ngel of J ehova h a s in the ,

n a rra tive s of smiti n g the firs tbo rn of E gypt wa sting the ,

a rmy of S en n a cherib a n d the pe s tilence sent upon Isra el ,

for D a vid s s in In the progress of this a ngel to be a

’
.

demon of di s ea s e we find a ph a se of a mbiguity a s s hown ,

in the hypochondri a of S a ul Th e spirit of Jehovah .

depa rted from Sa ul a n d a n evil spirit from Jehova h ,

tro u b led him 1

.
’

A ll s uch a mbiguitie s dis a ppea red under the influence of

Ira ni a n du a li s m In the Book of J ob we find the in fliction .

of di s e a s e s a n d pl a gues completely tr a n s ferred to a power

fu l s pirit a fully formed opposing potenta te

, Th e son s .
‘

of God who in the firs t ch a pter of Job a re s a id to h a ve pre

’
,

sented them s elve s be fore J ehova h ma y be identified in the

thirty eighth a s the s t a rs which shouted for joy a t
,

-
the crea
tion S a ta n is the wa ndering or m a li gn pl a net which leads
.

in the A h rima n ic side of the P ersi a n pl a ni s phere In the .

co s mogra phica l theology of th a t country Ormuzd w as to

reign for six thou s a nd ye a rs a nd then A hrim a n w as to ,

reign for a s imil a r pe riod Th e mora l a ssoci a tions of this .

specul a tion a re di s cu s s ed el s ewhere ; it is nece s s a ry here

only to point out the be a ring of t h e pl a nispheric c on c e p
tion upon the ill s th a t fles h is heir to A hrim a n is the
st a r s erpent of the Z e n d av a st
.

-
a When the p aris ren
’
.
‘

1
D en t x xv iii 60 1
1 Sa m v 6
m i 14 I n ch p iii 10 t h is evil pi itis s id t
. . . . . .

3
1 Sa xv o h p o a
eed ed xv s r a av e r c

fromE loh im a d ifferen ce i d ica t

i ga f t h e st t t t
. . . .
.
,

i h ol io of J hno n ur r e n a ev u n e

ch pt
p
h int oral rule w h ich is fully t
,

va o a m raced in o e o Eloh ima d

r ur a r n n

Jch ovab .
 A HRI M AN I N A S TR OL OG Y . 25
3

dered this world desol a te a nd overra n the universe ; when ,

the sta r serpent m a de a pa th for himsel f between hea ven

-

a n d e a rth & c ; when A hrim a n ra mbles on the e a rth let

’

, .
,

him who t a kes the form of a serpent glide on the e a rth ;

let him who t a kes the form of the wol f ru n on the e a rth ‘

a n d let t
,

he viole n t north wind bring we a knes s 1 ’

.

Th e d awn of Ormuzd corres ponds with A pril Th e s u n .

returns from winter s de a th by s ig n of the l a mb (our A ries )

’

a n d th ence fort
,

h every month corres pond s with a thou sa nd

ye a rs of the reign of the Be n e fi ce ntS eptembe r is denoted .

by the V i rgin a n d Child To the d a rk dom a in of A h rim a n

.

r —
the pre fecture of the univers e p a sses by L ib a the s a m e ,

ba l a nces which a ppe a r in the h a nd of S a t a n Th e st a r .

serpent p reva ils over the Virgin a nd Child Then follo w .

the months of the scorpio n the centa u r go a t &c eve ry , , , .

,

month corresponding to a thousa nd ye a rs of the reign of

A h rim a n .

While thi s scheme corresponds in one direction with the

demons of cold a n d in a nother wi t , h the entra nce a n d
reig n of mora l evil in the w o rld beginnings of di s e as e ,

on e a rth were a l s o a s c ribed to this seventh thousa nd of

yea rs when the Golden A ge h a d p a s s ed The depth of .

winter is re a ched in domicile of the go a t or of S iriu s

Seth S aturn Sa t a n a ccording to the m a ny va ri a n t
, ,

,
— , s .

A n d thes e u nder their s eve ral n a mes m a ke the gre a t

, ,

‘
in fortune of a s trology wherei n old C ulpepper a mply
’

in structed ou r fa the rs I n the genera l con s ider tha t ‘

Sa t u r n is a n old wo r n ou t
. ,

pl a net we a ry a n d of little
-

es t
, ,

im a tion in this world ; he c a useth long a nd tediou s

sicknesses a bund a nce of s a dne s s a n d a Ca rtlo a d of doub t
,
s ,

a n d fe a rs ; his n a ture is cold a n d dry a n d mel a ncholy , , .

1
Bound esch, 11.
pp 158, 188 For an exhaus t
i tt
ve m tf t h
rea t en o e as ro

t t t M ki d t
. .

logical heories an d pic u res of h pl e anis pheres , see h i O igi

an n e r r n

and ty
Des in (Longmans,
2 54 SA TUR N .

A nd ta ke Speci a l notice of thi s th a t when S a turn is L ord ,

of a n E clipse (as he is one of the Lord s of this ) he gov e rns ,

a ll the rest of the pl a nets but none ca n govern him

t t
, .

M ela ne/zoly is ma d e of a ll m
h Im e ors in i b dy re o f
o m a n,

bu t no ma of mel
Im r keep s a n el oly t . He is envious , and

his a n ger long a n d spe a ks but few words but when h e

, ,

spe a k s he spea k s to purpose A man of deep cogita .

tions ; he will plot mischie f when men a re a sleep ; he

h a th a n a dmira ble memory a nd remembers to this d ay ,

h ow Willia m the Ba st a rd a bu s ed him ; he c a nnot en

dure to be a sla ve ; he is poor with the poor fea rful ,

with the fe a r ful he plots mi s chie f a g a inst the S u periou rs ,

with them th a t plot mi s chie f a ga inst them ; h a ve a c a re

of him K I N G S a n d M AG I STR AT E S of E urope ; he will show
,

you wh a t he c a n do in the e ffect s of this E clipse ; he is

old a nd there fore h a th l a rge experience a n d will give
, ,

perilou s coun s el ; he moves but slowly a nd there fore doth ,

the mo re mi s chie f ; a ll the pl a nets cont rib ute their n a tures

a n d s trength to him a n d when he set s on doing mi s chi e f ,

he will do it to purpo s e ; he doth not rega rd the compa ny

of the rest of the P l a net s neither do a n y of the re s t of the ,

P l a n et s reg a rd his ; he is a b a rren P l a net a n d there fore ,

deli ghts not in women ; he brings the P e s tilence ; he is

d e s t ructive to the fr uits of the e a rth he receives h is light
from the S u n a n d yet he h a tes the S u n t ha t gives it
,

hi m .
’
1

M a ny a ges a nterior to this bega n in Indi a the drea d of

1 Ca ttph
tm t
as ro h F ll f M
e M agn a
hi A C t tM gi
u or e a o on arc e. a ve a o a s

tt d d d f mt
ra es, h E lip
e u ce ft
h S ro M h 9 65 eW ith cp se o e unne , a rc 2 1 2 a ro

b bl C j t f t h D t mi t f t h E ff t By N i k C lp p
.
,

a e i
on ec u re o e e er na on o e ec s. c u e er ,

G tSt d i A t H l gt b t b t
.

en l d P hy
u D n ii s ro an im s an 2 1, 2 2 : e c ra n e e er

d t m t tt t h gi t
. . . . .
.
,

an i b b Ki g
re reason : d b p Ki g
e re h wi d m
ozze n s, a n re e u n : e ve s o

tt
o h Wi e d k w l dg t th mt b t
re, a n k w nod td i g b
e e ld t bo e a no un ef r a ri n e r evea e : e

d p
ee d ttii g I k w t
an h b t
secr e i i t h d k
/ n r, re d th ligl tdw ll t
no lt e ro o s n e ar ness , a n e z e e

w it/ bim L d
z Pit d f T V on d N t
on i B k i t h O ld
r n e or er e a n a / r oo e, n e

B ily d t t
. . .

a h A g li C
, an h ila e n e n orn ,
2 56 SE T A N D THE S E VE N HA THOR S .

Th e sins which he has committed turn the mto right

1
e ou s n e ss .

Thi s P s a l mwould h a rdly be out of pl a ce in the E ngli s h

b uri a l service whic h deplore s de a th a s a vi s it a tion of
-
,

divine wra th Wherever s uch a n ide a p reva ils the n a tura l

.
,

outcome of it is a belie f in demons of di s e a s e In a ncie n t .

—
E gypt follo w ing the belie f in R a the S u n from who s e
eye s a ll ple a s ing things proceeded a n d S et
,

from whose , ,

ll s —
eyes c a me a noxiou things from the ba le fu l light of
Set s eyes were born the S even Ha t
,

h ors or Fa tes w hose

’

, ,

n a me s a re recorded in the Book of the D ea d M r Fox . .

Ta lbot ha s tra n s l a ted the Song of the S even Sp irits

T hey a re s ev en t
h y
e a re s e ve n

t t ty
I n h e d ep h s of ocea n h e are s ev en
t t ty
I n he h eigh s of h e a ven h e a re s e ve n
I thn t mi p l t
e oce a n h y
s rea b n a a a ce e w ere orn

t
-

M l th ya e tf ml t h y e ! a re n o e a e e a re n o

Wi t
h y h ve st hild tb tt
e h ma ve n o c re n a re n o orn o e

R l th y h
u e tg m t e t
h y k t av e n o overn en e n ow n o

P y th y h
ra t
ers e ea r n o

Th y e th y twi
are s e ve n t
h y e a re s ev en c e over e ar e se ven l ’

Th ese demons h a ve a w a y of herding together ; the

A s s y ri a n t a blet s a bund a ntly show th a t their occup a tio n
w a s m a ni fe s ted by di s e a ses p hysic a l a n d men t al One ,
.

pre s cription run s thu s

Th gode h ll s td by his b d id e s a an e s

T hose e e il s pi ith e sh ll oot

se v n o t d sh all expe l t
v r h emf om
s a r u ,
an r

h i b od y s

A d t
n h ose s ve s ha ll e e et t e o the s ick m
n a a gain ! n v r r u rn n

It is h a rdly doubt ful th a t these w ere the seven s a id

1
Rec ord s of t
h P t
eiii p as
’
136 Tr by M r. Fox T lbot
a

t
. . . . .
,

1
I idb .
, iii p. . 14 3. The refra in recalls h li e nes of Edgar A P oe .

Th y a re ne i her tm an n or wo man
h b t
e

it
,

Th y e a re n e er ru e nor hu m an,

Th y e are gh ouls !
 TE R A P HI M A N D TA R A S CA . 2 57

h a ve been ca st ou t of M a ry M a gd a len ; for their fa ther

S et is S lzed tm(devils) of D eut xxxii 17 a nd S bad d a i

‘
.
,
.

( God ) of Gen xvi 1 But the fa t a l S even turn to the

s even fruits th a t cha r ma wa y evil influences a t
. . .

p a rturition
in Persi a a lso the Seven Wise Women of the sa me country
,

tra ditiona lly present on holy occasions When A rd aV iré f

w a s sent to P a ra dise by a s a cred n a rcotic to obta i n in t
.

e lli

gence of the true fa ith seven fires we re kept b urning for ,

s even d a ys a round him a nd the seven wise women ch a nted ,

hymn s of the A vesta 1

Th e entra nce of t
.

h e seven evil powers into a dwelling

w as believed by the A ssyri a ns to be preventible by s etting

in the doorw a y sm a ll im a ges such a s tho s e of t he s u n

god (He a ) a n d the m
,

oon goddess but especi a lly of M a rduk -

, ,

corre s ponding to S era pis the E gypti a n E s c u la piu s Thes e .

po w ers were rein fo rced by writing holy texts over a nd on

e a ch s ide of the thre s hold In the night time bind a round .

the sick m a n s he a d a s entence ta ken from a good book

’
.
’

Th e phyl a cteries of the Jews were origi na lly wo rn for the

sa me purpose They we re c a lled Te fila a nd were rel a ted
to t im t he little idols u s ed by the Je w s to keep ou t
.
,

er aplt
1
,

—
demons such a s those of L a b a n which his d a ughter ,

R a chel stole .

Th e re s embl a nce of tera phim to the Ta ra sc a (connected

by s ome with G répas a mon s ter) of Sp a i n ma y be noted
.
'
, ,

— the serpent figures c a rried a bo ut in C orpus Chri s ti

p roce s sions Th e l a tter word is known in the s outh o f
Fr a nce a ls o a n d ga ve it
.

, s n a me to the town Ta ra sco n .

Th e legend is tha t a n a mphibious mon s ter h a unted the

R hone preventing n a vig a tion a nd committi ng terrible
until sixteen of t
.

ra va ges , h e boldest in ha bita n ts of the

1
The P ahla v i T th b p
ex as een repared by D tJ m pjtA
es ur a as sa, and t
ran

tby H
s la ed ang an d W tT iib es . r ner, 18 72 .
1
C f fig 9
. . .

VO L I . .
2
53 P H YLA c re a ms , TALI SM A N S

di s trict resolved to encounter itE ight lost their lives .

,

but the othe rs ha ving destroyed the monster founded the

town of Ta ra scon where the Fé t
, ,

e de la ta ra s q ue is s till
’

kept u p C a lmet
,

1
Sedley a n d oth ers however believe
th a t t
.
, , , ,

er aplt imis mere ly a modifica tion of sera phim an d ,

the Te fi la or phyl a cteries of the s a me origin

, , .

Th e phyl a ctery w as tied into a knot J ustin M a rtyr .

sa ys th a t the Jewish exorci s ts used m a gic ties or knots .

’

The o rigin of th is custom a mong the Je ws a nd Ba by

lon ia ns m a y be found in the A ssyri a n Ta li s m a ns pre s erved

in t h e British M useum of which the following h as bee n ,

tra n s l a ted by M r Fox Ta lbot .

Hea y
sa s : Go, my so n

Ta ke a w oma s k chief n
’
er

B i d it h y righ t
d t h l ft
t mt
,

n ro ha
un n d, loose i fro h e e and !
ttt
Kn o i w i h k td s e ve n no s o so t
wi ce

r n w it
S p i kl it h b ight
e wi r ne

B i d it d t
n h h d ft
rou nh e ea o e s ick m an

B ind i t rou nd h is h an d s and fee tlik m e an a cles an d fe t

t ers.

t
,

S i d ow n on h is bed
S prinkle h ol w a y t er ov er hi m
t
.

He s h all be a r h e v oice of Hea

tt
,

D a rknes s s h a ll pro ec h im
And M ard u k, eld e s t fH s on o ea ven , s ha ll fi nd h i m a h a ppy
btt
h a i a ion .
’

Th e number seven holds a n e q u a lly high degree of

potency in S ingh a lese demonol a t ry which is m a inly occu ,

pied with di s e as es The Ca pu a s or conjurors of th a t .

i s l a nd enumera te m a gic spell s of which a ll except ,

on e a re for evil which implie s a tolera bly l a rge pre pon

,

dera nce of the emergencie s in which their counte rva iling

e fforts a re required by their neighbours Th a t of cours e
c a n be e a s ily a ppreci a ted by those who h a ve been t a u gh t
.

th a t a ll hum a n beings a re included under a prim a l curse .

1
L a rousse s
’
D ic tU niverse l
’

t
. .

1
Records, &c
’
.
,
iii p 14 . . 1 . M a rduk is he C h alda-a n Hercules .
2 60 P RE TR A YA .

h y dw l l i t
t h region ow d t
h overth ro
’
e e f ‘
n e s o sn an e w of
h ir reign over the country i celebr t d t
t t
,

e h new m s a e a e oon

f D yki t
o h month pr ceding inter
a o, e e w

proportion of t
.

Th e larges t h e D i s ea se D emons of C eylo n

are desce nded fro mit s Hunger D emons Th e P reta t he re
is much t h e s a me ph an to mas in S i a m only t hey a re n ot
.

q uite so ta ll They ra nge fro mtwo to four hundred fee t

,

1
.

in he ight an d are s o nu m
,
erous th a t a P a li Buddhist boo k
ex horts people not to t h row stones lest they s hould h arm ,

on e of these h a rmle s s sta rve ling ghosts who die m a ny ,

times of hunger a nd revive to s u ffer on in expi a tion of

t
,

heir s ins in a p revious existence They are ha rmless in .

one se nse but fi lthy ; an d ba d smells a re personified in

them Th e gre a t m as s of de mons resemble the P ret
,

ra ya

i n th a t their king (W ess a mony) has fo rbidden t h em t

.
,

sa tis fy themselves directly upon their v ictim s but by in

flic t
,

ing di s e a ses they a re s uppo s ed to receive a n im a gin a

tive s a ti s fa ction some wh a t like th a t of e a ting people
R ee ri is t His form is tha t
.

h e D emon o f Blood di s e a s e -
.

of a m a n with fa ce of a monkey ; he is fiery red rides on a

red bull a n d a ll hemorrh a ge s a n d di s e a s es of t

,

h e blood are
a ttributed t
,

o him R e e ri h as eighteen di fferent di s guises

.

or a vat a rs One of these reca lls his e a rlier po s ition as a

demon of dea th be fore V ishnu revea led to Ca pua s t
.

,
he
mea ns of binding him : he is now supposed to be present
at every dea th bed in t he fo r m of a delighted pigmy on e
-
,

sp a n an d six inches h igh On such occa s ions he hea rs a .

sanc t y of t
it h mb it
e nu my b m k d t h t
er sevenith p d th gh
a e re ar e a as s rea rou

th w ld w it
e or h Ch i ti ity— h h
rs an g ift f th S p t
i i
seven c urc es, se ven s o e r se ven

d it It yt tmi t k ot do t
, ,

i
s ns an i
v r ues . h f h d
s eas i fo
e re ore o s a e r o ox c r n es r su r

i i I t h L d Tim f J 24 875 t h t d i
’
v va s . n e on on w po
es o un e 1 e re as re r e an n

q tt Co h m W ilt t
, ,

ues a rshi a h bod y f M i i mW ood h m w h o d i d

s re, on e o r a a e

t ipt f W illi mB igw ood h b li tI t how t h t

, ,

un d h p
er e i rescr ons o w a er a s as s n a

Thi w o ly how t
, .

he use d pill md of s h b a e seven o b er s. p g s as n s n e a a an

i l wh
su rv va Bigwood t
enat ed tha t th h b w
-
go s d by th e su e er s ere vern e n.
’

1
See p 4 4. .
 S I N GHALE SE D E M ON AR CH Y . 26 1

cock in one h a nd a club in t ,

he other a n d in his mouth a ,

corpse In the s a me country M a h a Sohon is the grea t

.
‘

gra veya rd demon He resides in a hill where he is sup

.
’

posed to surround himsel f with c a rc a ses He is 122 feet .

high ha s four h a nds a n d three eyes a nd a red skin He

, ,
.

h a s the he a d of a be a r the legend bei n g th a t while q u a r

re llin g with a nother gi a nt his he a d w a s knocked off a n d ,

the god S e n as u ra w a s gra cious enough to tea r off the

he a d of a be a r a nd cl a p it on the deca pit a ted gi a nt His .

ca pu a thre a tens h imwith a repetition of this ca ta strophe

if he does not sp a re a ny thre a tened victim who h a s c a lled
in his priestly a id E xcept for this timidity a bout his
.

he a d M a h a is formid a ble being chie f of demons

B ut
.
, ,

curiou s ly enough he is s a id to choose for h is steeds

—
the more innocent a nim a ls goa t deer horse eleph a nt , , , , ,

a n d hog

One of the demons most drea ded in Ceylon is t

.

he
Forei gn D emon M orot oo sa id to h a ve come from the
’
,

coa st of M a l a ba r a nd from his res idence in a tree d is s emi

na t
,

e d di s e a ses w h ich could not be cured u ntil the q ueen ,

being a fflicted one ca pu a w as found a ble to m aster him

S even eigh t
.
,

-
hs of the ch a rms u sed in restra ining the dis
e ase demons of Ceylon of w hich I h a ve mentioned but a
-
,

few a re in the Ta mil tongue

,
I n va rious p a rts of Indi a
.

a re found very ne a r ly the s a me system a tic demonol a t ry

a nd devil d a ncing for ex a mple in Tr ava ncore to whose

-
,

su perstitions of thi s ch a ra cter the R ev Sa muel M ateer ha s .

devoted two ch a pters in his work Th e La nd of C h a rity .

’

Th e gre a t demon of dise a ses in Ceylon is entitled M a h a

Col a Sa nni Y a ks e ya His father a king ordered his q ueen
.
, ,

to be put to de ath in the belie f th at s h e h ad been fa ithless

to him He r bod y w a s to be cut in two pieces one of
.
,

whic h w a s to be hung upon a tree (Ukberzjya ) the other to

be thrown a t its foot to t
,

h e dogs Th e qu een be fore h er .

2 6s GR A VE YA RD D E M ON S .

execution sa id I f this ch a rge be fa l s e may the child i n

,
‘
,

my womb be born this insta nt a demon a n d ma y th a t

demon d e s troy the whole of this city a n d it
,

s unj ust king

’
.

S o s oon a s the executioners h a d finished their work the

two seve red p a rt
,

s of the queen s body reu n ited a child ’

w a s born who completely d evoured his mother a n d the n ,

repa ired to the gra vey a rd (Sohon ) wh ere for a tim e ,

he fa ttened on corp s es Then he proceeded to i n flict

mort
.

a l dise a s es upon the city a n d h a d ne a rly depopul a ted

,

it when the gods I s wa ra a n d Se kk ra inte rfered des cendin g ,

to subd u e him in the disguise of mendica nt s Possibly .

the gre a t M a h a Sohon mentioned a bove a nd the Soho n ,

(gr a vey a rd ) f rom which S a nni de a lt out de a dliness ma y ,

be bes t unders tood by the sta tement of the lea rned w rite r
from whom the s e fa cts a re q uoted th a t excepting t he , ,
‘

B uddhi s t priests a n d the a ristocra ts of the l a nd whos e

, ,

bodies were bu rnt in regul a r funera l piles a fter dea th the -

,

co rp s es of the rest of the people w ere neither burned nor

buried but thro w n into a pl a ce ca lled S okona whic h w a s
, ,

a n open piece of ground in the j ungle genera lly a hollow

a mong the hill s a t

,

, the dist a nce of three or four miles from

an y inh a bited pl a ce where they were le ft in the open a ir
,

to be decompo s ed or devoured by dogs a n d wild bea sts 1

.
’

There would a ppea r to be even more ground for the dre a d

of the Gre a t Gr a vey a rd D emon in m a ny p a rts of C h ri s

te n d om where through desire to pre s erve corpses for a

, ,

h a ppy re s urrection they a re m a de to stea l through the

,

wa ter veins of the e a rth a n d find their resurrection as fell

-
,

disea ses I swa ra a n d Sekk ra were prob ably two re formers

who pers ua ded the citizens to bury the poor deep in t
.

he
e a rt h ; h a d they been wi s e enough to pl a ce the de a d w here
n ature would give them speedy resurrection a n d li fe in
gra ss a nd flowers it would not h a ve been fu rther reco rded
,

1
J o C ylo R A
‘
u r. 1865 6 6
e n . .
-
.
 B LAKE S P I A G U E
’
2 64 .

religion which embodied such a form w as itsel f e n di ng in

m a dnes s A lre a dy a ncient were the word s p a w m) (pro
.
-

p h e c y) a n d p a wn ) (m a dness ) when Pl a to cited the i r

identity to prove one kind of m a dnes s the speci a l gi ft o f

He a ven the notion lingers in D ryden s line Grea t wits ’
1
,

to m a dnes s sure a re ne a r a llied ; a n d s urvive in regio ns ’

where de ference is p a id to lun a tic s a n d idiots Other .

di s e a ses p re s erve in their n a mes indica tion s of simil a r

a s s oci a tion : N ympholepsy S t V itu s s D a nce S t
’
.
, ,
.

A nthony s Fire Wes ley a tt ributes still epilepsy to pos

’
.

ses sion ’
Thi s w a s in pursu a nce of a ncient belie fs .

Typhus a n a me a nciently given to every m a l a dy a ecom

,

p a n ie d with stu por seemed the bre a th of feveri s h

Typhon M a x M uller connects the word qu im

.
y with
S a n s krit a w lt to throttle a n d A h i the throttling serpent
’

it m
, , ,

s medium being a n ina ; a n d this a g a in is m ni dog

g i ,

throttling the Greek for quin s y

,
’
.

Th e geniu s of Willi a m Bl a ke steeped in Hebra ism , ,

never showed grea ter power th a n in his picture of Pla gue .

A gig a ntic hideous form pa le green wit h the slime of ,

-
,

sta gn a nt pools reek ing with veget a ble dec ays a nd ga n

,

grene the fa ce livid with the motley tints of p a llor a nd

,

putres cence stride s onwa rd with extended a rms like a

,

sower sowing h is seed s only in t h is c a s e the ge rm s of his

,

ho rrible h a rve s t a re not c a st from the h a nds but em a na te

S uch to t
,

from the fingers a s being of their essence he .

,

sa va ge mind w a s the embodiment of m a l a ri a sultriness

rottenne s s the put rid P ret
, , ,

, ra ya i nvisible but smelt a n d , ,

felt . S uch to the ignora nt im a gin a tion is the D estroyi ng

, ,

A ngel to which ra tion a li s tic a rti s ts a n d poets h a ve t ried to

a dd wings a n d m ajesty ; but which in t he popul a r mind
w a s no doubt pictured more like thi s for mfound a t Osti a
P htd i 54 9 Cf G lig
e d illy
rus, er. u an s

t
. . . .

L ec . on L
a ngua e,
g
’
i 4 35
. .
 L U THE R 01V D I S E A SE S . 2 65

(fig . now p
a nd a ssing in the Va tic a n for a S a t a n ,

proba bly a demon of the Pont ine M a rshes a nd of the fever ,

th a t s till h a s victims of its fa ta l cup (p In the s e .

fe a rful forms the poor s a va ge believed with such a n in

ten s ity th a t he w a s a ble to sha pe the bra i n of ma n to h is
ph a nt a s y ; bringi n g a bout the a no
m a ly th a t the grea t re former ,

L uther should a fiirm even while

, ,

fighting superstitio n th a t a C hri s ,

ti a n ought to know tha t he lives

in the mid s t of devil s a nd th a t ,

the devil is ne a rer to him t ha n his

coa t or his shirt Th e devils he .
,

tell s u s a re a ll a round us a n d a re
at
, ,

every moment seeki ng to e n

sn a re our live s sa lva tion a nd ha p
, ,

p i ness T here a re m a ny of them

in the wood s w a ters desert

.

, s a nd , ,

in d a mp muddy pla ces for the pur ,

po s e of doing folk a mi s chie f They .

a lso house in the dense bl a ck cloud s ,

a n d send storms h a il thunder a n d

mm
, ,
F" ” M
light n ing a n d poi son the a ir with
,

their in fern a l stench In one pl a ce L uther tells us th a t the

.
,

devil ha s more ve s se ls a nd boxes full of poison with which ,

he kills people th a n a ll the a potheca ries in the whole world

, .

He s e nd s a ll pl a gues a n d di s e ases a mong men We ma y .

be sure th a t when a ny one dies of the pestilence is ,

drowned or drop s sud d enly de a d the devil doe s it

, , .

Knowi n g nothing of Zoology the primitive ma n ea s ily ,

fa lls into the belie f th a t his c a ttle—the mea ns of li fe— m ay

be the subjects of sorce ry jesu s sending devil s into a .

herd of s wine ma y h a ve become by a rtifici a l proce s s a

divine bene fa ctor in the eye of Christendom but the myth ,
2 66 CA TTL E D I S E A SE D E M -
ON S .

m a kes Himbe a r a n exa ct resembl a nce to the d a ngerou s

sorcerer th a t fills the sa va ge mind with drea d It is .

proba ble th a t the covetous eye denounced in the deca

logue me a n s the evil eye wh ich w a s suppo s ed to blight ,

a n object intensely desi red but not to be obt a ined .

G0 polu a l re a dy re ferred to (p 136) a s the S ingh a le s e

, .

demon of hydrophobi a bea rs the genera l n a me of the ,

C a ttle D emon He is sa id to h ave been the twin of the

.
’

demigod M a nga ra by a queen on the C orom a ndel coa st .

Th e mother died a nd a cow suckled the twins but a fter

, ,

w a rds they qu a rrelled a n d Gopolu bei ng sl a in w a s tr a ns

,

formed into a demo n He rep a ired to A ra ngod d e a n d

.
,

fixed his a bode in a Ba nya n whe re the re is a l a rge bee

hive whence proceed m a ny evils Th e pop ul a tion a round
, .

this Ba nya n for m a ny miles being prostra ted by di s ea s es ,

the demigod M a nga ra a n d Pa ttini (goddess of ch a stity)

a dmoni s hed the vill a gers to s a crifice a cow regul a rly a n d ,

thu s they were a ll resu s cit a ted Gopolu now send s a ll .

c a ttle disea s es Indi a is full of the like supers titions Th e

. .

people of Tra va ncore especi a lly dre a d the demon M a d a n ,

‘
he who is like a cow believed to strike oxen with sud
,
’

—
den illness sometimes men a l s o
, .

I n R ussi a we find superstitio n sometimes modified by

common sen s e Though the peas a nt hopes tha t Z egory
t
.

(S . George ) will de fend his c a ttle he begin s to s e e the ,

chie f foes of his c a ttle A s in the folk song

.
-

W e hav e gon e a r ou n d t
h fi e eld ,

W e hav e ca lled Ze go t
y
t
.

O h ou , b Z g y our ra v e e or

t
t
,

S l
a v e ou r ca e,

I t
nh fi ld d b y d t
e h fi ld
e an e on e e

I t td b y d t t
,

nh f e h f
ore s an e on e ores

U d t h b igh t
,

n m er e r oon,

U d tnh d er e re s u n,

F mthro p i w lf e ra a c ou s o ,
2 68 THE P L O U GH

scythes but though the ru st ling could be he a rd no gra i n

When q uestioned they sa id nothing a nd when t
,

fell
.
, he
people tried to seize th em they ra n a wa y cutting fru it ,

less ly a s they ra n The priests found in th is a pres a ge of

.

the coming ca ttle pl a gue The R ussi a n supe rstitio n of

.

the plough a bove mentio ned is found in fra gmenta ry sur

, ,

v iv a ls in A ltm a rk. Thus it is s a id th at to plough a round

,

a vill a ge a nd then sit u nder the plough (pl a ced up right

) ,

will en a ble a ny one to see the witches ; a nd in s ome

vill a ges some bit of a plough is hung u p over a doo rwa y
th rough which c a ttle p a ss as no devi l ca n t
,

, hen a pproa ch
them Th e demons h a ve a n a tura l horror of hone s t work
.
,

a n d e s peci a lly the culture o f the e a rth Goethe as we

.
,

h a ve seen notes their fe ar of roses : perh a ps he reme m

,

bered the legend of A sp a si a who bei n g d isfigure d by a

tumour on t
, ,

he chin w a s w a rned by a dove m a iden to d is

-

miss her physici a ns a nd try a rose from t

,

he ga rl a nd of
V enus ; s o she recovered h ea lth a nd b ea uty .
 C H A P TE R X I I .

DEA TH .

Th e Vend e t
t a

on t
h P e ale Hors e — Ka li—W a r god s — S a
-
t an as D ea t—
h D ea h t
Hercu les C hris t a n d D ea h — t Hel — t
S al — Azra el— D ea h t and

t h—D ea t
—D an ce of D ea t
, ,

h C bb l
e o er h as Fac, a nd as Friend .

S AVAG E ce s believe th a t no ma n die s except by s orcery

ra .

Th e re fo re e ve ry de a th must be a ven ge d Th e A ct a s of .

the P hili ppi nes rega rd the I ndi a n s a s the ca u s e of the ’

d e a th s a m ong t he m a n d when one of t hem lo s e s a rel a tive ,

he l u rks a n d w a tc h es until he h a s s pied a n Indi a n a n d ‘

killed him I t 1
is a p rogre s s from th is w hen p ri m itive
ma n a d va nces t o the belie f th a t t
.

h e fa ta l s o rcerer is a n
i v i s ible ma n a demon When t h i s doctrine is t a ught in
n —
t
.

h e fo rm of a belie f th a t de a th entered the world through

the m a chi n a tio n s of S a ta n a n d w as not in t ,
h e o rig in a l
scheme of crea tion it is ci vili s ed ; but when it is inculca ted
u nder a s e t
,

o f A fri ca n or other non c h ristia n n a me s it is -

,

b ar ba ri a n .

The follow ing s ketch by M r Gideon L a ng will show

the i nten s i ty of this convi ction a mong t h e nat
.
, ,

ives of N e w
S outh W a le s
Wh ile a t N a u im a I consta ntly sa w one of these n a med ,

J e mmy a rem a rk a bly fine ma n a bout twent y e ight ye a rs

, ,
-

1 Wake s Evolu ion

’
t of M orali t
y i ,
’
. 107 .
2 70 VE N D E TTA O F D E A TH .

of a ge , who w as the model C hristi a n of the mi s s ion a ries ,

a n d who h a d been over a n d over a g a in de s cribed in t h eir

reports a s a livi n g proo f th a t ta ken in in fa ncy the n a tives , ,

were a s c a p a ble of being truly christi a nised a s a people who

h a d h a d eighteen centurie s of civili s a tion I con fess t
ha t I .

st rongly doubted but s till the re w a s no di s puting the

,

a pp a rent fa cts Jemmy w as not only fa mili a r with the

.

Bible which he could rea d rem a rk a bly well but he w as

, ,

even better a cqu a inted wit h the more a bstruse tenets of

Chri s ti a nity ; a nd so fa r as t h e whites could s e e h is be ,

h a viour w as in a ccord a nce wit h h is religious a cquirements .

O n e S und a y morning I w a lked down to the bl a ck fellows

’

c a mp to ha ve a t a lk with jemmy a s usu a l I found h im

, ,
.

sitting in h is guny a h overlooking a va lley of the M ac

,

qu a rrie whose w a ters gl a nced brightly in the sun s hine of

,

the delicious spring morning He w a s sitting in a sta te of .

nudity excepting h is wa istcloth very e a rnestly re a ding

t
, ,

he Bible whic h indeed w as h is con s t a nt pra ctice ; a n d

,

I could see tha t he w a s perusing the S ermon on the

M ount I se a ted mys el f a n d wa ited till he concluded
the ch a pter when he l a id down t
.
,

h e Bible folded h is
h a nds a n d s a t
, ,

,
with his eyes fixed a bs tra ctedly on his
fire I b a de h im good morning which he a cknow
.
‘ ’
,

le ge d without looking up I then sa id Jemmy wh a t ‘

.
, ,

is the me a ning of your S pe a rs being stuck in a circle

round you ? He looked me stea dily in the eyes a n d
’
,

sa id solemnly a nd w ith suppres s ed fi e rc e n e s s M other s ‘ ’

de a d ! I s a id th a t I w a s very sorry to he a r it ; but

,

wh a t
h a d her de a th to do with the s pe a rs being s tuck a round
so Bog a n bl a ck fellow killed her -
w as the fierce an d
gloomy reply Killed by a Boga n bl a ck ! I excla imed :
.
’

‘
why your mother ha s been dying a fortnight a n d D r
, , .

C u rti s did not expect her to outlive l a st night wh i ch you ,

kno w as well as I do His only reply w a s a dogged .

’
2 72 B I B LI CA L WI TCHCR A F I Z

h is Bible S urely he must h a ve found in th a t volu me a

su fficient number of insta nces to j u s ti fy his fa ith in t
.

he
power of demons over hum a n he a lth a nd li fe M ight h e
n ot
.

h a ve pondered the comm a nd thou sh a lt not s u fler a ,

'

witch to live a n d im agined th a t he w a s imp a ling a nothe r

’

M a n a sseh w h o used ench a ntments a n d used witchcra ft

,

a n d de a lt wi t
, , ,

h a fa mili a r spirit a n d w it h wiza rds (a nd ) ,

wrought much evi l in the sight o f the Lord to provok e

Him to a nger 1
Those who hope tha t the B ible m
.
’
ay

c a rry light into the d a rk pl a ces of superstition a nd h a bita

tions of cr u elty might on e would say reflect upon t he
long conte s t w hich E uropea n science h a d with bibliola t
, ,

ors

in trying to relieve the popul a r mind from the terrors of

witchcra ft whose genuineness it w as (j ustly) decla red c on
t t
,

ra ry to the S criptures to deny There a re di s ricts in .

Grea t Brita in a nd A meric a a nd m a ny more on the con

tin e n t
,

of E urope where the s pells th a t w a st e a n d destroy

,

a re still believed in where e fligies of w ax or even o nio ns

a re l a belled with some h a ted n a me a n d stuck over wi t h
pins a n d s e t
,

,
ne a r fi re s to be melted or dried up in full ,

belie f th a t some subj ect of the ch a rm will be consumed

by dise a s e a long with the obj ect used Under every roof .

where s u ch coa rse supe rstitions dwell the Bible dwells

bes ide them a nd experience proves th a t the i n fa llib ility
,

of a ll suc h t a li s m a ns dimi n ishes pa r ipas s u

‘

Wh a t the s a va ge is rea lly tryi n g to s l a y when he goes

forth to a venge h is rela tive s de a t h on t he firs t a lien h e
’

finds may be seen in the a ccomp a nying figure (I 7) which ,

represe nts the M exica n goddess of dea th Teoya omi —

qui Th e im a ge is nine feet high a n d is kept in a
.
,

museum in the city of M exico M r E dw a rd B Tylor

from whose excellent book of tra ve ls in t
. . .
,

h a t country
the figure is copi ed sa ys of it ,
Th e ston e known a s
l z Ch ron . xxxiii. 6
.
 TE O YA O M I Q U I . 2 73

the st a tue of the w a r godde s s is a huge bloc k of ba sa lt

-

c overed wit h sculptures The a ntiqu a ries think th a t the

figures on it sta nd for d ifle ren t
.

perso n ages a n d th a t it is
'

Fig . r7. - mq m
Ts ov a o .

t
h ee
r go d s— Huitzi lopoc htli the god of war ; Teoya omi
qui h is w i fe ; a n d M ict la n t
e uc t It
,

li the god o f hell has

n eckl a ce s o f a lte rn a te he a rt s a n d d e a d men s h a nd s w i t
.
, ,

h ’

d ea t
h s he a d s fo r a centra l orn a me n t A t
,

’
the botto mof
t
.

h e block is a s tra n ge Spra wli ng figure which one c a nnot ,

VO L I
. . S
2 74 DEM ON OF S E R P E N TS .

see now for it is the b as e which rests on the ground ; but

,

there a re two s houlders projecting from the idol w hich ,

s ho w pl a inly th a t it did not s t a nd on the ground but w a s

s uppo rted a lo ft on the t

,

0 ps of two pill a rs Th e figure .

c a rved upon the bottom repre s ent s a mon s ter holding a

s k u ll i n e a ch h a nd while others h a ng fro mh is knee s a n d
,

e lbow s . His mouth is a mere ova l ring a c ommon fea ture ,

o f M exic a n idol s ,
a n d fou r tu s k s project j ust a bove it .

Th e n e w moon l a id dow n like a b ridge fo rms h is forehe a d ,

a n d a s t a r is pl a ced on e a ch s ide of it This is thought to

h a ve been the convention a l rep re s ent a tion of M ict
.

la n
t e u ct li (Lord o f the La nd of the D e a d ) the god o f hell
which w a s a pl a ce of utter a nd e t
, ,

e ra n a l d a rkne s s Pro .

ba bly e a ch victim a s he w a s led to the a lta r could look up

bet w een the t w o pill a rs a n d s e e the hideous god of hell

s t a ring down upon him from a bove The re is little doubt

tha t th is is t
.

h e fa mou s w a r idol w hich s tood on the gre a t

-

teoca lli of M exico a n d be fore which s o m a ny thou s a nds of

,

hum a n beings w ere s a c ri fi ced It la y undi sturbed under

t
.

g round in the gre a t s qu a re clo s,

e to the very s ite o f h e

teoc a lli until sixty ye a rs a go For m a ny ye a rs a fter tha t

,
.

it w a s kept buri e d lest the s ight of one of their old deities

,

might be too exciting for the Indi a n s who a s I h a ve

mentioned be fo re h a d ce rt a inly n otforgotten it a nd
, ,

, ,

s ecretly orn a mented it with g a rl a nd s of flo w ers w hile it

rem a ined a bove ground .

’

I f my rea der will now turn to the (fig 1 1) po rtra it of .

the D emon of S erpent s he will find a conception fund a

,

ment a lly s imil a r to the M exica n demo ness of de a th or

s l a ughter bu t one th a t is not s hut up in a museum of a nti
t e s ; it s till h a unts a n d t
,

i i e rrifi es a v a s t n u m ber o f the

q u

people born in C eylon He is the princip a l demon invoked

.

in C eylon by the m a lign a nt sorcerers in pe rforming the

di fferent ch a rms th a t a fllict evils ‘
His
3 76 K AI ] .

of Ca dmus is empty a n d d a rk Ha des enriched with g roa n s

,

a n d l a ment a tions
’

M other of t
.

h e dea dliest Ca l a s of Singh a le s e d e mo n o

’

l a try sister of the S can dinav i a n He l in n a me a n d n a t u re

A lth ough the Hindu w rite rs repudi a te t

, ,

is K a li . h e id e a
tha t there is a ny devil a mong their three h u ndre d a n d
thirty millions of deities it is di fficult to deny K a li t hat
distinction He r wild d a nce of delight over bodies o f t
,

he
s l a in would i n dic a te plea sure t a ken in destruction fo r it
.

own sa ke so fulfilling the definition of a d ev il but on t he

ot her h a nd there is a D ecca n legend t ha t
, ,

, reports h e r a s
devouring the dea d a nd this would m a ke her a h u n ge r
demon We may give her the be nefit of t
,

he doubt a n d
cl as s her a mo n g the demon s or be ings whose ev il is n ot
.
,

—
gra tuitou s a ll the more beca use the mysteriously prot
— ru d

i ng tongue a s in the figure of Typhon (p

,
proba bly .

suggests thirst Hindu legend does indeed give a noth er

.
, ,

interp reta tion a n d sa y th a t when s h e w as d a ncing for j oy

at
,

h a ving sl a in a hundred hea ded gi a nt demigod the -

,

sh a ki ng of the e a rt h w a s s o formid a ble th a t Siva th re w

himsel f a mong the sl a i n whom s he w a s crushing a t
,
every
step hopi n g to induce her to pa use ; but when unhee ding
, , ,

s h e trod upon the body of her husb a nd s h e p a u se d a n d

thrust o ut
,

her to ngue from su rpri s e a n d sh a me Th e .

V edic d e s cription of A gni a s a n ug m(ogre) with tongu e

‘

m
,

of fl a e ma y better interpret K a li s tongu e It is sa id

,
’ ’
.

K a li is plea sed for a hundred ye a rs by the blood of a tiger ; .

for a thous a nd by th a t of a m an ; for a hundred thousan d

by the blood of three men .

How a re we to understa nd this d a nce of D ea th a n d the ,

further legend of her tos s ing de a d bodie s into the a ir for

a musement ? S u ch a figure found a mong a people w h o
s hudder a t t a king l ife even from the lowest a nim a ls is
 K AL I . 2 77

h a rdly to be expla ined by the destructive ness of n a ture

Fig . 3 8. —Ka nt.

personified i n her spouse S iva . He r look s a nd legen d s

 D U R GA

t
2 73 .

a like represe n sl a ughter by hum a n violence M a y it not .

be th a t K a li represents s ome period when the a bhorrence

of t a king li fe a mong a veget a ri a n people —a people too , ,

—
believing in tra n s migra tion might h a ve become a p u blic
d a nger ? Wh en Kri s hn a a ppe a red it wa s a ccording to ,

the Bhag a va t Git a a s cha rioteer i nciting A rjoon to w a r

, .

There mu s t h a ve bee n v a rious pe rio d s when a pe a ce ful

people must fa ll victims to more sa va ge neighbours unles s
they could be s timul a ted to enter on the work of d es t ru c

tion w ith a light he a rt There ma y h a ve been period s

when the hum a n K a lis of Indi a might stimula te t
.

h eir h us
b a nds a n d sons to w a r wit h s uch songs as the women of
D a rdist an s in g a tthe Fe a s t of Fire (p The a mour of
.

the Greek godde s s of Be a uty with the god of W a r le a vin g ,

her l a w ful s pouse the S mith i s ful l of me a ning Th e

, .

A s syri a n Venu s Ista r a ppea red in a vision with wing s a n d

, , ,

h a lo be a ring a bow a n d a rro w for A s s urb a nip a l Th e Thug

, .

a ppe a rs to h a ve t a ken s ome s uch vie w of K a li reg a rdin g ,

her a s p a trones s of their pl a n for reducing popul a tion .

They a re s a id to h a ve cla imed tha t K a li le ft the mone of

her teeth for a picka xe her rib for a kni fe her ga rment s
, ,
’

hem for a noose a n d whole s a le murder for a religion Th e

, .

upli fted right h a nd of the demoness h as been interpreted a s

i ntim a ting a divine purpose in t h e h a voc a round h e r a n d ,

it is poss ible th a t s ome such euphemi s m a tta ched to the

a ttit u de be fore the Thug a c c epted it a s his ow n benediction
from thi s highly decora ted pe rson a ge of hum a n cruelty .

Th e a ncient reverence for K a li h a s gra du a lly p a s s ed to

f —
her mitig a ted orm D urga A rou n d her too a re vi s ible
.

the s ymbols of de s truction ; but s he is supposed to be

s a ti s fi ed with pumpkin a nim a l s a n d the w ea pons in her
-
,

ten h a nds a re believed to be directed a ga inst the enemies

of the god s especi a lly a ga in s t the gi a nt king M u h es hu
Sh e is mo t
.
,

her of the bea uti ful boy K a rtik a n d of the ,

 2 80 SA TAN A S D E A TH

of annihil ation Wh a t if he ha d seen dea t

h as an eternal
sleep ? L et
.

Ha mlet a ns w er
tl p To d ie,— o s ee

N m o d by l p t yw
ore d -
an a s ee o sa e en

th d t h t tl h
, ,

Th h e h d
ear a c e, an e ousa n na u ra s ocks

Th tfl h i h i t— t
a i es mmt
i s e r o,
’
s a con s u a on

D t
ly t
ev ouh wi h d o e s e .

Th e grea ter p a rt of the hum a n ra ce s till belong to reli

gions which in their origi n promised ete rn a l repose as t
, he ,

s upreme fin a l blis s Ha d dea th in itself poss essed horro rs

.

for the hum a n mind the prie s t need not h a ve co nj ured up

beyond it those tortures tha t h a unted Ha mlet with t
,

he
drea m s of possible evil s beyond which m a ke even the
‘

wretched rather bea r the ills they h ave tha n fly to others

they know not of It would h a ve been s u flic ien t s a nction ‘

to promi s e immorta li t y only to the pious Bu t

.
.

as in

t
.

C al udio s s huddering
’
line s every hell is r e fl e c e d — whether
of ice fire or brut a li s a tion
, ,
— s o a re the sa me mixed wit h

the very blood an d bra in of ma nkind even where litera lly ,

outgrown C h risti a nity supera dded to the horrors by im

r porting the idea th at dea th ca me by huma n sin a nd s o by
.

gra du a l development a sc ribing to Sa t a n t

,

h e po w er of
de a th ; thereby forming a new devil w h o b ore in h imthe
pow er to m a ke dea th a puni s hment How the m a tter .

s tood in the medi e v a l belie f m a y be seen in figu r e 19 copied ,

from a R u s si a n Bi ble of the (e a rly) seventeent h century .

La z a ru s smiles to see the nonde s cript s oul of D ives torn

from him by a devil w ith a hook while a no t h er drown s
the gro a ns with a drum S a ta n s q uir t
,

s a n i n fern a l b a ptis m .

on the dep a rti n g soul a n d the e a rne s t c o ope ra tion of the ,

-

a rch a ngel j ustifies the s a ti s fa ction of L a z a rus a n d A bra

h a m Thi s degra ded belie f is still found in the a lmost

glee fu l pulpit pict
.

urin gs of physic a l a gonies as e s peci a lly

-

a ttendi n g the de a th be ds of infi d els a s V olt a ire a n d

‘ ’
-
,
 D E A TE B E D S -
. z8 1

P a ine
,
— a n d its fea rfu l re s ult is found in
,

h e degree to t
which p riesthood s a re still a ble to pa ra ly s e the common
sense a n d heart of the m a sses by the b a rba ric ceremoni a ls

Fig 19 . —Divas AN D L a za nus (Russ ia n; t

h
ry

ith which they a re pe rmitted to s u rround de a th a n d t

.

w he ,

a rrog a nt line dra wn between unorthodox go a t s a n d c re d u

lous s heep by con s ec ra ted groun d .

28 2 THA N A TOS .

Mr .Kea ry in h is interesti n g volume on The D a wn of

,
‘

Hi s to ry sa ys th a t it h as been suggested th a t the youthfu l

1
,

winged fi gure on the drum of a column from the temple

of D i a n a a t E phes u s to the British M u s eum m a y be a ,

rep re s ent a tion of Th a n a tos D e a th It would be a greea ble

,

t
.

o believe th a t the only impo rt a nt rep res ent a tion of D e a th

le ft by G reek a rt is th a t exquisite figure who s e h igh

tribute is th a t it w as at
,

first thought to be Love ! Th e

figure is s omewh a t like the tender E ro s of pre ra phaelit e

a rt a n d with the s a me look of gentle mel a ncholy S uch

a sweet a n d S imple fo r m of D e a t h would be wort
, .

hy of
the ra c e which a mid a ll t h e fiery or cold rive rs of the
,

u nderworld which h a d g a thered a bout thei r rel igion s till ,

s a w r un n ing there the s o ft flow in g s tre a m of forget fulnes s

-

Le t
.

one s tudy thi s E p h esi a n Th a na to s reve rently n o —

engra ving or photogra ph ca n do it even p a rti a l j u s tice
a nd t hen in it s light re a d tho s e myth s o f D e a th whic h

s eem to h ea r u s b a ck beyond the s a va ge ry of w a r a n d the

a rt ifi ces of prie s ts to the simpler conceptions of hu m a nity

In it
.

s s ere n e light we m a y e s peci a lly re a d bot h Vedic a n d

I ra ni a n hymns a n d legends of Y a m a
a n to die bec a me the power fu l Y a m a of t
.

Th e firs t m he
Hindu s the mon a rch of the dea d ; a n d he beca me inves ted
w ith met a phors of the s u n th a t h a d s et In a s olemn a n d
,

’2

p a thetic hym n of the Ved a s he is s a id to h ave c ros s ed t

.

he
ra pid w a ters t o h a ve shown the w a y to m a ny to h a ve firs t

known t Bu t
, ,

he p a th on which our fa thers c rossed over 3

h e splendours of sun s et hum a n hope found it

.

in t s prophetic

pictures of a heaven beyond The Ve d ic Y a m a is eve r

the friend It is one of t
.

h e most pictures qu e fa ct s of
mytholog y th a t a ft er Y a m a h a d become in Indi a a not
.

,
he r
1 P bli h d by M l y d Smit
u s e h 8 78
or e an 1

t L g g p 56
.
,

M ax M iille r L ec u re s on
q a n u a e,
’
11. 2, ci se

t if lly t l t
t l hy m f t
. .
.

S h b e d f
e au u h V d ra n s a e un ere a n o e e a in P of
r es sor

t
ee

Wh ity Oi t
ne
’
l sd Li g i ti Stdi
r en a p 5 an n u s c u es,
’
. 2, e c.
 TO WE R S OF S I LE N CE .

wh a tever ma y be t h e mea ning of the word there is lit , tle

doubt th a t the wins T o f V edic M —
ythology Y a m a a n d
Ya mi — p a rted into genii of D ay a nd N ight a n d were u lt , i
ma tely spiritu a lised in the Spirit of Light a n d Spi rit o f
D a rknes s which h a ve m a de the bas i s of a ll popul a r theo logy
from the time of Zoro a ster u ntil t hi s d a y .

N ot hing c a n be more rem a rk a ble th a n the extre m e

di fference between the a ncient Hi n du a n d the P ers i a n v iew

o f de a t h . A s to th e former it w as the h a ppy introductio n
to Y a ma to the l a tter it w a s the visible sea l of A hrim a n s
,
’

equ a lity with Ormuzd They held it in a bs ol ute horror

. .

The Towers of S ilence st a nd in I n di a to d a y as monu -

ment s of thi s d a rkest ph a se of the Pa rsi belief Th e de a d .

body belonged to A hrim a n a n d w a s le ft to be devoured

,

by wild c rea tures ; a n d a lthough the ra ising of towe rs for

the exposure of the corp s e s o limiting it s con s umption to

bird s h a s prob a bly resulted from a gra du a l ra t

,

ion a lism
which h a s from time to time suggested t
,

h a t by such
mea n s soul s of the good may wing their w ay to Ormuzd ,

yet the P a rsi horror of de a th is s trong enough to give ris e

to s uch te rrible suspicions even if they were un founde d
, ,

a s those which surrounded the Towe r (Kh a o s D okhm a )

’

in J u n e 18 77 Th e s tra nge beh a viour of t

. h e co rps e bea rers -

in le a ving one to w er going to a nothe r a n d a fterwa rds (a s

, ,

w a s s a id ) s ecretly rep a iring to the firs t excited the belie f

,

th a t a ma n h a d been found a live in the first a n d w as a fter

wa rd s murdered Th e s tory s eem s t
. o h a ve begun wi t h
certa in young P a rsis themselves a n d whether it be true
or n otthey h av e u n doubtedly interpreted rightly the
, ,

a ncient feeling of th a t s ect with reg a rd to a ll t

,

h a t had
been within the kingdom of the King of Terrors As .
‘

sicknes s a nd dea th s a ys P rofessor Whitney we re s u p

,
’

,
‘

posed to be the work of the ma lign a nt po w ers the dead ,

body itsel f w a s rega rded with s u perstitiou s horror It ha d .

 A L CE S TI S . 285

been gotten by the demo ns into their own peculi a r poss e s

s ion
,
a n d bec a me a chie f medi u m thro ugh which t hey
exerci s ed their d e fi ling a ction upon the living Eve ry
thing t
.

h a t ca m e into its neighbourhood w as uncle a n a n d

to a certa in extent expos ed to t h e influences of t
,

he m a le

volent s pi rits u nti l purified by the ceremonies which the

,

la w pre s cribe d l
It is to be fea red this notion has crept
’

in a mong t
.

he Bra h m a ns ; the I nd ia n M irr or (M a y 2 6 ,

18 78) s t a te s th a t a C h a ndern a gore l a dy thro w n into the ,

Ga nges but a fte rwa rds fo u nd to be alive w as believed to

, ,

be possessed by Da no (a n evil spirit) a nd but for inter ,

ference would h a ve found a wa tery gr a ve Th e J ews a l s o

were influenced by this be lief a nd to t
.

his d a y it is for ,

bidden a C ohe n or descend a n t of the priesthood to touch

, ,

a de a d body

Th e a udience a t
.

the C rysta l Pa l ace which recently

t
wi n essed the perform a nce of E u ripides A lces t is could
’

h a rdly it is to be fe a red h a ve re a lised the rel a tion of

t A pollo induces t
, ,

h e dra m a to their own religion he .

Fa tes to con s ent th at A dmetus sh a ll not die provided

he c a n find a substit ute for him The pure A lces tis s teps
forw a rd a n d devote s hersel f t
.

o de a th to s a ve her h u s

b a nd A pollo tries to persu a de D e ath to give ba ck

.

A lcestis but D ea th decl a res her fa te dem a nded by j ustice

, .

While A lcestis is dying A dmetus bid s her entre a t the

gods for pi t y ; bu t
,

A lcestis sa ys it is a god w ho h a s
brought on the necess ity a nd a dd s Be it so ! She sees ’

t
, ,

h e h a ll of the dea d with the winged Pluto st a ring from

,
‘

bene a th h is bla ck eyebrows S he reminds her husba nd .

’

of the p a l a ce a nd reg a l swa y she might h a ve enjoyed

in Thess a ly h a d she not left it for him Bitterly doe s .

P h e re s repro a ch A dmetus for a ccepting li fe through the

vica riou s su fferi n g a nd death of a nother Then comes .

I
Th e A ves t Oi t d Li g i t
i St
’ ’
a. l di
r en a an n u s c u es, p . 19 6.
2 86 HE R A K L E S , CHR I S T, AN D D E A TH

Hercules ; he v a nqui s hes D e a th ;

he le a d s forth A lc estis
from bene a th i n to the light With h e r he c o me s into
.
’

the p res ence of A dmetus who is still in grie f A d metu s

,
.

c a nnot recognise her ; but when he recog n ises h e r w ith

joy Hercules wa rns him th at it is not l a w ful for A lc es tis
,

to a dd res s him until she is unbound from her c o n s e c ra

tion to the gods benea th a n d t ire third d ay com e
’

It on ly requires a ch a nge of n a mes to m a ke A lc e s t

, .

is a
P a ssion pl a y Th e un a ppea sa ble J u s tice which is a s a
-
.

Fa te binding the deity though it m a y be s a tis fi e d v ica

the l a st enemy D e ath t

,

r iou s ly ,
he a tonement b y s a c ri
fi c e of a s a intly h um a n bei n g who from a fa ther s p a l a ce
’

is brou ght by love freely to submit to de a th ; the s o n o f a

g od ( Zeus ) by a hum a n mother (A lcmene ) — the g o d m an ,
-

Hera k les ,
— commi s s ioned to destroy e a rthly ev i l s by
—
t w elve gre a t l a bo u rs desce nding to conq u e r D ea th an d
'

deliver one of the S pirits in pri s on the ri s en spi rit not

,

‘ ’

recognised a t
,

first a s Jesu s w a s not by M a ry ; s till be a ri ng

t
,

h e consecra tion of the gra ve until the thi rd d a y w hich ,

forb a de intercou rse with the living Touch me not for I

a mn ot
,

yet a scended to m y F a ther a ll these en a ble us -

to recognise in the theologic edifices a round us the frag

ments of a crumbled superstition a s they la y a round
E uripides .

From the old pictures of C hrist s triumph a l pilgrim age

’

o n e a rth p a ra llels for the chie f L a bours of Hera kle s m ay

be fou n d ; he is shown trea ding on the lion a sp dra go n , , ,

a nd Sa ta n ; but the myths converge in the D es cent into

Ha des a n d the conque s t of D ea th It is rem a rk a ble t . hat

in the old pictures of Christ delive ring souls from Ha des
he is gene ra lly represented clo s ely follo w ed by E v e whose ,

form s o emerging would once h a ve been to the g rea ter

p a rt of E urope a lrea dy fa mili a r a s th a t of either A lcesti s
O n e of t
,

E urydice or Persephone
, h e e a rliest ex a m ples
.
fruit The R a bbins th a t not only A d a ma n d E v e but
s ay

the a nim a l s in E den pa rt ook of th a t frui t

.
,

,
an d ca m e u n de r ,

the power of Sa mm a el the V iolent a nd of h is a ge n t A z ra el

t
a ix h a ving re fu s e d t
, ,

the demon of D ea th The . h is ,

food p reserved the power of renov a ting itsel f

, .

It is a n ex a mpl e of the completeness a n d cons is t e n cy

with which a t heory ma y orga nise its myth th a t t h e fa t a l
demons a re genera lly represented as a bhorring sa l tthe
,

—
pres erving a gent a n d foe of deca y Th e C ove n a n t of .

Sa lt a mong the a ncient Jews prob a bly h a d this s ig n ifi

ca nce a nd the ca re w ith which Job s a lted h is sa cri fi c e is
,

considered elsewhere A ubrey s a ys Toa ds (Sa t u rn in e

. ,

a ni m a ls ) a re killed by putting s a lt upon them I h a ve .

seen the experiment The devil as heir of dea th de mon s

’
-

a ppe a rs in a ll E urope a n folklore a s a h a ter of s a l t A

.
, ,

legend told by Heine rel a tes th a t a knight wa nderin g in

, , ,

a wood in It a ly c a me upon a ruin a n d in it a won d rou s

s t a tue of t
, ,

h e goddess of Be a u ty C ompletely fa s cin a t e d

.
,

the knight h au nted the spot d a y a fter d a y until one evening ,

he w a s met by a serva nt who invited him to e nter a v ill a

w hich he h a d not be fore rem a rked Wh a t w a s his surp ri s e
t
.

o be u s he red into the presen ce of the livi n g im a ge of h is

a dored st a tue ! A mid splendour a n d flowers the en t ap

t u re d knight is pre s ently se ated with his ch a rmer a t a

ba nquet E ve ry luxury of the world is the re ; but

. there
is no s a lt ! When he hints this wa nt a cloud p a sses over
the fa ce of h is Bea uty P resently he a s k s the serva nt to
bring the s a lt ; the serva nt doe s so shuddering ; t
.

h e kn ight ,

helps hims el f to it The next s ip of wi n e he ta kes elicits

.

a cry fro mhim : it is liquid fire M a d n ess s eize s upon .

him ; ca resses burning kisses follow u ntil he fa lls a sleep

Bu t
, ,

on the bosom of h is goddes s wh a t visions ! N ow he

sees her a s a wrinkled crone next 3 grea t ba t
.

, bea ring a .

torch as it fl utters a round him and aga i n a s a fright fu l,

 ABAD D ON . 28 9
monster whose he a d he cuts off in a n agony of ter ror
,
.

When the knight a wa kes it is i n his own vill a He h a s ten s .

to h is ruin a n d to the beloved sta tue ; he finds her fa llen

from the pedes ta l a n d the be a uti ful he a d ou t
,

from the
neck lying a t
,

her feet .

Th e S emitic A n gel of D e a th is a figure very di fferent

from a ny t h a t we h a ve con s idered He is kno w n in theo
logy only in the degra d a tion which he s u fle re d a t
.

the
’

h a nd s of the R a bbi ns but origin a lly w a s a n a w ful but by

,

no mea ns evil genius Th e Pe rsi a ns proba bly imported

.

him under the n a me of A suma n for we do not find him

, ,

mentioned in their ea rlier books a n d the n a me h a s a re

sembl a nce to t
,

h e Hebre w s ha m a d to extermin a te whic h

would connect it with t

, ,

h e biblic a l dest roye r A ba ddon

’
.

Thi s is rendered more prob a ble beca use the Zo ro a s tri a n s

believed in a n ea rlier demon Vlza res h a who ca rried s oul s
a fter de a t
, ,

h to the region of D eva worshippers (Indi a ) -

.

The C ha ld aic A ngel of D e a th M a lk a d M ous a m

,
a y h a ve-
,

derived h is n a me from the lege r d of his h aving a ppro a ched

M oses with the object of forcing h is s oul out of his body
but being stru ck by t
,

h e glo ry of M os es fa ce a n d by vi rtue
’
, ,

of the divi ne n a me on h is rod w a s compelled to retire

The legend is n ot
, .

so a ncient as the n a me a n d w a s pos ,

s ibly a Sa g a s ugge s ted by the n a me ; it is obviously the

origin of the tra dition of the struggle between M ich a el a n d

Sa t a n for the body of M os es (J u de Thi s pe rs on ifi ca
tion h a d thu s declined a mong t h e Jews into being evil
—
enough to be identified with Sa m a el who in the Book of , ,

the A s sumption of M oses is n a med a s his a s a il a nt a n d

s —
s ubsequently with Sa ta n himsel f n a med in connec t
, ,

,
ion wit h
the N ew Te s t a ment version It w a s on a ccount of thi s
.

d egra d a tion of a being described in the ea rlier book s of

the Bible a s the commiss io n er of Jehov a h th a t there w as
gradu a lly developed a mong t h e J ews two A ngels of D e a th ,

V OL . L T
290 AZR AE L .

one (Sa m a el or his agent A zra el) for those who died ou t
,

of the l a nd of Isra el a n d the other (G a b riel) for those w h o

,

h a d the h a ppier lot of dying in their own country .

This relega tion of Sa m a é l to the w a ndering J ew s—who

if they died a broa d w e re not suppo s ed to re a ch P a r a di s e

with fa cility if a t
.

, a ll— is s igni fic a nt For Sa m a el is pretty .

certa i n ly a conception borrowed fro moutlying Semitic

tribe s Wh a t th a t conception w as we find in Job xviii 18
where he is the king of Terrors a nd still more in t
. .
,

’
he
‘
,

A ra bic A z ra el Th e legend of thi s typica l A ngel of D e a t h

.

is tha t he w as promoted to his high o flice for speci a l ser

vice When A ll a h w as a bout to crea te ma n he sent t
. he
a ngel s G a briel M ich a el a n d I s ra fi l to the e a rth to brin g
, ,

cl a y of di fferent colours for th a t pu rpos e ; but the E a rth

w a rned them th a t the bei n g a bout to be formed woul d
rebel a ga inst h is cre a tor a n d dra w dow n a curse upon h e r
( the E a rth ) ,
a n d they retu r ned without bringing the cl a y .

Then A z ra el w a s sent by A lla h a nd he executed his com

miss ion without fe a r ; a n d for this he w a s a ppointed t
,

he
a ngel to sep a ra te soul s from bodie s A z ra el h a d s u bord i
n a te a ngel s u nder him a nd these a re a lluded to in t
.

, he
o pening line s of the S ura 79 of the Kora n

By t he an
g e ls w h o t ar fo rth thee o ls of s om e w it
sh uiole c e ; v n

A d by t
n h os e w h o d ra w fo th t h e s o l of ot
r he wi th ge t
u sle es s rs n n .

The sou ls of the righteous a re dra wn forth with gentlenes s ,

tho s e of the wicked torn from them in the w a y shown in

the R uss i a n picture (Fig which is i n deed a n illustra
.

tion of the s a me mythology .

These te r rible t a s ks were indeed such a s were only too

li k ely to bri ng A zra el into the evil repute of a n e x ec u
t ione r in the cou rs e of ti m e ; but no degra d a tion of h im
s eems to h a ve been developed a m o ng the M oslems He .

seems to h a ve bee n a s s oci a ted in their mi n ds with Fa te ,

a n d simil a r stories were told of him Thus it is rel a ted th a t.

 D E A TH A N D THE C OB B LE R .

lea ves as there are inh a bita nts in the world On e a ch le a f .

is a n a me a nd when a child is born a new one grows I f

,
.

a n y on e becomes ill h is le a f fa des a nd should he be ,

des tined to die O s ra in bre a k s it off Formerly he u s ed to

, .

come vi s ibly to those whom he w a s going to ca rry a wa y ,

a n d thus put the min gre a t ter ror Since the prophet s
’
.

ti me however he h a s become invis ible for when he ca m e

, ,

to fetch M oh a mmed s soul he told him th a t it w a s not

’

good th a t by his vi s ible a ppea ra nce he should frighte n

m a nkind They might then e a s ily die of terror be fore
.
,

pra yi n g ; for he himse lf a lthough a cou ra geou s a n d

a n w as somewh a t perturbed a t
,

s pirited m , his a ppe a ra nce .

There fo re the prophet begged God to m a ke O s ra in

invi s ible which pra ye r wa s gra nted M r M a ckenzie
’

at
.
, .

a dd s on this th a t a mong the M or a vi a n Jews

, new ,

moo n a bra n ch is held in its light a nd the n a me of a ,

person pronounced : h is fa ce will a ppea r between the

horns of the moon a n d s hould he be destined to die t
, he
le a ves will fa de .

M r John R uskin h as been very severe upon the It a li a n s

.

for the humour wit h which they introd u ce D e a th as a

perso n of their m asque When I w a s in V enice in 18 50
.
,

he s a ys the most popul a r piece of the comic ope ra w a s

,
‘

D ea th a n d the C obbler in which the point of the pl ot

”
,

w a s the success of a vi ll a ge cobbler as a phys ici a n in c on

sequence of the a ppe a ra nce of D e a th to him be s ide t

,

he
bed of every p atient who w a s not to recover ; a nd t he
most a ppl a uded scene in it w a s one in which the phys ici a n ,

in s olent in succe ss a nd swollen with luxu ry w a s himsel f

t a ken down into t
, ,

h e a bode of D e a th a n d thrown into a n

under t
,

a gony o f terror by being shown lives of men he ,

form of wa sting l a mps a nd his own re a dy to expire

’

, On .

which he expresses the O pinion th a t thi s end u ra nce of ‘

fe a r ful im a ges is p a rtly a ssoci a t ed with indecency p a rt ly ,

 THE D AN CE OF D E A TH 29 3

w ith ge nera l fa tuity a n d we aknes s of mind Bu t may it .

’
1

not ra ther be the he a lthy rea ction from mo rbid im ages of

terror with which a purely n a tu ra l a n d inevit a ble ev ent
h as so long been inve s ted by priests a nd port
,

ra yed in such
,

popul a r pictures as The D a nce of D e a th Th e mocking

la ughter with which the skeleton s be s et the knight in our
picture (Fig . from the w a ll of La Ch a is e D ie u A u ve rgne , ,

ma ks
r the priestly terrori s m which
,
could not fa il to be
vu lga ri s e d ev en more by the frivolou s In 14 24 there w as
t t
.

a m q
as u er a de of the D a nce o f D ea h i n the C eme ery o f
the I nnoce n t s a t Pa ri s a ttended by the D uke of Bed ford
,

a nd the D u ke of B ur g undy j,
u s t retur n ed fro m b a tt le I t .

ma y a
'
h ve bee n the l as t outcome in the we s t o f K a li s
f t
d a n ce over the s l a in ; but it is or un te when n tic m F a a is

t
a

h as no worse outcome th a n F olly T h

. e S keleton D e a h
Mod ern P tP t
V
ain ers ,
’
ar . xi
x.
 294 D E A TH A S F OE .

h as the a dvan ta ge over e a rlier forms of su ggesting t he

n a tura lness of dea th It is more scientific Th e g ra du a l
. .

discovery by the people th a t de a th is not ca used by s in

h as l a rgely dissipa ted it s horrors in regi ons where t he
ignora nce a n d impostures of prie s tcra ft a re of d a ily obs e r
va tio n ; a nd a lthough the re a ction ma y not be express ed
with good ta ste there would see mto be in it
, a cert ain

vigour of n a ture rea s s erting itsel f in simplicity

In the northern world we a re a ll too sombre in t
, .

he
matter It is the ages of superstition which h ave moulded
.

our bra ins a nd too genera lly given to ou r n a tura l love of

li fe the unn a tura l counterp a rt of a terror of dea t h Wha t
,

xus There are indeed dea ths corres ponding to the two
h as been a rtifici a lly bred into us ca n be cultiva ted out of
.

—
A ngels the dea th th a t comes by lingering dise a se a n d
p a in a n d th a t which comes by old a ge There a re indee d
, .

A z ra é ls in our cities who poi s o n the food a n d dri nk of the

people a nd mingle de a th in the cup of wa ter ; a n d of the m
,

there should be inc re a s ing horror until the gentler a ngel

a bides with us a n d de a th by old a ge becomes nor m
, al Th e .

depa rture from li fe being a n a tura l condition of entering

upo n it it is mel a ncholy indeed th a t it should be idea lly
,

con fused with the p a in s a nd sorrows often a ttending it .

It is fa bled t ha t M e n ippu s the Cynic tra velling through ,

Ha des kne w which were the kings there by their howling

,

lo u der th a n the re s t They howled loudest bec a use they

h a d p a rted from mo s t plea s ures on e a rt
.

h But a ll the .

h appy a nd young ha ve more re a son to l a ment untimely

dea th tha n kings Th e only tra gedy of D e a t h is the rui n
.

of living L ove M r Wa tts in his gre a t picture of L ove

. .
,

a n d D ea th (Grosvenor G a llery revea led the rea l

horror N ot
,

. th a t skeleton which h a s its right time a nd

pl a ce not the winged demon (ca lled a ngel) who h a s no
, ,

right tim e or pl ace is here but a hu ge h a rd he a rtle ss

, , , ,
 30 0 THE HOL Y TR E E OF I R A VA N C ORE .

the n ative s a s the reside n ce of a powerfu l a n d d a n gero u s

deity who reigned over the mounta in s a n d the wild be a sts 1
.

S a crifices were o ffered to this tree sermons pre a ched be fore

it a nd it seems to h ave been the a ncient c a thedra l of t
,

,
he
di st rict Its trunk w as s o l a rge th a t four men with out
.

stretched a rms could not compa ss it .

Thi s tree in its e a rly growth m a y symboli s e the u p

springing of n a tu ra l religion Its first g reen le a ve s ma y .

be rega rded a s corres ponding to the first crude i m a gin a

tio ns of ma n a s written for inst a nce on le a ves of the , ,

V ed a s Perceiving in n a ture a s we h a ve s een a power of

con t
. , ,

riva nce like h is own a might fa r superior to h is ow n

Y
, ,

ma n n a tu ra lly considered th a t a ll thi ngs h a d been c re a ted

a n d were controlled by invisible gi a nts ; a n d bowing help

les sly bene a th them sa n g thus h is hymn s a n d s upplica tions .

This e a rth belongs to V a run a the ki n g a n d the wid e

‘
, ,

sky with its end s fa r a p a rt the two se a s (s ky a n d oce a n)

,

a re Va ru n a s loin s ; he is a l s o cont a ined i n this d rop o f

’

w a ter He who would flee fa r beyond the sky even he

would n ot
.

be rid of Va run a His Spies proceed fro m .

he a ven towa rds this e a rth ’

Th rough w a nt of stre ngth thou ever strong a n d brigh t

.

g o d h a,
ve I gone wrong : h a ve mercy h a ve mercy ,

However we bre a k thy l aws from d a y to d a y men a s

we a re 0 god V a run a do not deliver us to dea t
,

, h ,

W a s it a n old sin Va run a th a t thou wished to destroy

‘
, ,

the friend who a lwa ys pra ises thee !

O In d ra h a ve mercy give me my d a ily brea d ! R a ise
‘
, ,

u p we a lth to the worshipper thou mighty D a wn !

’

Thou a rt the giver of horses Indra thou a rt

,

‘
the giver , ,

of cows the giver of corn the stro n g lord of we a lth

, the ,

old guide of ma n disa ppointing no de s ires : to him w e

1 The his tyor of t
hi t
s ree wh ich I u se for a pa ra ble is t
ld i t
o h R n e ev.

Sa muel M t
a ee r s
’ ‘
Land of Ch a ri t
y L .
’
ond on : J ohn Sn ow Co
. 18 71 .
 M A JV S C ON TR A C T WI TH HI S GOD S
’
.
,

a ddress this so ng A ll t his we a lth a round here is known

.

to be thine a lone : t a ke from it con q ueror bri ng it hither ,

I n these ch a ra cteristic sentences from v a rious hymns w e

behold ma n m a king his first contra ct with the ruling powers
K
o f n a ture : s o much a dora tion a n d fl a tte ry on his p a rt for

s o much benefit on theirs But even in these e a rliest .

hymn s there a re intim a tions th a t the gods were not fu lfi l

ling their side of the engagement Why is it ple a d s the .
,
’

wo rs hipper th a t you wish to destroy one who a lwa ys

,
‘

pra i s es you ? W as it a n old s in ? Th e simple word s n u ’

consciously report h ow fa ith fully ma n w as performing his

pa rt of the contract Having omitted no a ccent of t . he
pra yer pra i s e or ritu a l he supposes the continued ind if
, , ,

fe rence of the gods must be due to a n old s in one he h as ,

forgotten or perh a ps one committed by some a nces tor

, .

In this Sta te of mind the s uggestion would ea sily ta ke

root th a t words a lone were too chea p t o be s a tis fa ctory to

the gods There must be o fferings Like e a rthly kings

they m us t h a ve their revenues We thus a dva nce to t
. .

he .

ph a s e of s a crifices But still neither in a nswer to pra yer

.
,

fl a ttery or s a c rifice did the ma sses receive hea lth or wea lth
, .

P overty fa mine dea th still continued their remors eles s

, , ,

cours e with the silent m a chinery of s u n moon a nd sta r , , .

But why then should ma n h ave gone on fulfilling his

, ,

—
p a rt of the contra ct believing a nd worshipping deities ,

who when he begged for corn ga ve him fa mine a nd when ,

he a sked for fish g a ve him a serpent ? The priest inter

vened w ith re a dy expl a n ation A nd here we ma y consult .

the holy Tree of Trava ncore aga in ? Why shou ld th a t

p a rticula r Tree—of a s pecies common in t he district a nd
a —
not usu lly very la rge h ave grown so h u ge ? Beca u s e ‘

it is holy s a id the priest Bec a use it wa s believed holy

’ ’

sa ys the fa ct For ages t

.
, ,

h e blood a nd a shes of victims fed

its roots a nd s well ed its tr u nk ; unt il by a n a rgument n ot
.

,
3 02 H O W THE H O L Y TR E E GR E W .

confined t o Indi a the dimensions of the superstition w ere

,

a s s umed to prove its truth When the people compla in ed

t
.

h a t a ll their o fferings a nd wo rship did not b ring a ny

returns the priest replied Y ou stint the god s an d they ,

stint you Th e people o ffered the fa ttest of their flock s

.

a n d fruits : M o re yet i s a id the priest They built fi n e .

a lt a rs a n d temples for the gods : M ore yet ! s a id the prie s t .

They built fine houses for the priests a n d t a xed them ,

selves to support them A n d when thus fed by popul a r

.
,

sa crifices a nd toils the religion h a d grown to va st po w er

, ,

the priest w a s a ble to ca ll to his side the theologi a n for

further expl a n a tion Th e theologi a n a n d t
. h e prie s t s a id
‘
O f cours e there mu s t be good re a son s why the god s d o
not a n s wer a ll yo u r pra yers (if they did not a nswer som e
you would be utterly con s umed ) ; mere mo rta ls must not
d a re to inquire i n to their mysteries ; but th a t there a re
gods an d th a t they do a ttend to hum a n a ffa i rs is m a d e
, ,

perfectly pl a in by this m agnificent a rra y of temples a n d ,

by the ca re with which they h a ve supplied a ll the wa nts

of u s thei r p a rticul a r friend s whose cheeks a s y ou s ee
, , , ,

h a n g down with fa t n ess .

’

I f a fter thi s expl a n a tion a ny sceptici s m or rebellion a rose

, ,

a mong the less fa voured the priest might e as ily a d d

Furthermore w e a nd our temples a re now in s titu t
,

‘
ion s ;
we a re s o strong a n d infl u enti a l th a t it is evident th a t t
,

he
gods h a ve a ppointed us to be their repres e n t a tive s on
e a rt h the di s pen s ers of their fa vours A l s o of their d is
,
.
,

fa vours We a re a ble to m a ke up for the seeming in d if

.

ference of the go d s rew a rding you if you give u s honour

,

a n d we a lth but ruining you if you turn heretic a l

’
, .

S o grew the holy Tree But strong a s it w a s there w as

.

something stronger S om e few ye a rs a go a miss io n a ry

.

from L ondon went to Tra va ncore a n d de s ired to build a

cha pel nea r the sa me t ree no doubt to be in t
,

h e w a y of
,
3 4
0 THE N E P A U L I c ozvocu s z:

lin ge ring order or as pa rt of princely esta bl is h m e n t

, s

but they topple down from time to time as the m a ss e s ,

rea li s e their freedom to a ba ndo n the mwith imp u n ity

They a re a t
.

the mercy of a ny strong heretic who a r i s e s .

Th e following n a rra tive quoted by M r Herbert S pe n c er , .

,

pres ents a striki ng ex a mple of wha t s ome Hindoos h a d

been doing be fore the mission a ry cut down the Tre e a t
Tra va ncore
A N e pa u l king R u m B a h adur who s e bea uti ful q u e e n
, , ,

findi n g h e r lovely fa ce ha d been disfigured by s ma ll

pox poisoned hersel f c u rsed his kingdom her doct ors
a nd t
, , , ,

h e god s of N e pa u l vowing venge a n ce on a ll Ha ving

, .

ordered the doc tors to be flogged a nd the right ea r a n d

nose of e a ch to be c u t
,

off he then w re a ked his venge a n c e

,

o n the god s of N e pa u l a n d a fter a busing them in the m ost

,

gross w a y be a ccu s ed them of ha vi ng obta in ed fro mh im

,

go a t s some hundred weights of s weetme a ts 2000

,
-
,

g a llons of milk & c under fa lse pretences He then

, .
, .

ordered a ll the a rtillery va rying fro m three to twelve ,

pounders to be brought in front of the p a l ace A ll the

,
.

gun s were then loa ded to the muzzle a nd down h e m ar ch e d

to the he a d q u a rters of t h e N e pa u l dei t
,

ies A ll the gu n s .

were dra wn up in front of the severa l deities honouring ,

the mos t sa cred with the he a viest met a l When the order .

to fire w as given m a ny of the chie fs a nd soldiers ra n a wa y

,

p a nic stricken a nd others hesita ted to obey the sa cri

-

le giou s order ; a n d n ot t
,

ill severa l gunners h a d been cut

down were the guns O pened D own ca me t h e gods a n d
the goddesses from t
.

heir hitherto sa cred positions ; a n d

a fter s ix hours he a vy c a nnon a ding n ot a vestige of t
’
he ,

deities rem a ined .

’

However p a nic st ricken the N e pa u lese ma y h ave been

-

at this ferocious m a ni festa tio n it w a s but a storm bred

ou t
,

of a more genera l ment a l a nd mora l conditio n Ru m .

 M OR A L M A N A N ! ) U N M O R A L N A TU R E .
3 5
0

Ba h fid u r only l a id low in a fe w moments im a ges of god s

'

w h o p a ssi n g from t
,
h e popul a r interest h a d been succes ,

s iv e ly l a id to sleep on the innumera ble shelves of Hindu

mythology The ea rly D u a lis mw as developed into M ora l

.

M a n on one side a nd Unmo ra l N a ture on the other

, .

M a n h a d discovered th a t mora l order in n a ture w as repre

sent ed solely by his ow n power : by his culture or neglect
the pl a nt or a nim a l grew or w ithered a nd where his control ,

did not extend there spra ng the noxious weed or bea s t

, .

S o fa r a s good gods h a d been im a gined they were re

s p ec t e d now only a s inca rn a te in men But the a ctive.

powers of evil still rem a ined hurt ful a n d h a te ful to ma n

, ,

a n d the pe s s imist vie w of n a ture bec a me inevit a ble To .

ma n eng a ged in his li fe a nd dea th struggle with n a ture

- -

ma ny a bea uty which n ow nou rishes the theist s optimism ’

w a s lo s t . Th e fra g ra nt flower w a s a weed to the m an

hungry for brea d a n d he vie w ed m a ny a n idle tre asure

,

w ith the di s a ppointment of Sadi when tra velling i n the ,

de s ert he found a ba g in which he h oped to discover gra in

, ,

but found only pe a rl s Fa t a l to every deity not a nthro

.

p o m o rp h ic w a s the long pessimi s tic ph a se of hum a n fa ith A .

E a ch bec a me more purely a demon a n d p a ssed on the

ro a d to become a devil .
,
J
M a ny p a rtic u l a r demon s m a n conquered a s he pro

g res s iv e ly c a rried order a mid the ru ggedness a n d wildne s s

o f h is pl a net E very new we a pon or implement he in
.

vented punctured a thousa nd ph a ntoms Only in the .

re a lms he could not yet con q uer rem a ined the hostile
forces to which he a s cribed pre tern a t u ra l potency beca u s e ,

not a ble to pierce them a nd s e e through them N ever

t
.

h e le s s the e a rly demonic form s ha d to give w a y for m

, an ,

h a d discovered th a t they were not his m a s ters He could

c ut
.

down the Up a s a n d root up the nigh tsh ade ; he had

b ruised m a n y a serpe n t s he a d a n d sla in m a ny a wol f
’
.

VO L I . .
U
30 6 P H YSI CA L A N D M E N TAL M I GR A TI ON S .

In det a il innumera ble enemies h a d bee n prov e d h is in .

fe riors in strength a n d intelligence Importa nt mi g r a t ion s

took pl a ce : ma n p a ss e s geogra phic a lly a wa y fro m t
.

,
he ,

region of some of his wo rs t ene mie s inh a bits c ou n t r ie s

more fruit fu l less m a l a rious h is h a bit a t exceeding t
,

,
h a t of ,

h is a nim a l foe in ra nge ; a n d s till better he p a s s e s by

ment a l migra tion out of the stone a ge ou t
, ,

of othe r h e l p ,

l es s a ge s to the a ge of meta l a n d the s kill to fa s hi o n a n d

,

u s e it He h a s m a de the fi re fi e n d his friend N o lon g er -

hence fort
. .

h a n a ked s a va ge with bit of s tone or bon e o n ly ,

to meet the c ru shing powers of the wo rld a n d w in it s

relucta nt s upplies
There is a s en s e fa r pro founder th a n its ch a rming p l a y
of fa ncy in Heine s a ccount of the Gods in E xil e a n
’ ’

essa y which M r P a ter well describes as full of t

,

h at
s t ra nge blending of sentiment which is ch a ra ct
.

e ris ti c o f
the tra ditions of the M iddle A ge concerning the P a ga n
religion s 1
Heine write s : Le t
’
me briefly remind t he
‘

t
.

re a der h ow the gods of the older world a the ti m e ,

of the definite triumph of C hristi a nity th a t is in the , ,

third centu ry fell into p a i n ful e mba rra s s ments which

, ,

gre a tly resembled certa in tra gica l situ a tions of their ea rlier
li fe They now fo u nd the ms elves expo s ed to the sa me
.

t roubles o me nece s s itie s to which they h a d o nce befo re

bee n expos ed du ring the primitive a ges in th a t revo
lu t ion a ry epoch when the Tit a ns broke out of t
,

h e cu s
tody of Orcu s a nd pili n g P elion on O s s a sca led Olympus
, , , .

Un fo rtun a te gods ! They h a d then to t a ke flight ignomi , ,

n iou s ly a n d hide them s elves a mong us here on e a rth un d er

,

a ll s orts of di s gui s e s M o s t of t h em betook them s elves to

.

E gypt where for gre a ter security they a ssumed the form
,

of a nim a l s a s is gene ra lly known

,
Just in the sa me way .

they h a d to t ake flight a ga in a nd seek enterta inment in ,

St di i t h Hi t o y of t
h R M m 8 Co 18 73
’
1 ‘
n i sill r e ena ssa nce. ac an :
u es e . .
30 3 THE G OB A N S A OR .

B row ning thre e centu ries a w a y to detect the rea l form a nd

fa ce be ne ath the ve s tment of the Bishop who orde rs his
tomb a t Sa int P ra x ed s C hu rch
’

Th e bas elief i b o e y prom is ed m

-
r e n r nz e

t
,

Th ose P an a n d N ym p b s y e w o o f a dspe c h nce n r a

e tripod th y s s w it
,

S om h a as o s o r u v e r

t o on t t
, , ,

Th S io h is erme av he m o ur a s n un

S i t
,

P a ed in a glory a d one P
a n r x n an

Re d y t ot wit
ch t t t
,

he N ym
a ph s la s g rme off
’
a n

A d M o es w it ht he t
,

n a b les s .

So in direction g re w the hermit a ge to the Va tica n ; so

on e

Ze us rega ined his throne by exch a nging his thunderbolt s

for Pete r s keys a n d M a rs rega ined his steed a s St
’
,
George .
,

a n d Hercules a s C hri s t wrestle s with D e a th once more .

But while thes e a rtifici a l re s tora tion s were goin g on in

one direction in a nother s ome of the god s were pas sing
t
,

hrough m a ny countries out w itting a nd demoli s hing thei r ,

former s elves a s lowered to demo ns Th ere are m a ny .

le gend s which re po rt thi s stra nge ph a se of development ,

one of the fine s t being th a t of Th e Goba n Sa or told by ,

M r Ken n edy
. Th e King of M unster sent for this wonder
.

fu l c ra ft s m a n to b u ild him a c a stle Th e Goba n could

fa s hion a spe a r with three stroke s of his h a mmer S t
.

— .

P a tric k who found the Trinity in the sh a mrock m

,
a y h a ve ,

d ete rmined the number of strokes — a n d when he w i s hed ,

to d ri ve in n a ils high u p ha d only to th ro w his h a mmer

at
,

the m On h is w a y to w ork for the King Goba n a c

comp a nied by his s on p a s sed the night a t
.
, ,

the house o f ,

a fa rmer whose d a ughter,

s— one d a rk a n d industriou s the ,

—
other fa ir a nd idle received from him (Goba n) th ree bit s
of a dvice : A l w a y s h a ve the he a d of a n old wom a n by
‘

the hob ; wa rm yourselve s with your work in the morn

ing a nd s ome time be fore I come b a ck t a ke the skin of a
n ewly killed sheep to the m a rket a n d b ring its el f a n d the
-
,

price of it home a ga in A s Gob a n with h is son jo u rneyed .

’
, ,
 THE M A S TE R S MI TH . o
3 g

t
o n,hey fo nd u apoor ma n va inly trying to roo f his hou se
with t
hree joists a n d mud a n d by s imply m a king one end

of e a ch joist rest on the middle of a nother the othe r ends ,

being on the wa ll the structure w a s pe rfect He relieved

, .

puzzled c a rpenters by putting u p for them the pegless a n d

n a illess bridge described in Cae s a r s Commenta ries Hav ’
.

ing done va rious g rea t things Gob a n returns to the home ,

s te a d of the gi rls who h a d received h is th ree bits of a dvice

Th e idle one h a d of course blundered a t

.

, ea ch point a n d
, ,

been ridiculed in the m a rket for her proposition to bring

ba ck t h e s heep s skin a n d its price
’
Th e other by kindly
t
.
,

a king in a n a ged fem a le rel a tive by worki n g till s h e w a s,

w a rm a n d by plucking a n d selli n g the w ool of the sheep s

,
’

s kin a n d bringi n g home the l a tte r h a d obeyed the Gob a n s

’

a dvice a n d w a s selected a s h is d a ughter in la w

,
— the prince - -

a ttending the wedding N ow a s to building the ca stle

.
, ,

Gob a n kne w th a t the King h a d employed on previous

castles four a rchitects a nd then sl a in them s o th a t they ,

s hould never build a nother p a l a ce equ a l to his He there

fore s a ys he h a s le ft a t
.

home a neces s a ry implement w hich

h is wi fe will only give to himsel f or one of roya l blood .

Th e King sends his s on who is kept a s host age till the

,

husba nd s sa fe return
'
.

This is the M a ste r S mith of N o rse fa ble w h o h as a ch a i r ,

from which none c a n rise a n d w h o therein binds the devil ;

,

w hich a g a i n is the s tory of Heph a istos a nd the ch a i r ,

i n which he entra pped Hera u ntil s he reve a led the sec ret
of his b irth Th e devil w hom the M a ster S mit h e n tra ps
.

is in N orse mythology simply L oki : a n d a s Loki is a

, ,

degra ded Heph a istos fire in its demonic fo rm s we h ave

, ,

in a ll these legends the fi re fi en d fought with fire -

e d u a li s a tion of t
.

This t -
h e god s i n to demonic a n d s a intly
form s h a d a l ong p rep a r a tion Th e forces t h a t brought it
.

a bout m a y be see n a l re a dy begi n ni n g in Hesiod s re re

’

p
3 t
o GR E E K CA R I CA TU R E O F THE GOD S .

t tions of the god s in thei r present a t ion on the s t a g e

sc u a

by E uripides in a m a nner certa in to demo n is e t hem t o t

,

he
vu lga r a n d to su bject them t
,

o such l a u ghter a mo n g s ch o l a rs

as still rin gs a cros s t

,

h e a ge s in the divine d i a logu es o f

L uci a n Wh a t the gods h a d become to the Lu ci a n s
.

be fore they re a ched the Heines m a y be ga thered fr o m

the a ccomp a nying c a ric a tu re (Fig N othing c a n b e .

more cu rious th a n the encounters of the gods with t h e i r

de a d selve s their M a ne s Wh a t u ncon s cious ingenuity in
the combin a tion s ! St
, .

M a rtin on h is g rey steed di v i d e s .

with the begga r the cloud clo a k of Wod a n on h is bl a ck -

horse tre a di n g down j u s t s uch p au pers in h is wild h u n t ;

,

a s s a int he n ow shelters those whom a s stor mdemo n h e -

chilled ; but the identity of Junker M a rtin is p reserv e d

in both titles a n d myths a n d the M a rt in h orn s (c a ke s ) , ,

t w isted a fter fa s hion of the horns of goa t or buck p u r

s ued by Wod a n a re deemed potent like hors e shoes t o
,
-

de fend house or s t a ble from the outl a wed god 3

.

1
Concern ing w hich M r W righ ty I ti t k sa s :
‘
s a en fro man ox yb a ph on

f mt
t t ttE gl d h t tt
.

w h ich w a s b rou gh h C ro e on i nen o n an w e rei pass ed in o h e

t
,

C o llec i on of M r W illia mH O pe The H pe r y b orea n A pollo h i mse lf

t tmp t tf
. .

a ppea rs as a q u ack- d oc or, on his e ora ry s age, c ov e red by a sor o roof,

and a pproa ched by w o d o e n s e ps t On t

h t
g li
e s a e es A pollo s luggage, con
’

t yt t
.

s is ig n of a bag, a bow , and his Sc hi a n ca p Ch iron (X I P O N) is repres en e d

tf g d bli d t t
.

as la b ou ring u nd e r hd e e flec s
pp i
'

g h im lf o a e an n ness , an su or n se

by t h id f
e a k d t off h i
a c roo e
p t t h D lph i q k
s a d t f as e re a rs o e e an uac oc or or

t i md t d by t
-

f t
,

re li f e Th fi g h e u re o h id
e f m
ce n a ur s a e o asce n e a o a co

t t t t t t t t
.

p i
an on, b h b i g f o i h d w i h he nm k d h ib
u rn s f e h m i e as s an o er a r u es o e co c

f m
e r or A b e rs t h m t i d th
o ve a re m t
h y m ph f P
e ou n a ns, an on e e n s o a rnass u s

ti t
p
ll t t d i g i d w it
.

(NTM é AI ) w h lik h h o, h e a h e o e r a c ors n e scene , a re s u se

d t t
,

mk as s, h f
an yg h
ose o E a p ve ri m p l y d ross c a rac e r v en a un s e o e

th ight t h d ll y f t i t d f HTGIAZ t h Pyt

.

o e en h e f ro er o hi e sc e n e , or ns ea o e an,

t t t t t t t
,

p l d
a ce h h d
ove r f h b l qe A p ll i m
ea id o h h e ur es ue o o, se e s ev en a e

ar tit h d w it
s t HEI GI AE t
a hr en l Hi t y fC i t p 8 e c on s o e r
’
s or o a r ca u re ,
’
1

B t wh i t h t t igh t
. . .
,

u h l fo w d fig
s ewit ea mk -
h
cr o h d? W
ne u re, ou as on e r an as

itm t t t
,

so ly O fl b h w h f
e ea r d h
’

en
p i ac f h g d l om ou n su c re rese n a on o e o s w e co e

t At t tt mpt tp d
,

a h wh e ns h e re md O fl b h B ll H le
e a e o ro uce our o ern
'

e n ac
'
s e e e ne

recen tly d th t i l i t
c a us e ? a e a r ca r o

W t t 8
’
h u V lk b gl b e . o sa er au e, 1 .
31 2 CA RP E N TE R , D E I TY, A N D D E VI I .

of their being identi fi ed with the devil we still fi n d th e m ,

triumphed over by the wit a nd s kill of the a rtis a n S uch

is the c a se in a fa vourite popu l a r legend of th a t co u n t
.

r y in

which P e rk u n a s— the a ncient Thunder god corre sp o n d i n g -

to Perun in R u ss i a is involved in disg ra ce a long w i t h t

,

— he
devil by the sag a city a n d skill of a ca rpent er Th e a g e d .

god the venera ble D e v il a nd the young Carpenter u n i t e d

, , ,

for a jou rney P e rku n kept the be ast s off with t h u n d er

.

a n d lightning the D evil hunted u p food the Ca rp e n t e r

cooked A t length they b u ilt a hut a n d lived in ita n d
, ,

.
,

pl a nted the ground with vegeta ble s Presently a t h ie f .

inva ded thei r g a rden P e rk u n a n d the D evil successi v e ly

t ried to ca tc h him but were well th ra s hed ; where a s t
.

,
he
Ca rpenter by pl aying the fiddle fascin a ted the thief w h o
w a s a witch a h a g whose h a nd the fi d dle r m a n a ged t
,

, o get

into a split tree (u n der pretence of giving h e r a mu s i c

lesson) holding her there till s he g a ve up her iro n wa ggon
A ft
,

a n d the whip which s h e h a d u sed on h is comra de s er

thi s the th ree h a ving decided to s ep a ra te di s pu t
.

, ed a s to ,

which should h a ve the hut ; a n d they fin a lly a greed th a t it

s hould be the posses s ion of h im who s hould s ucceed in

frightening the t w o othe rs Th e D evil ra ised a s to r m .

which frightened P e rk u n a nd P e rku n with h is thunder

a n d lightni n g frightened t
,

h e D evil ; but the C a rpenter

held ou t b ra vely a nd in the middle of the night ca me
, , ,

in w ith the witch s w a ggon a nd c ra cking her whip the

’

D evil a n d P e rk u n bo t
, , ,

h took flight le a ving the C a rpenter

in po s se s sion of the h u t
,

1
.

S o fa r a s P e rku n is concerned a n d m a y be rega rded

a s repre s ent a tive of the god s the b u t

,

may be symbol of ,

E u rop e a n d the C a rpe n ter type of the power which

,

co n que red a ll th a t w a s le ft of t h em a fte r thei r fa i r or

Sc hleicher,
‘
Liti a u s c he M archen, ’
14 1 14
-

5
. M r Ra ls
. t tlt
i
’
on s ra n s a on

a b id g d
r e .
 WE R E WOL VE S I N D E CL I N E .
3 3 1

n t
oble a ss oci a tions ha d been tra ns ferred o ch risti a n forms
S omewh a t l a ter t
.

, h e devil w a s involved in a like fa te a s ,

w e s h a ll h a ve to consider in a future ch a pter .

Th e m
, ost horrible superstitions i
,f tr a cked in their
popul a r development revea l with speci a l impress ivenes s
,

t h e progres s ive em a ncip a tio n of m a n from the ph a nt a sms

of ferocity w hich represented his prim a l helple s s ness Th e

univers a l were w ol f supe rstition for inst
.

,
a nce drew its u n ,

s pe a k a ble horro rs from deep a nd w ide sprea di n g roots -

.

Origin a ting prob a bly in occ asion a l rel a ps es to c a nni

, ,

ba lis ma mong tribes or vill a ges which fou nd them s elves

a mid circumst a nces as u rgent a s those which sometimes

lea d a w recked c re w t o dra w lots which sh a ll die to s u p

port the rest it would nece ssa rily become d e monised by

t
,

h e necessity of surround ing c an nib a lism with d a ngers

worse th a n sta rva tion But it would seem th a t individu a ls
.

a re a lw a ys li a ble by a rrest of development which us u a lly

,

t a kes the form of dise a se or insa nity to be dra gged back

,

to the s a va ge condition of their ra ce I n the cou rse of

t
.

hi s d a rk history we n ote first a n inc re as ing tendency to

,

show the me a ns of the tra ns form a tion di ffi cult In the .

Vols zm S it i by si m ply putting on wol f hirt ‘ ’

g a ag a s a s -

( w ol fs kin ) th a t a m a n m a y become a wol f Then it i s .

s a id it is done by a belt m a de of the skin of a ma n who

h a s been hung a ll executed perso n s being s a cred t
— o

Wod a n (beca u s e not dyi n g a na tura l dea th) to w hom a lso

the wol f w a s sa c red Then it is a d d ed th a t t
,

. h e belt mu s t
,

be m a rked with the s ig ns of the zodi a c a n d h a ve a buckle

,

with seven teeth Then it is sa id tha t only a seventh

.
‘

s on
’
is possess ed of this di a bolica l power ; or others s a y
one w h os e b ro ws me et over his n ose Th e m ea n s of
detect
.

i ng werewolves a n d retra ns fo rming them to hum a n

s h a pe multiplied a s those of t ra n s form a tion dimini s hed in

num ber a n d s uc h remedies reflected the a dva nce of hu ma n

,
 IVE R E WOL VE S VA N I S fI
'

s kill The were w o l f could be re s to red by c ros s ing h is p a t h

w ith a kni fe or poli s hed s teel ; by a s word l a id o n t
.

he
g rou nd with point to wa rd s him by a silve r ba ll H u ma n .

s kill w a s too much for him I n Posen mothers h a d d is

.

c overed th a t one who h a d bre a d in his or her mouth c o u l d

by even s u ch me a ns discover werewolves ; a nd fa th e r s t o ,

thi s hint a bout keeping the wol f from the door a d d e d

‘ ’

th a t no one could be a tt
,

a cked by a n y such mon s ter if h e

were i n a cor n field Th e Sl a v levelled a plough a t

. h im .

Thu s by one prescription a n d a nother a n d e ach rep re s e n t ,

ing a p a rt of m a n s victory over ch a os the we re w ol f w a s

’

d riven ou t
,

of a ll but a fe w unlucky d a y s in the ye a r a n d

‘

e s peci a lly found his l a st re fuge in Twel fth N ight B u t

,

even on th a t night the werewol f might be genera lly esca p e d

by the simple device of not spe a king of him I f a w o lf .

h a d to be s poken of he w a s then c a lled V ermin a n d D r

W ut t
.
,

ke mention s a p a rish priest n a med Wol f in E a s t

P ru s si a who on Twel fth N ight w a s a ddress ed a s M r
V ermin ! Th e a ctu a l wol f bei n g a lre a dy ou t
.

of the forest s

in mos t pl a ces by a rt of the b u ilde r a n d the a rchitect ; t he

ph a nt a sm a l wol f d riven out of fea r for mos t of the ye a r
by m a n s recognition of his ow n s u pe riority to t
’
hi s exte r
mina t e d be a s t ; even the p roverbi a l e a rs of the va ni s hing
‘ ’

we rewol f ce a sed to be vi s ible when on h is p a rticul a r fes t

night h is n a me w a s not mentioned .

Th e l a s t execution of a m a n for being a n occ asion a l

w erewol f w a s I belie v e in I 58 9 ne a r C ologne there bein g

But
, , , ,

s ome evidence of c a n n ib a li s m ni n e ye a rs l ate r in

.
,

Fra nce w here the bel ie f in the L oup g a m

,
u ha d been -

inten s e a ma n s o a ccu s ed w a s s imply shut up i n a ma d

,

hou s e It is a n indic a tion of the revolution which h as

.

occurred th a t when next governments p a id a tte n tion to

,

werewolve s it w a s bec a use cert a in va g a bo n ds went a bout

pro fess i ng to be able to tra ns form the mselves into wolve s ,
31 6 GI A VTS TU R N E D TO LI TTLE P E OP L E
A .

fringe ca l led t h e Ga d: M a n s e ft is derived f r o m t he

’

a nc ient belie f t ha t u n les s so m e wild place is l e ft t

, ,

o the

sy l van s pirits they w ill in j ure t h e gra in a nd v e g e ta b le s ;

a nd no doubt some su ch n otion lea ds the fa r me rs of

Th u rga u s till t istletoe u pon th eir fr u it t
, ,

o gra ft m r ee s -

M a n y who ca n smile a t s uch c u s toms d o yet

.

pr e s e r v e in
their own minds or th ose of th eir se rva nts or n e ig h b o urs
cro ft
, ,

s which the plou ghs ha re of s cience is fo rb id d e n to

tou ch a nd where the p re te rna tura l troops sti ll hid e t h eir

Bu t
,

s hrivelled fo rms this wild girdle be co me s e v er

a ges with in it
.

n a rrower a n d the im tend to bl en d w ith

rustling lea f a nd s tra w a n d the insects a n d to be o t
,

h er , ,

wi se invisible sa ve to th a t second s ight which is re c e iv e d

A s in some sh a do w p a ntomim e t
,

fro mGl a m h e d e ities -

a n d demo n s pursue e a c h o t
.
,

her in endless process io n d ro p ,

ping down as aw e i n s piring Tita ns va nishi n g as gr ot e s q ue

-
,

pigmies—va nishing be yond the l a mp into N othing n e ss !

S o ca me mo s t of t h e monsters we h a ve been de sc rib in g
— A nim a ls V olca noes Icebergs D ese rts though t
, hey , , ,

might be i by growing culture a nd m a ste ry of n a t u re to

- -

be ca lled the little pe ople a nd perh a ps it is ra ther

‘

through pity th a n euphemism when they were s o o fte n

ca lled as in Irel a nd (D u ffi e M a t /t
a) the good little
At
, ,

people 1
eve ry step in ti me or sp a ce b a ck of the e ra
.
’

o f mech a nic a rt s the littl e fa iry g a ins i n physic a l pro

portio ns The hou s e spi rits (D omovoi) of R uss i a a re full

.
-

s ized sh a ggy hum a n s h a ped beings In L ithu a ni a the

,
-
.

corresponding pha ntoms (K a uk a s) a vera ge only a foot in

height The K ros n ya t
. a believed in by the Sl a vs on ,

the B a ltic co ast a re simila rly sm a ll ; a nd by w a y of the

kobolds elves fays t ra velling westwa rd we find t
,

, , he s ize
, ,

1 Elf has, ind eed , b een referred by om t

s o t
h Se e ansk ri tlp
a a t
t t
li le ; bu
t
z

h b l
e a a nce of au t
h it
yi
or s in fa vour of t
h d e eriva t
i on give n in a for mer

h pt
c a er.
 G OD S R E TU R N I N G T0 N A TU R E .
3 7
1

of su ch sh a pes diminishi n g u ntil w a rnings a re given th a t ,

the teeth must never be picked with a stra w th a t slender ,

tube being a favourite re s idence of the e lf l I n B a va ri a

a little red ch a fer with seven spots (Coccznella u pt em
'

p a nc ta t
a ) is a ble to hold T hor with his lightnings a n d in ,

other regions is a fo rm of the goddess of Love ! Our 1

E nglish n a me for the tiny beetle L a dy bug is derived ‘ ’

-

from the l a tter notion a nd M r K a rl Blind ha s expressed .

the opinion th a t our children s ru ne ’

La d y bug l d y bug fly w y h om
-
a -
a a e,

Th y h ouse is on fi re t
, ,

h y ch i ld r n w ill r oa m , e

is l a st echo of the E dd a ic prophecies of the destruction of

the universe by the fi re fi e n d L oki l S uch reductions of
2 -

the a ncient gods demons a nd terrors to tiny dimensions

, ,

would of course be only a n indi rect res ult of the ge n e ra l

, ,

c a u s e st a ted They were driven from the gre a t world a n d

.
,

s ought the s m a ll world they survived in the hut a n d were

a d a pted t o the nerves of the nurs ery So a lo n e ca n Tit h on os .

live on : beyond the a ge for which he is born he sh rinks to

a gra s s hopper ; a n d it is now by only c a re ful li s t ening th a t
in the chirpings of the multitudinou s immort a ls of w hich
Tit
,

h on os is type m a y be distingui s hed the thunde rs a n d

ro a rings of deities a n d demons th a t once m a de the e a rt

,

h
to t remble .

1 M annhard tG tt 87 o er,
’
2

h T ti g d d
H ld t
.
,

Freia - o a, e eu on c o ess of Love . Cornhill M agazine, M ay,

’

1872.
 C H A P TE R I I .

GE N ERAL I SAT I ON O F D EM O NS .

m tt
t
Th e D e on s b equ es o h eir con q u e rors N on d es crip s E xaggera
’
— — t
t tt
ion s of ra d i ion Sa nt
— —
ia n T h e or y of D ragon s Th e D ra gon n o t
p rim itiv e t
i n M y h olo gy— M on s er s of E y
g p t
ia n I ra n ian Vte d ic

t
, , ,

a n d J e w is h M y h o ogie s
l — T urner s D ra gon D ella e
’
— B l la — Th e
C onven t
i l D g ona ra on .

A FTER a ll those brave victo ries of ma n over the fi rs t

ch a os orga nic a n d inorga n ic whose e ffect upo n h is
ph a ntasms ha s been indica ted ; a fter fire h a d sl a in it
, ,

thou s a nd s a nd iron it
, s tens of thou s a nds of h is de m ons ,

a nd the ro u gh artis a n become a N emesis with h is rudder

a n d w heel pursuing the hosts of d a rkness b a ck into N ight

a n d Invisibility ; still stood the grim fa ct of m a n y form ed

p a in a nd evil in the wo rld still de fying the a s cendi n g

,

pu rpos es of m a nkind M oreover con fronting thes e he is

.
, ,

by no mea ns so di fferent menta lly from th a t ma n he

w as be fore conquering m a ny foes in det a il a nd l a ying ,

their ph a ntoms a s he w a s mora lly M ore courage man

, .

h a d ga ined a n d more defi a nce

, a nd intellectu a lly a step , ,

h a d been t a ke n if only on e : he h a d le a rned th a t his evil s

,

a re rel a ted to e a ch other Hunger is of m a n y he a ds a nd

forms I t
.

s y a w ning thro a t ma y be seen in the b rilli a n t s k y

t
.

h a t l a sts till it is a s bra ss in the deluge the e a rthqu a ke

, , ,

in cl a w a n d fa ng ; a nd then these togethe r do but rela te

the hunger brood to Fire a nd Ferocit y ; the su mmer s u n
-
 S A U R I A N THE OR Y O F D RA G ON S .

of veno ma nd p a in deta ched from form s to w hich t h ey a re

a ccident a l

S ome of the p a rt
.

icul a r fo rms we h a ve been co n s i d e ri ng

,

a re indeed by no me a n s of the pro s a ic type S u c h con

c e pt
, , .

ions a s R ahu C erberus a n d seve ra l others a r e tra n

s ition a l between t
, , ,

h e n a tura l a n d mys tica l conc e ptions ;

while the s phynx however complete a combin a tion o f ideal
,

form s is not a ll demonic

,
I n this Pa rt I I I a re i n clud ed
. .

those forms wh ose combin a tion is not found i n o bje ctive

n a tu re but which a re yet tr a vesties of n a ture a n d e n u ine
, g
fa un a o f the hum a n mind
Pe rh a p s it ma y be thought some w h a t a rbit ra ry t
.

h at I
1 s hould des cribe a ll thes e intermedi a te forms between
demo n a nd devil by the t e rm D RA GO N ; but I believe
there is n o other fa bulou s form which includes s o ma ny
indi v idu a l types of t ra nsition or whose evolution ma y be ,

s o s a ti s fa cto rily tra ced from the point where it is lin k ed

w ith the demon to th a t where it be q ue a thes it s ch a ra cte rs

to the devil While howeve r thi s ter m is u sed as t

.
, ,
he
bes t th a t s ugge s ts itsel f it c a nnot be a ccepted as limiti ng
,

our inquiry or excl u ding other a bs t ra ct fo rm s which idea lly

corre s pond to the dra gon — the genera li s ed e x pre ss ion for
’

a n a ctiv e powerfu l a n d intelligent enemy to m a nkin d a

, , ,

bei ng w h o is a nta gonism o rga nised a n d a ble to comm a nd , ,

eve ry wea pon in n a ture for a n a ntihum a n purpose .

Th e opinion h a s stea dily g a ined th a t the conventio nal

d ra gon is the tra d ition a l form of some huge S a u r i a n It .

h a s been s u gge s ted th a t some of those extinct forms m ay

h a ve bee n contempora neou s with the e a rliest men and

th a t the tra dition s of co n flicts with them tra nsmitt
,

ed ,

ora lly a n d pictori a lly h a ve re s ulted in preserving thei r

,

fo rm s in fa ble (proxim a tely) Th e restora tions of S a u rians

on their i s let a t
.

the C rysta l P a la ce show how much com

mon sense there is in this theo ry Th e di s cove ries of .
 THE D R A GON N O T P R I M I TI VE .

Pro fessor M a rsh of Y a le College h a ve proved th a t the

gene ra l form of the d ra gon is st a rtlingly prefi gu re d in
n a tu re ; a n d M r A l fred Tylor in a n a ble p a per re a d
.
,

be fo re the A nt h ropologic a l Society h a s shown th a t we

a re very a pt to be on t h e s a fe side in sticking t
,

o the

theo ry of a n object origin for most things -

.

C once rning this theory it m a y be s a id th a t the e a rlie s t ,

des criptions both w ritten a n d picto ri a l which h a ve been

, ,

discove red of the reptili a n monsters a round which grew the

germs of our dra gon myths a re crocodiles or serpents -

a n d n ot dra gons of a ny convention a l kind wi t

, ,

— h a fe w ,

doubtful exceptions In a n E gypti a n pa py rus there is a

hieroglyphic pictu re of S a n nu Hu t
.

ur pl u nger of the - -
‘

it is a m a rine dolphin like monster wi t

,

s ea h four feet
,
-
, ,

a n d a t a il ending in a serpent s he a d With wings thi s ’

1
.
,

might a pp ro a ch the d ra gon form A ga in A men R a slew -

.
,
-

N a ka a n d this s erpent s a ved his feet Po s s ibly the ‘ ’

.
,

ph ra s e is ironica l a nd me a n s th a t the serpent sa ved

,

nothing ; but a p a rt from th a t the poem is too highly ,

met a phorica l—the victo rious god himsel f being described

f —
in it a s a bea u ti ul bull for the phra se to be importan t .

On E gypti a n monuments a re pictured serpents with hum a n

he a d s a nd members a n d the serpent N a h a b ka is pictu red -

on a mulets wi t
,

h two perfect h u m a n l egs a n d feet Winged

11
.

serpents a re found on E gypti a n monuments but a lmost a s

fre q uently wit h the incredible number of four a s wi t
,

h the
conceiva ble two wings of the pterod a ctyl The forms of
t
.

h e s erpents thus portra yed with a nthropomorphic legs

a n d sli ght wi n gs a re in th eir m a i n sha pes of ordin a ry
, ,

species In the Ira ni a n tra dition of the tempt a tion of the

.

firs t ma n a nd wom a n M esch i a a nd M es ch iane by the , ,

th P ti
’
1
Record s of e 4 as v 12

M yt
S p t h fA i t Egypt
, . .

1 ’
See C ooper s fig
’
er en -
9 d s o nc en s 10 an 1 12. Serapis
t t
.

m
,

as a hu m a n - h ea d d pe i h w i
se r enh m y (f Sh p )s s o n n e sa e essa ro ar e , fig . 119 .

VO L I . . x
 S E R P E N I M ON S TE R S E AR L I E S I T
I

‘
t
wo f
-
ooted s erpent of lies A nd it is possible t h a t o u t of
’

thi s myth of the t

.

w o footed serpe n t grew the puzz li n g

‘ -

legend of Ge n esis th a t t he s erpent of E den w a s s ent e n c e d

the re a fter to cra wl on h is belly Th e s n a ke s l a ck of fee t .
’
,

ho w ever might with equ a l prob ability h a ve given ri s e

to t
,

h e expl a n a tion given in mus s ulm a n a nd ra bbi nic a l

s tories of h is feet being cut off by the a ve n gi n g a nge l .

But the a ntiqu ity of the I ra ni a n myth is doubt ful ; whil e

the s uperior a ntiquity of the Hi nd u fa ble of R ah u t o

which it seem s re l a ted s ugges ts th a t t h e two legs of t

,

,
he
A h rim a n serpent l ike the four a rm s of se rpent ta il e d
,
-

R ahu is a n a nthropomo rphic a ddition

,
In the a ncie n t .

pl a ni s pheres we find the crooked serpent mentioned in ‘ ’

the Book of Job but no dra go n

The two gre a t monste rs of V edic mythology V rit
, .

ra a n d

A hi a re not s o di s tingui s h a ble from e a ch other in t

,

he
V rit
,

V ed a s a s in more recent fa ble s ra is very frequently

t A h i bei n g expl a ined in the S t

.

c a lled V r i r a A h i— Peters .

burg D iction a ry a s the S erpent of the Heaven s the demon

V rit A h i litera lly me a n s serpent a nswe ri n g to t
,

he
’ ‘ ’
ra .
,

G reek ext 9 sp a 8m; a n d when a nything is a dded it a p

-
,
-

pe a rs to be a nthro pomorphic— hea ds a rm s eye s—as in , ,

the ca s e of the E gypti a n se rpent mo ns te rs The Ve d ic -

.

demon Ura n a is de s cribed a s h aving three he a ds six eyes , ,

a n d ninety nine a rms -

.

There would a ppe a r to be a s little re a s o n for a scribing

to t h e Ta n n in of the Old Te s t a me n t the s ig ni fi c a nce of
dragon though it I S genera lly s o tra n s l a ted It is u s ed
, .

unde r circum s t a n ces which show it to mea n wh a le serpent , ,

a n d v a rious other be a s ts J eremi a h (xiv 6) compa re s th e m

. .

to wild a s ses s n u fiing the wind a nd M ica h (i 8) des c ribes

their w a iling Th e fiery s erpents s a id to h a ve a fllict
, .

’
ed
‘
.

I s ra el in the wilderne ss a re ca lled s erapfi zm but neither in

'

thei r n a tura l or mythologic a l forms d o they a nticipate ou r

 THE C ON VE N TI ON A L D R A GON .

D ell a Bell a , which this is one so th a t it ma y be ra th er

of ,

to some scenic a rti s t th a n to the distinguished imita to r o f

C a llot th a t we owe this grotesq ue form which the l a te M r
Wright s a id might h a ve been borrowed from some dista n t
.
,

geologica l period I f s o the fa ct would present a curious

.
’
,

coincide nce wit h the true history of Turner s D ragon ; for

’

a fter M r R uskin h a d published h is rem a rk a bout the s c ie n

t
.

ifi c im a gin a tion repre s ented in it a n old friend of the a rtist

,

decl a red t ha t Turner him s el f ha d told him tha t he copi e d

th a t dra go n from a C h ristm a s s pecta cle in D rury Lan e
thea tre Bu t Tu rner ha d shown the t ruest scientific in
st in ct
.

in rep a iring to the fossil bed s of huma n im a gi na

-

tion a nd dra wing thence the convention a l form wh ic h

,

never h a d e xisten ce save as the structu re of cum u l a ti v e

tra dit ion .
 C H A P TE R I I I .

THE SER E P NT .

Th e beau ty f t
h S p t o—E m id l f m—M i h l t
e er e n ers on on ea or s c e e
’

t
s

t
h h
ou
g t
h is on
p h d —U iq h e v t fth S p t
’
er s ea n ue c ara c e rs o e er e n

Th m k y h f S k —Th S p t t t by
’
e on e s
p d
orr or o
p na es e er en ro ec e s u er

st
it
i —
on H m d f l u g i
an t it b t
l
e en ce e s sn ess
p a a ns s su e ow ers
D u bu fe
’
s pi ctre of t
huFa ll of M e an.

IN the a ccompa nying picture a med a l of the a ncient city ,

of Tyre two of the most be a uti ful forms of n ature a re

,

—
brought together the S erpent a nd the E gg M r D R
, . . . .

Hay h a s s hown the end

les s extent to which the
ova l a rches h ave bee n
reproduced i n the cera
mic a rt s of a nti quity ;
a n d the s a me sense o f

symmetry which m a de
the Greek va se a combi
n a tion of Eggs p revails
in the ch a rm which the
s a me gra ce ful outline
poss ess es wherever s u g
—
gested a s in curves of
Fig 3 —S t
,
w E (Ty ) 2 an " ? a n co re .

the swa n crescent of

. .

the moon the elong a ted shell ou which A phrodite may

,
— ,

well be poised since the sa me contours find their con

,

summ ate e xpress ion in the flowing lines a tta ini ng their
repose in the perfect form of wom a n Th e Serpent .
32 6 B E A U TY O F THE SE E P E N I :

m del of the line of gra ce

o
‘
a n d beau ty — h a d an
ha s
even l a rger fa scin a tion for the eye of the a rtista n d t he
poet It is the one a ctive form in n a ture which c a n n o t
. be
ungra ce ful a n d to estim a te the exte n t of its use in d e c o ra
,

tion is impossible beca u s e a ll undul a ting a nd coi l in g lin es

Bu t in a ddition to t
,

a re necess a rily serpent forms h e p er

fect
.

ions of this form — which fulfil a ll the a scent of f o r ms in

S wedenbo rg s mystica l morphology circul a r spira l p e r p e
’

tu al circul a r vortica l celesti a l the S erpent be a rs o n it

, , ,

- — as

it were gems of the underworld th a t s eem to fi n d t

, , ,

,
h e ir
counte rp a rt in ga l a xie s .

One must conclude tha t S erpent worship is ma in ly -

founded in fea r Th e s a crifices o ffered to th a t a ni ma l a re

icie n tto prove this Bu t a s it is cert a in t h a t t
.

a lo n e s u fl . he
S e rpent a ppe a rs in symbolism a n d poetry in m a n y w a y s
w h ich h a ve little or n o rel a tion to it s terrors we m a y w e ll
,

doubt whether it ma y not h a ve h a d a ca reer in the hu ma n

im a gin a tion previou s to either of the results of it s re ign

of terror —,
wors hip a n d exec ra tion It is the theo ry o f
.

Pesta lozzi th a t eve ry chi ld is born a n a rtist a n d thro u gh

it
,

s pictori a l s ense must be led on its first s teps of educa t io n

Th e in fa nt w o rld displ a yed a lso in it

.

s s election of s a c r ed

trees a nd a nim a ls a pro found a ppreci a tion of bea uty Th e .

myths in which the Se rpent is represented a s ka k od e mon

re fer ra ther to its n a tura l history th a n to it s a ppe a ra nce ;

a n d even when its n a tura l history c a me to be ob s erved there

there now is s uc h a wide discrep a ncy between it

,

w as — — s

physiology a nd it s function s a lso between its int r insic

,

cha ra cters a nd their rel a tion to ma n th a t we ca n only a ccept

it
,

s v a rious a s pects in mytholo gy without a ttempting to tra ce

their rel a tive precedence in time .

The pa s t m a y in this c a se be best interpreted by the pre

sent How di fferent now to wi s e a nd obs erva nt men a re

t
.

h e suggestion s of this exception a l for min n a ture !

32 8 THE VI P E R S
‘
HE A D .

lines — from the Serpent doomed to cra wl on its belly in

,

the du s t to the Serpent th a t is li fted up

,

N ow let us tu rn to the p a ge of J ules M i chelet a n d r e a d

wh a t the S e rpent s ignified to one mood of his sy mpa th e t
,

ic
n ature .

It wa s one of my sa dde st hou rs when seeki ng in na t u re ,

a re fuge from thoughts of the a ge I for the fi rst t im e ,

encountered the he a d of the vipe r This occ urred in a

va lu a ble mu s eu m
.

of a n a tomic a l imit a tions .

The hea d m a rvellou s ly imit a ted a n d enormou sly e n

la rged so as to remind one of the tiger s a n d the j a gu a r s
’ ’

expose d in its horrible form a s o mething s t

, ,

ill more
ho rrible Y ou seized a t
. o nce the delica te infinite fea r , ,

fully prescient p reca ution s by which the dea dly m a chine

is so potently a rmed N ot only is it provided w ith
.

numerous keen edged teeth not only a re these teeth

-
,

supplied with a n ingenious reservoir of poison which

s l a ys immedi a tely but their extreme fi n enes s w hic h
,

renders them li a ble to fra cture is compens a ted by a n

a dva nt a ge th a t perh a ps no other a nim a l poss esses ,

n a mely a m a ga zine of supernumera ry teeth to s upp ly

at
, ,

need the pl a ce of a ny a ccident a lly broken Oh w h a t .

,

provision s for killing ! Wha t prec a ution s th a t the victi m

s h a ll n ot esca pe ! Wh a t love for thi s ho rrible crea ture !
I stood by it s ca nd a lzlrea if I ma y s o s pe a k a n d wit h
'
, ,

a sick s oul N a tu re the gre a t mothe r by whos e side

.
, ,

I ha d t a ken refuge shocked me with a m a ternity s o

,

cruelly i mp a rti a l Gloomily I w a lked a wa y bea ring on

.
,

my he a rt a d a rker sha dow th a n res ted on the d a y itsel f ,

one of the sternes t in wi nter I h a d come forth like a .

child I returned home like a n orph a n feeli n g the notion ,

of a Provi d ence dyi n g a w a y within me

’
1

M a n y h a ve s o gone forth a n d s o retu rned ; some t

.

1
L oi ea
’
s u,
’

par J ules M ichele t

.
 U NI Q UE CHA R A C TE R S OF THE S E R P E IVT 32 9 .

s a y,
‘
There is n o God ; a few to s a y (as is reported of
’

a livi n g poet) I believe in God but a m a ga inst him

, ,

but some a l s o to di s cern in the viper s hea d N a ture s ’

ironcl a d a rmed with her best science to de fend the

,

a dva n ce of form to hum a nity a l o ng n a rrow p a sses .

The primitive m a n w as the child th a t went fo rth when

h is world w a s a lso a child a n d when the S erpent w as still

doing it
,

s p a rt to wa rds m a king him a n d it a m an It .

w as a long w a y from him to the dra gon sl a yer ; but it is -

much th a t h e did not merely cower ; he wa tched a nd

observ ed a nd there is not on e tra it belongi n g to his
,

de a dly cra wling con tempora ries tha t he did not note
a n d s piritu a lise in s uch science as w a s possible to him

Th e l a st
.

discovered of the topes in Indi a repres ents

-

S erpent worshippers g a thered a round their deity holdi n g

-
,

their to n gu es with finger a nd thumb N o living fo rm

in n a ture could be s o fi t ly reg a rd ed in th a t a tti tude N ot
.

only is t h e S erpen t norm a lly silent but in it

.

s a ction it ,

h a s the quiet of perfect motion Th e m a ximum of

‘ ’
.

force is sho w n in it rel a tively to its size a long with the

minimum of friction a nd visible e flortFoot
, ,

les s wingless
’

a s a s t a r it
.
, ,

s s w i ft gliding a nd d a rting is someti mes like

,

the lightning whose forked tongue it seemed to i n ca rna te

Th e lea s t touch of it s ingenious tooth is more des t
.

ruct ive
th a n the lion s ja w Wh a t mystery in it
’
s lo ngevity in
it
.
,

s s el f s ubsi s tence
-
in its sel f renova tion ! Out of the
,
-

d a rk it co mes a rra yed in je w el s a cra wling m a ga zine of

dea t h in it in it
,

s ire s u n k n ow n purpo s e s a ble to renew

it
,

s y outh a n d fa ble for m a n imperish a ble li fe ! Wonder ful

a l s o a re it
,

s mimicries I t s ometimes borro w s colours of

the e a rth on w h ich it
.

repose s the trees on which it h a ng s

, ,

n ow seem s covered with eyes a n d the spect acled sn a ke ‘ ’

,

a ppe a red to h a ve a rtifici a lly a dded to its vi s ion A lto

geth e r it is unique a mong n atura l forms a n d it
.

s v a st ,
 M ON K E YS HOR R OR
’
O F S N A KE S

history in religious S pecul a tion a nd my t holog y does

credit to the obs erva tion of primitive ma n .

R ecent experiments h a ve shown the monkeys s ta nd in

the g re a te s t terror of sn akes S uch terror is mo re a nd
.

more recogni s ed as a surviva l in the E uro pea n ma n The .

S e rpent is a lmo s t the only a nim a l which can fo llow a

monkey up a tree a nd there a tta ck its you ng O ur .

a rborea l a nth ropoid progenitors could bes t h a v e bee n

developed in some pl a ce n a tura lly enclos ed a nd fo rt ifi ed ,

a s by precipices which qu a dru ped s could not sc a l e but ,

whic h a pes might rea ch by swinging a n d lea pin g fro m

tree s But
. there could be no seclu s ion where the S erpent
could not follo w I a min fo rmed by the King of B onny
th a t in h is region of A frica the only s erpen t
.

whose worship
is fully m a int a ined is the N om bO/z (Le a per) a sm a ll sn a ke
, ,

w hite a nd glistening who s e bite is fa t a l a n d which clim b

, , ,

ing into t rees s p ri n gs thence upon its prey beneath a nd

, ,

c a n tr a vel fa r by le a ping from bra nch to bra nch The .

first a rbore a l ma n who a dded a little to the n a tural

de fences of a n y s itu a tion might st a nd in tra dition a s
a god pl a nting a g a rden ; but even he w ould not be

s upposed a ble to devi s e a ny a bsolute me a ns of de fence

a g a in s t the subtles t of all the bea sts A mong t . he

th ree thin gs S olomon found too wonderful for him w as
‘
the w a y of a serpent upon a rock (P rov x x x
’
. .

This comp a ra tive supe rio rity of the S erpent to a n y a n d all

devices a n d contriva nces known to primitive me n whos e —
proverbs mu s t h ave m a de most of S olomon s wisd om ’

would nece s sa rily h a ve it s e ffect upon the a nim a l a nd

men t a l nerves of our ra ce in e a rly times a n d the S erpe nt

would find in h is sa nctity a condition fa voura ble t

,

o
t
surviva l a n d multiplica tion It is this fa a l power of
.

s upers tition to ch a nge fa ncies into rea lities w hich w e

find still p rotecti n g the Serpent in va rious count ries .
 THE W O RM .

t m i Am i — Th V il d S p t
A n Africa n Serpen d ra - — Th A k
a n er ca e e e er e n e r

ft t—A R d — Th W m t
—
o h C e ov en an — A E pi d h
a ron s
’
o e or n so e on e

D ii I l t
i— Th S —T
nv o u
p h B mb i tR m e S p t
era es e a no a o e er en

t f mt
ra n s or i a on s .

ON the eve of J a nu a ry 1 1863—th a t historic N e w Y ea r s ’

D a y on which Pre s ident L incoln p rocl a im e d fr e e d o m t

, ,

A me rica n sl a ves — I w a s present a t a W at chn i gh t h e l d by

negroes in a city of th a t country I n opening the me e t
,

ing .

—
the pre a cher sa id though in word s w hose elo qu ent s h o rt
B rethren a nd s i s t e rs t
,

comi ngs I ca nnot reproduce he ‘

,

P resident of the United Sta tes h a s promi s ed th a t if the ,

C on federa tes do not la y down their a rms he will fr ee a ll ,

their sla ves to morrow They h a ve not l a id dow n th eir

-

To mo rro w will be the d a y of li berty to t

.

a rm s -
h e op
pre s s ed Bu t
.

. we a ll kno w th a t evil po w ers a re a round

the P res i d ent While we sit here they a re trying to m a ke
.

him bre a k h is word But we h a ve come together to wa tch

.
,

a n d s e e th a t he does not b re a k h is word Brethren the .

,

—
ba d influen ces a round the Pres ident to night a re stron ger
th a n a n y Coppe rhe a ds The Old S e rpent is a broa d to
1

n i ght w i th a ll h is emi ss a ries in grea t power His wrat

.

, h , .

is gre a t bec a u s e h e know s h is hour is ne a r

,
He will be in .

1
A d dly S t
ea h k ouol d lik t
ern h il
sna w hi h it
e, c l k h d oure e e so on c ur s, a

b mt
eco e h t m f p lit
e cu rre n ii nawh w hil p f
e ori g l y lt
o yt o th
c ans o, e ro ess
s
o a e

U n ion, a id ed t
h ose wh o sough t t
t h w it
o over ro .
 A FR I CA N SE RP E N T D R A M A I N A M E R I CA -
.
333

t
hi s church this eveni n g A s midnight comes on we sh a ll
B ut
.

h e a r h is r a ge brethren a nd siste rs don t be a l a rmed ’

.
.
, ,

O u r pra ye rs will preva il His he a d will be bruised His

. .

b a c k will be broken He will go raging to hell a n d God

.
,

A l mighty s N e w Y ea r will m a ke the United S ta tes a true

’

l a n d of freedom
’
.

T h e sen s a tion c a used a mong the hundred s of negroe s

p r e s ent by these wo rd s w a s pro found ; they were frequently

i n terrupted by cries of Glory ! a nd there were te a rs or ‘

j y
o . B u t the s cene a n d excitement which followed were
in de s c rib a ble A fe w m ome n t s be fore midnight the con
t
.

g g
r e a io n were r e q ue s ted to kneel which they did a n d , ,

pra yer succeeded p ra yer with incre a s ing fe rvour Pre

s en t
.

ly a loud prolonged hiss w a s hea rd

,
There were .

c ries He s here ! he s here !

’
Then c a me a volley of
’ ’

hi s s es ; they seemed to proceed from eve ry p a rt of the

room hi sses s o entirely like tho s e of huge serpents tha t
t
,

h e strongest n erves were s ha ken ; a bove them rose the

pre a cher s pra yer th a t ha d become a wild inca nta tio n a nd
’

ecsta tic ej a c u l a tio n s beca me so universa l th a t it w as a

m a rvel wh a t voices were le ft to m a ke the h isses Fin a ll y .
,

fr om a neighbouring steeple the twelve strok e s of m id

ni ght sounded ou the frosty a ir a nd immedi a te ly the ,

hi sses diminished a nd p resently died a way a ltogether

, ,

a nd the N e w Y e a r t h a t brought freedom to four millions

of sl a ve s w a s ushered in by the j ubil a nt cho rus of a ll

resent si n ging a hymn of victory

p .

Fa r h a d come those hisses a nd th a t song of victory ter

minat
,

in g the dra gon d ra m a of A meric a

-
In them wa s the
set t
.

burd en o f E zekiel : Son of m an

‘
hy fa ce a g a in s t ,

P hara oh king of E gypt a nd prophesy a g a inst him a n d

, ,

against a ll E gypt s aying Thus s aith the L ord Jehova h

, ,

Behold I a m a ga inst thee Ph a ra oh king of E gypt the , ,

gr ea t dr a gon th a t lieth in the midst of the rivers I

will put a hook in t hy j a ws In them was the burde n of ’
.
334 THE VE I L E D SE R P E N T .

I s a i a h : In th a t d a y Jehova h with h is sore a n d g r e a t a nd

‘

s trong sword sh a ll puni s h L evi a th a n the pi e rc in g s e rp ent ,

even Levi a th a n th a t crooke d serpent : he sha l l s la y the

dra gon th a t is in t h e s ea In it w a s the cry o f Z o p h a r :
.
’

His me a t in his bowels is turned it is the g a ll o f a sps ,

with in him He h a th swa llowed down riches a n d h e s h all

vomit them up a ga in : God sh a l l c a st them o u t
.
,

o f his

belly A nd these Hebrew uttera nce s a ga i n w e r e b u t

.
’
,
the ,

dist a nt echoes of fa r e a rlier voices of those A fri c a n s l a ves

s till seen pictured with their ch a ins on the ruine d w a ll s of

E gypt — voices th a t g a thered courage at l a s t to a n n o u nce

the never ending struggle of ma n with Oppressio n a s th a t
,

-
,

comba t between god a n d serpent which never h a d a n obler

event th a n when the dying hiss of S la very w a s h e a rd in
A me ric a a n d the victoriou s S u n rose upon a N ew W orld
,

o f free a n d equ a l men .

Th e Serpent thus ex a lted in A merica to a typ e o f op

p res sio n is very d ifle re nt from a ny s n a ke th a t m a y th is

d a y be found wors hipped a s a deity by the A fric a n in h is

n a tive l a n d The swa rthy sn ake worshipper in h is mig ra -

tion took his god a lon g with him in his che s t or ba s ket—a t
.

—
once a rk a nd a lt a r a n d in th a t hiding pl a ce it u nd e rw ent -

t ra n s form a tions He emerged as the protea n emblem of

.

both good a n d evil In a mythologic sen s e the serpe nt

certa inly held it s t a il in it
.

s mouth N o civilis a tio n h as

.

rea ched the end of its typic a l suprem a cy .

C oncerni n g the a ccomp a nying E leusini a n form (Fig

et
.

C a lm s a ys Th e mys terious tru nk ,

co ffe r or b asket ma y be justly reckoned

, ,

a mong the most rem a rk a ble a n d s a cred

in s trumen t s of worship which formed part

ce remonies in t
,

of the processio n a l he

t
m he athen world Thi s w a s held s o s a cred
fi g , .

Gm"
,

“ w
i h; t ha t it w a s not publicly exposed to view ,

o r publicly open ed but w a s re s erved for the i nspecti on

,
 THE WO R M

serpents D a nte a nd M ilton c a ll Sa ta n a w o r m N o

doubt a mong t he t
. .

.w o hundred n a mes for the S erpent s a i d ,

to be mentioned in a n A ra bic work we s hould find p a ra lle ls

to t
,

hi s old a d a pta tion of the wo rd worm In countri es .

’

a s G e rm ny
a a n d —
E ngl a nd where no l a rge se rpents a re
found the popul a r im a gin a tion could n ot
, be impresse d by
merely s aying th a t S iegfried or L a mbton ha d s l a i n a
sn a ke Th e tortuous ch a ra cter of the s n a ke w as pres erv e d
.
,

but by th a t uncon s cious dexterity which so o ften a ppea r s

,

in the m a king of myths it w as exp a nded s o a s to incl u d e

The L a mbt
,

a power of supern a tura l tra ns fo rm a tio n on

wor mcomes out
.

of the well very sm a ll but it a fterw a r ds ,

coils in nine huge folds a roun d its hil l Th e h ag ridd e n -

d a u ghter of t
.

h e King of N orthumberl a nd who ,

e pt i t
o
crh ole a w o m n a r

A nd ou ttptf i s e a a r la d ye,

d id but follow the legend a ry rule of the demonic serpe n t

t
db e

Why w as the S erpent s lipped into the A rk or co ffe r a n d

hid behind veil s ? To a nswer this w ill req uire here a n
epi s ode .

In the E tru sc a n theology a n d ceremoni a l the s uprem e

power w a s lodged with cert a in deities th a t were never s ee n
They were c a lled the D zz I n voln t N ot
.

z the veiled gods

’ ' '

, .

even the priests ever looke d u pon them When a ny dire

c a la mi t
.

y o c curred it w as s a id these myste ri ou s deities h a d

,

s poken their word in the counci l o f the gods — a wo rd ,

a lw a ys fi n a l a n d fa t a l .

The re h a ve been fine theo ri e s on the subject a nd the ,

E tru s c a ns h a ve been compli m ented for h a ving high tran s

c e nd e nt a l views of the invi s ible n a ture of the D ivine Bei ng

Bu t
.

a more p ro s a ic theory is prob a bly t rue These god s .

were Wra pped up beca t is e they were not fit to be seen .

The ru de ca rvi ngs of some sa va ge tribe they ha d been

.
,
 D ]! I N VOL U TI .
337

seen a nd adored at first : temples h a d been built for them

a nd their priesthood h a d grown power ful ; but as a rt
,

ad

v a n ce d a nd bea uti ful sta tues a rose these rude de s igns ,

could not be a r the contra st a nd the only w a y of pres erv,

ing reverence for them a nd the institutions grown up ,

a round them w a s to hide them out of sight a ltogether

,
.

Then it could be s a id they were so divinely be a uti ful

th a t the senses would be overpowered by them
There h a ve been m a ny veiled deities a n d t hough t
.

hei r ,

veils h a ve been ra tion a lised they a re e a sily pierced The

in s cription on the temple of Isis a t
.
,

Sa i s w as I am ‘

th a t which h a s been which is a n d which sh a ll be a nd no

Isis a t
, , ,

o n e h a s yet li fted the veil th a t hides me this time ’

.

h a d proba bly become a negro M a donn a like th a t s till ,

wors hipped in S pa in a s holiest of im a ges a n d c a lled by the ,

s a me title Our Imm a cul a te L a dy A s the fa ir ra ce a n d ’

.
,

the d a rk mingled in E gypt the primitive N ubi a n com ,

plexion a n d fea tures of Isis could not in s pire such reverence

a s more a nciently a n d be fore her a lso a curt a in w a s hung
, .

Th e A rk of M o s es ca rried this veil into the wilderness a n d

'

t ttr ctive to look a tproba bly two

,

conce led object

a s n o a a —
scra wled stones some bones s a id to be those of J oseph a
t
, ,

p o o f s o-
c a lled m a n n a a n d the st a ff,
s a id to h a ve o n ce
been a se rpent a nd a fterw a rds blos so med Fa shioned by .

a rude tribe the A rk w a s a fit thing to hide a n d hidden it

, ,

h as been to this d ay When the veil of the Temple w a s

r ent — a llegoric a lly a t
.

, the death of Chris t a ctu a lly by ,

Titu s — nothi n g of the kind w as found a n d it would s eem

,

th a t the Jews must long h a ve been worshipping before a

veil with emptines s behind it P a ul d iscovered th a t the .

veil sa id to h a ve covered the fa ce of M oses when he de

scended from S in a i w a s a myth it mea nt th a t the people
sh ould not see t o the end of wh a t w a s n everthele s s tra n
VO L I
. . v
 SE R AP HS A N D B AM B I N O .

sient Their minds were blinded ; for u n t o t his day

‘

when M oses is rea d th a t veil is on their he a r t

. ,

Kirch er s ays the S era phs of Egypt were i ma g e s w ithout

.
,

a ny e m me ncy of li mbs rolled as it were in s w a ddling

clothe s p a rtly m a de of stone p a rtly of m e t
,

a l w ood or

shell S imil a r im a ges he sa ys were ca lled by t

, , , ,

h e R om ans

A s a n a ge of scepticism a dva n c e d it
.
, ,

s ecret god s
‘ ’
was

sometimes necess a ry th a t these involu t

.
,

i s h o u ld be ‘

slightly revea led lest it should be sa id there w a s n o god

there a t
,

a ll S uch is the c a se with the fa mou s ba mbino of

This e fligy s a id t
.

A ra cce li C hurch in R ome o h a v e been

c a rved by a pilgri mout of a tree on the M ount

.
,

o f Olives

a n d p a inted by S t
,

L uke whil e the pilgrim w a s s lee pi ng

is now kept in it s a rk a n d visitors a re a llowed t o s e e part
. .

of it
,

s p a inted fa ce When the writer of this re q u e sted a

sight of the whole form or of the hea d a t a ny r a te t
.

he
exhibiting p riest w as a stounded a t
, ,

the suggesti o n No
doubt he w as right the only wonder is tha t the fa c e is not
.

hid a ls o for a more ingeniously u gly thing th a n t he flat

, ,

bla cke ned a n d rouged visa ge of the b a mbino it w ere d iffi

cult to conceive Bu t
,

it we a rs a very cunning veil n ever

t Th e fa ce is set in m a rvellous brilli a nt s but t
.

h e le s s hese
a re of less e ffect in hiding it
.
,

s ugline s s th a n the vesture o f

mythology a round it Th e a dj a cent w a lls a re cove red .

with pictures of the mi ra cles it h a s performed a nd which

h a ve a ttra cted to it such fa ith th a t it is s a id a t
,

one ti m e
t o h a ve received more medic a l fees th a n a ll the ph ysici ans

in R ome together Priests h a ve di s covered th a t a veil

.

over the mind is thicker th a n a veil on the god Such .

is the popu la r veneration for the b a mbino tha t in 184 9 , , .

the R epublic a ns thought it politic to present the monks

with the Pope s sta te coa ch to ca rry the idol a bout In t
’
he .

end it w a s proved th a t the Pope w as securely seated beside

 C H A P TE R V .

A P O PHI S .

The N t li t
i Th y
a ura s c e or of A o
p ph is — Th e Serpe n t T e Epi
of m— i c of

t
h W m — Th A p
e or e s of t
M eli e— V a n qu ish ers of T im—N h e ac a sh

Beria ch —Th e Se rpen t —

Spy T rea d ing on
- Serpen t s.

THE consideration s a dva nced in the previous ch a pter e na bl e

us to di s mi s s with fa cility m a ny of the ra tion a listic int e r
re ta tio which h v e been a dva nced to expl a in t h
p n s a e

monstrous s erpents of s a c red book s by re ference to ima

g in a ry s pecies supposed to be now extinct Flying serpe n ts .
,

s n a kes m a ny he a ded ra in b rin ging wom a n h a ting & c

-
,
-
,
-
, .
,

ma y be su ffe red to s u rvive a s the fa un a of bibliola trou s

im a gin a tions S uch form s however a re of s uch myt
.
,
ho ,

logic i mport a nce th a t it is necess a ry to w atch ca refully

a g a inst this m ethod of re a listic interpret a tion es peci al ly ,

a s there a re m a ny a ctu a l ch a r a cte ri s tics of s erpents su ffi

c ie n tly my s terious to con s pire w ith it A recent in s t a nc e .

of this litera lis mm a y here be noticed .

M r W R C oope r s uppose s the evil serpent of E gypti a n

. .
1
.

M ythology to h a ve a re a l b a s i s in a l a rge a n d unidentifie d

s pecies of coluber of g re a t st rength a n d hideous lo ngitude
’

which w a s e ven fro mthe e a rlie s t a ge s a ssoci a ted as t

, ,

,
he ,

representa tive of s pi ritu a l a n d occ as ion a lly phys ic a l evi l

a n d w a s n a med Hof R e h of or A pophis the d es t t
, ,

, roy er ,
h e , ,

enem y f o M e g od s a n d the d ev ou,r er of the soul s of m e n .

’

1
See hi l ds d l ble tt
ea rne i an Th S p t
va ua h of A i t
My t rea se, e er en s nc en

Egypt H d wi k 18 73
’
. ar c e, .
 N A TU R AL I S TI C THE O R Y .
34 1

Th a t such a cre a ture he a dd s once inh abited t h e L ibya n

desert we h a ve the testimony of both Ha nno the Ca rt
, ,

, ha
gini a n a nd L uca n the R om a n a nd if it is now no longer a n
inh a bita nt of th a t region it is prob a bly owing to t
,

, he
a dva nce of civilis a tion h a ving driven it fa rther south
’
.

A pa rt from the extreme improb a bility th a t A frica n

explora tion should h a ve brought no rumours of such a
mon ster if it existed it ma y be s a id concerning M r C oope r s ’

I f in d e ed t
, .

theory : ,
h e re fe rence s cited were to a reptile
,

now unknown we might be led by mythologic a n a logy to

,

expect th a t it would h a ve been revered beyond either the

A s p or the C obra In proportion to the fe a r ha s genera lly
.

been the exa lta tion of its objects Primitive peoples h ave .

genera lly g a thered courage to pour invective upon ev il

—
monsters when either from their non exi s tence or ra rity -

there w a s le a s t d a nger of it s being pra ctic a lly resented a s a

pe rs on a l a ffront The regul a r folds of A pophis on

.

the sa rcoph a gus of Seti I a nd elsewhere a re so e vidently .

mys tica l a n d convention a l th a t a pp a rently they re fer to a , ,

serpent form only as the guilloche on a wa ll may re fer to

-

s e a w a ves
-
A pophis (or A pa p) would h ave been a decora
.

tive a rtist to fold himsel f in such order .

The s e impossible l a byrinthine coils suggest Time a s ,

the s erpent with its t a il in its mouth signifies E ternity

Thi s w as the in t
,

a n evolution of the s a me ide a e r re

p
t at
.

ion given by a c a re ful schol a r the l a te Willi a m Hick s on 1

, ,

to the proces sion of nine persons depicted on the sa rco

h a gu s mentioned a s be a ring a serpent e a ch holding a
p ,

fold a ll bei ng regul a r enough for a frieze

,
Th e scene s a ys .
,
’

this a uthor a ppe a rs to rel a te to the La st J udgment for

, ,

Osiris is seen on his throne p a ssing s entence on a crowd ,

be fore him ; a nd in the s a me t a ble a ux a re depicted the

river th a t di v ides the living from the dea d a n d the bridge ,

T me d F it
1 h i 204
i G oom
an b idg 1857
a ,
’
. . r r e, .
of li fe Th e dea th of t h e serpent m a y pos s ibly b e in t en d e d

to symbolis e the e nd of time This ide a of lo ng d u ra t

.

’
io n
might be a genera l one rel a ting to a ll time o r it mig h t
.

re fer to the dura tio n of indi v idu al life ; it in v o lv e d n a t

,

ur

a lly the evi ls a nd a go n ies of li fe ; but the fu n d a m en t al

conception is more s imple a nd a lso more poe tic t h a n eve n

, ,

these impl ic a tions an d it mean s ete rna l wa st e a n d d e c a y

,
.

One has need only to sit be fore a clock to s ee A p o p h is

there coil u pon coil w inds the ever moving mon st e r w h os e -

tooth is remorseless dev ou ring little by little t he st r e n gt

,

, h
an d m ajesty of m a n an d re ducing h is gra n d es t a c h ie ve

m e nts ev en his u ni ers e t Time is t

,

— v — o dust h e u n d y in g .

Worm .

God h a ving m a de m e w orm I m ake you—s m oke

T ho gh sa fe y ou amele s ess ce f ommy t
.
,

u r n roke s en r s

t
,

Ye d o I gna w n o less
t
Love in h e h ea r , s ars tt t
in h e liv id s pa ce,
Go j ealou s,
d — a kin
g m
v aca n t
th y us ou r p la ce

tl y t
,

An d s ea ou r w i n esses.

t tfl m m w ld b w
S ince h e s ar a es , an ou e ron g ttho ea c

T t t ’ w r
ha he gra ve s o m t h gl y h ca n n o suc or rea c

N gh t l i m au re a s sav e e.

W it hi t h bl t
h t h m bl
’
n e ue, a s l b I li
n ea e ar e s a e,

I b it t e a th t it
on ce hi t h ky
e s ar w n e s

t t
,

Th pp l h e a e on e ree.

T g wy
o na ti t m tgh tm
on s ar s no ore ou o e

Th anh gi g g p
an n i f S i ily ;
ra es on v n es o c

I lip t h y t h t f ll c e ra s a a

E t it
e rn y yi ld t etpl d b s no o s en ou rs ra v e.

Fly tll t d i d gh t
an , a crea u res e, a n n ou ca n save

tll t
,

Th
t
i ll e con s e a ons a .

Th y h ip h igh i t
e s arr s h t
h n e e er sea,

M t t t t t
,

li d w k
an i h d h irechi g h llnb e en s n s a e

d ig d S t t
us p s
Th b e roa r n e a u rn os s
i Si i t h d by m d y
-

T o ru n r u s, ou c e e, eca

A t mll b t f mI t
,

s h e s a h oa y ro aca a w a

T h tt tK lym a s e e rs o a n os.
1

1 The Epi f t
c o h W m by Vi tH g
e or ,T lt
’
d by B y d T yl
c or u o. ra ns a e a ar a or

fro m La Légende d en Siecles

34 4 N A CHA SE B E R I A CH:

of him sel f or Typhon who were sometimes des c r i b e d as

,

brothers a nd sometimes a s the sa me beings F r o m the

R itu a l of t
.

‘
h e D e a d we le a rn th a t it w a s the high p riv ile ge
a n d t a sk of the heroic de a d to be reconstruct ed a n d go
forth to encounter a nd subdue the a gents of A po p h is w ho ,

sent out to enga ge them the crocodiles Se b He m a n d , ,

Shui a nd other crocodiles from north south e a st a n d w es t ;

the hero h a vi ng con q ue red t hese a c q u ires their mi g h t
, , , ,

and , ,

next preva ils over the w a lking viper R u a n d so o n w ith

other de mons c a lled precursors of A pophis unt il t
‘
h eir
’

prince himsel f is encountered a nd sl a in a ll t

,

h e h e ro s
’

gu a rdi a n deities a ttending to fix a kni fe in ea ch o f t

,

he
mon s ter s folds These a re the Va nquishers of Time
’
.
,

the immort a l
In A pophis we find the Serpent fa irly develop ed t
.

o a

principle of evil He is a n a ccuser of the su n the t w e lve

.

ga tewa ys into Ha des a re su rmounted by his repres e n t a

t ive s which the Su n must p a ss—twelve hours of night He
is a t once the N a cha sh beriach a n d N a c ha s h a kt
, .

’ ’
a lon

t h e C ross ba r serpent a n d the Tortuous se rpent

‘
-
’
— which ‘ ’

we meet with in I sa xxvii 1 : In th a t d a y the L ord

. .
‘

with h is sore a n d gre a t a n d strong swo rd sha ll punish

levi a th a n the pie rcing s erpe n t even levi a th a n th a t c rooked
,

serpent Th e m a rgin a l tra n s la tion in the E nglish ve rsion

.
’

is crossing like a ba r inste a d of piercing a n d the V u l

‘ ’

m
, ,

gate h a s serpens m This re fers to the mora l function

of the serpent a s b a rring t
.

,
h e w ay or gu a rding the door ,
.

N o doubt th is is the crooked serpent of Job xxvi 1 3 ‘ ’

for t h e a strologic a l sense of it does n ot

.
,

inva lid a te the

terrestri a l significa nce Im a gin a tion could only project
into t Boch a rt
.

h e hea vens wh a t it h a d lea rned on e a rth .

in identi fying N ach ash be ria ch a s the flying Serpent

‘ -
’ ‘ ’
,

is q uite right : the S era ph or winged S e rpent which , ,

ba rred the w a y to the tree of li fe in E den a n d in some ,

tra ditions w a s the t rea cherous gu a rd a t the ga te of the
g a rden a nd which bit Isra el in the wilderness w a s this
, ,

sa me protea n A pophis For such t ask s a nd to soa r .

,

into the celesti a l pl a nisphere the Serpent must n eeds ,

h ave wi ngs ; and thus it is a lrea dy fa r on its w ay to

become the flying D ra gon But in one fo rm as the .
,

betra yer of ma n it must lose its wings a nd cra wl upon

,

the ground for ever The S erpent is thus not so much

.

a g a thodemon a n d k a k od e m on in one form a s a principle

of de s t ruc t
,

iveness which is sometimes employed by the '

deity to punish his enemies a s Horus employs fie ry Kheti , ,

but s ometimes requires to be himsel f punished .

There h a ve been doubts whether the fa mili a r deriva tion

of 64 m serpent from 61h the eye s h a ll continue
, , , S ome ,
.

con n ect the Greek word with 3x59 but C urtius m a i nt a ins ,

th a t the old deri va tion from is correct E ven we re

1
.

this not the etymology the popul a rity of it would e q u a lly

,

suggest the fa ct th a t thi s reptile w a s of old supposed

to kill with its gl a nce ; a n d it w a s a lso ge n era lly rega rded
a s gi fted with praet e rn a t
u ra l vision By a s imil a r pro .

ce s s to tha t which developed a venging Furies out of the

de t —
ective d a wn E rinys from Sa ra nyu Sa ta n from L uci fe r 1
1
,

— thi s subtle Spy might h a ve become a lso a retributive

a n d fin a lly a m a lign a nt po w er Th e Furie s we re por
t
.

ra y e d be a ring serpent s in their h a nds a n d e a ch of the s e ,

might ca rry ide a lly the terrors of A pophis : Time a lso is

a detective a n d the guilty he a rd it s a ying Y our sin w ill ‘

find you ou t
, ,

’
.

Th rough m a ny a ssoci a tio n s of this kind the S e rpent

bec a me a t a n e a rly period a n a gent of orde a l A n y on e .

h a ndli ng it with impunity w as rega rded a s in le a gue

with it or speci a lly hedged a bout by the deity whose
,

1
Pi
r nciples of Gree k E t
yml gy oo ii 63
,
’
. . Englis h tl t
i
rans a on.
1
See pp 8.and 20 .
34 6 TR E AD I N G ON SE R P E N TS .

‘
h a nds formed the crooked se rpent It ma y h av e be e n .
’

a s sn a ke ch a rmers th a t M oses a n d A a ron a ppe ar e d b e

-

fore Ph a ra oh a n d influenced his im a gi n a tion ; or if t he

it
,

s tory be a myth s existence still s hows th a t s e rp e n t

,

pe rform a nces would the n h a ve been rega rded as c re d e n

t ia ls of divine a uthentic a tion S o when Pa u l w as ship .

wrecked on M a lta where a viper is s a id to h a ve fas ten e d

on h is h a nd t h e ba rba ria ns h a v ing a t
,

firs t in ferred th a t
he w a s a murderer whom though he h ath esca ped t
, ,

,
‘
he
sea ,
yet V enge a nce su ffereth not to live conclud ed h e ,
’

w a s a god when they found himunh a rmed Innu mera ble .

tra ditions preceded the words a scribed to C hri s t (L uke x .

‘
Behold I give unto you power to tre a d on s e rpents
,

a n d sco rpions a n d over a ll the pow e r of the enemy a n d

nothing sh a l l by a ny me a ns hurt you It is inst ructive t

, ,

’
o .

comp a re thi s sentence a ttributed to C h rist with the notion

of the b a rb a ri a ns concerning P a u l s a dventure wh a tever it
’

ma y h ave been Pa ul s fa mili a rity with the S erpent se ems ’

to them proof t
.

h a t he is a god Such a lso is the idea .

represented in I sa xi 8 Th e su cking child sh a ll pla y

. .
,
‘

on the hole of the as p But the idea of tre a ding on ’

.

serpents m a rks a period more nea rly corr esponding to

th a t of t h e in fa nt Hercules stra ngling the serpents Y et
though these two concep t
.

—
ions s e rpent trea ding and -
,

serpent sl a ying — a ppro ach e ach other they a re very

-
,

di fferent in source an d signi fi ca nce bot h mora lly a n d

hi s torica lly Th e word used in L uke era rein conveys t
,

he -

ide a of w a lking over something in m ajesty not in hos t

.
, ,

ility ;
N ot
,

it must be inte rpreted by the next sentence (x

withst a nding in this rejoice n ot
.

,
th a t the spirits a re subject ,

u nto you (7 a meép a r a h or de a cme)? Th e s e rpent sl a yer -

-

or dra gon sl ayer is not of S emitic origin Th e a wful

-
.

suprem acy of Jehova h held a ll the powe rs of des truction

ch a ined t o his h a nd a n d to a s k m a n if he could dra w out
 C H A P TE R V I .

THE SER E P NT IN I NDIA .

t
The Ka nka o na — The Ve dic Serpen s n o w orsh ipfu l— A n a n a a nd tt t
— t
S esh a Th e Healing Se rpe n — t
Th e gu ard ia n of rea s u r e s — M iss
B kl d
uc t
h
an y P imit
— ’
si t
i li m U d w
e or r ve ra on a s n er o r ld
p lu o t
y— R i d ligh t
c ra c i g— V i
a n ant Hi ty f t
— h w n n r ra s or o e o rd
‘
Ahi
'

— Th A d d — Z hak—A T ti L k
e er o eu on c a o oon.

THAT Serpent worship in Indi a w a s devel o p e d by

-

euphemism seems su fficiently s hown in the fa m o u s V ed ic

hymn c a lled K a nka t o na recited as a n a ntidot e a ga i nst
,

a ll venom of which the following is a tra nsl a tion

, .

1 S ome cre a ture of little veno m

.
; some cre a t u re o f
gre a t venom ; or some venomous a qu a tic reptile ; c re a t u res
of two kind s both destructive of li fe or poisonous u nseen
, , ,

cre a t u re s h a ve a nointed me with their poison

, .

2 Th e a ntidote coming to the bitten pers on destroys

‘
.

the u ns een venomous cre a ture s ; dep a rting it d e stroys

them ; deprived of substa nce it destroys the m by it s

odour ; being g round it pulverises them .

3 .Bl a des o f s a r a gr a ss of k nsa r a o f afa r

,
/M a o f s a iry a , , ,

of m f the h unt un een venom

’

j
nn a o w r a n a a ll a o f s ou s

cre a tu re s h ave together a nointed me with t

, ,

, heir venom .

‘
4 .T h e cows h a d l a in do w n in their s t a lls ; the wil d
be a sts h a d retrea ted to their l a i rs ; the s enses of me n were
at rest ; when the unseen venomou s crea tures a nointed m e

with their venom .

 R AN R A TO N A
’

.
34 9

3 . Or th e y ma y be discovered in the d a rk as thieves ,

i n the dusk of evening ; for a lthough they be u n seen yet

a ll a re seen by them therefore men be vigil a nt , .

6 Hea ve n serpents is your fa ther ; E a rth your

.
, , ,

mother ; S om a your brother ; A diti your sister ; unseen

, , ,

a ll seeing a bide in your holes ; enjoy y our own good

-
,

ple a s u re .

7. T hose who move with their sho u lders those who ,

move w ith their bodies those who sting with sh a rp fa ngs , ,

those who a re virulently venomous ; wh a t do ye here ye ,

unseen dep a rt togeth er fa r from us

, .

‘
8 Th e a ll seeing S u n rises in the E a st the destroyer
.
-
,

of the u nseen driving a wa y a ll the unseen venomous

,

crea tures a n d a ll evil spirits

t
.
,

9 . T h e S u n h a s risen on high destroyi n g a ll h e m a ny ,

poi s o ns ; A ditya the a ll seeing the de s troyer of the unseen

,
-
, ,

rise s for the good of li ving beings .

10 I deposit the poison in the sol a r orb like a lea thern

.
,

bottle in the house of a vendor of spirits ; v erily th a t a dor

a ble S u n never dies nor thro u gh his fa vour s h a ll we die
of the venom ; for though a fa r off yet d ra wn by his , ,

cours ers he will overt a ke the poi son : the science of a nti
dotes converted thee Poison to a mbrosi a , , .

1 1 Th a t insignific a nt little bird h a s swa llowed thy

.

venom ; s h e does not die ; n or s h a ll w e die for a lthough

a fa r off yet dra wn by his cou rs ers the S u n will overt a ke
, , ,

the poi s on : the science of a ntidotes h as converted thee ,

Poison to a mbrosi a
, .

12 M a y the thrice seven sp a rk s of A gni con s ume the

.
-

influence of the ve n om ; they verily do not perish ; nor

sha ll w e die for a lthough a fa r off the Su n d ra wn by his , ,

coursers will overta ke the poison : the science of a ntidotes

,

h a s converted the e P oison to a mbrosi a

1 3 I recite the n a mes of ninety an d nine rive rs t
, , .

. he ,
35o VE D I C S E R P E N TS N O T W O R SHI P F UL .

destroye rs of poison a ltho ugh a far off the S u n d r a wn by

his cours ers will overt a ke t
, ,

, he poison : the scien c e Of a nti

dotes will convert thee Poi s on to a mbrosi a , , .

14 M a y the thrice s even pea hens the s e v e n s is ter

.
-

,
-

ri v ers c a rry off 0 Bod y thy poison as m a i d e n s with

, , , ,

pitchers c a rry a wa y wa ter

mungoose ca rry o ff t
.

1 5 M a y the insignifica nt
. hy
venom P oiso n : if not I will crush the vile crea t u r e w ith
, ,

a s tone so m a y the poison dep a rt from my bod y a n d go ,

to dista nt regions
16 Ha stening forth a t th e comm a nd of A gas ty a t
.

. h us ,

sp a ke the mungoos e : The venom of the scorpio n is in

nocuous ; Scorpion thy veno mis innocu ous ,
1 .
’

Though in the sixth verse of this hymn the s e rp en ts

, ,

a re s a id to be born of He a ven a n d E a rth the c o n tex t ,

does not w a rra nt the idea th a t a ny hom age to th e m is

intended ; they a re associ a ted wi t h t he evil R a ksh a sas ,

the S u n a nd A gni being represented a s their h a te rs a nd

destroyers The seven sister rivers (stre a ms of the sa cred
.
-

G a nges ) supply a n a ntidote to their venom a nd c e rtain

a nim a ls the p a rtridge a n d t
,

, h e mungoo s e a re s a id though , ,

ins ig n ifica nt to be their superiors Th e science of a n ti

, .

dotes a lluded to is th a t which Indra ta ught to Da d hyan ch

who los t his he a d for communic a ting it to t
,

h e A sw in s It .

is not a ble however th a t in the V edic period there is no

, ,

thing which represents the serpent as medicin a l unl e ss by ,

a round a bout process we connect the expressio n in the

R ig V eda th a t the wra th of the M a ruts or stor mgods is

- -

with the fa c t th a t t
, ,

a s the ire of serpent s heir chie f R u dra

’
, , ,

is celebra ted a s the bestower of hea ling herbs a nd they ,

’

themselves solicited for medica ments This would be ‘

.
’

stretching the sense of the hymns too fa r It is q uite pos

sible however th a t a t
.

, a l a ter d a y when serpent w orship

, ,
-

1
Rig -
ved a ,
’
v. (W ilson) .
352 THE HE AL I N G SE R P E N T!

a nd power of ca s ting its old skin a pp a rently r e n e w ing it s ,

youth may h a ve been the b asis of this reput a ti o n N o

,
.

doubt a l s o they would h ave been men of scie n ti fic t e n d en

cies a n d of close obs erva tion w ho fi rs t lea rned t
, ,

h e s nake s
’

su s cep tibilities to music a nd h ow its poison m ight be d r a w n

or e ven its fa ngs a n d who so g a ined repu ta tion a s p a r t
, ,

,
a k e rs

of its supposed powers Through such primitive ra t ion a l

.

ism the Serpent might g a in a n import a nt a lli an ce a n d c li mb

to m a ke the a s p c rown of Isis a s goddes s of he a l t
-
h (t he
Th erm ut h is) to t w ine round the s t a ff of E sc u la piu s to
be emblem of Hippocra te s a nd ultim a tely su rvive t
, ,

o be

the sign of the E urope a n leech twining a t

,

l as t a s a red
stripe round the ba rbe r s pole The primitive zool ogist
,

’
.

a n d sn a ke ch a rmer would not only in a ll likelihood be a

-
, ,

ma n cunning in the secrets of n a ture but he would study ,

to meet as fa r a s he could the popul a r dem a nd for p a lli a

t iv es a n d a ntidotes a g a inst sn a ke bites ; a ll who e sca pe d -

de a th a fter s uch wounds would incre a s e h is credit a s a

pra ctitioner ; a n d even were h is mitiga tions necess a rily fe w
h is knowledge of the S erpent s h a bits a n d of its va rie t
,

’
ies
m ight be the source of va lu a ble preca utions .

S uch proba ble fa cts as these must of cours e be re fe rre d , ,

to a period long a nte rior to the poetic s erpe n t symbolis m -

of E gypt a n d the el a bor a te Serpent mythology of Greece

,

a n d Sc a ndin a vi a How simple idea s h a ving once ga ined

. ,

popula r prestige ma y be c a ught u p by theologi a n s poets

, , ,

met a physici a n s a nd q u a ck s a nd modified into m a ni fold

, ,

fo rm s re q uires no proo f in a n a ge when we a re witnes s ing

the ra tion a li s tic interpret ations by which the cros s t
,

he
s a cra ments a n d the other pl a in symbols a re inve s ted wi t
,

,
h
a ll m a nner of philosop hic a l me a nings Th e S e rpent h a v .

ing been a dopted a s the sign post of E gypti a n a nd A ss yri a n

-

doctors— a n d it may h a ve been something of th a t kind tha t

w as set up by M oses in t
h e —
wilderness would n a turally
 THE G U ARD I A N OF TR E A S U RE .

b ecome the symbol of li fe a nd a fter th a t it would do duty ,

in a n y c a pa city wh a tever .

A n ingenious a nthropologi s t M r C S t a nil a nd W a ke 1

, . .
,

s u ppo s e s the S e rpent in Indi a to h a ve been there a lso the

s ymbol of p re tern a tu ra l a n d occult knowledge Possibly .

thi s ma y h a ve been s o to a limited extent a nd in post ,

V edic time s but to me the a ccent of Hindu serpent

,

mythology a ppe a rs to be em ph a tic a lly in the hom a ge p a id

to it a s the gu a rdi a n of t h e tre a s ures I ma y mention he re
also t
.

h e theo ry propounded by M i s s A W Buckl a nd in . .

a p a pe r s ub m itted to the A n thropol ogica l Institute in

London M a rch 10 1874 on Th e S erpent in connection
‘
, , ,

with P r imitive M eta llurgy I n thi s le a rned monogra ph .

’

the write r m a inta ins th a t a connection ma y be observed

between t h e e a rly s erpent wors hip a n d a knowledge of -

met a ls a n d i n deed th a t the Serpent w a s the sign of Tu ra

,

ni a n met a llurgists in the s a me w a y as I h ave sugges ted

tha t in E gypt a n d A ss yri a it wa s the sign of physici a ns .

Sh e believes th a t the S erpent must h a ve pl a yed s ome p a rt

in the o rig in a l discovery of the meta ls a n d precious stones
by ma n in recognition of which tha t a nim a l w a s firs t
,

a s sumed a s a tote m a n d thence bec a me a n emblem

ent at
.

Sh e st a tes th at t ra dition a l a n d orn a m ion a l evidences

show th a t the Tura ni a n r a ces were the first workers in
met a ls a n d th a t they migra ted wes twa rd proba bly fro m
, ,

t
Indi a to E gypt a n d C ha ld ze a a nd the nce to E urope a n d
even to A me ric a be aring their a rt
, ,

a n d its sign a nd th a

they fled before the A rya ns who h a d the further a rt

,

of

a n d th a t t
,

s melting ,
he A ry a n myths of serpent sl a ying -

record the overth ro w of the Tura n i a n s e rpent wo rs hippe rs -

.

I c a nnot think th a t M i s s Buckl a nd ha s m a de out a c a se

for crediti ng nom a dic Tura ni a ns with being the origin a l

1
In a paper ( n th iO igie r n of Serpen worship, t-
’
rea d b e fore t
h A t
e h
n ro

ph ologica l I ns t
itti L d
u e n on on, D ece mbe r 17, 18 72.

VO L I . .
354 M I SS B U CK LA N D S THE OR Y ’
.

meta llu rgists ; though it is not impossible th a titma y

h ave been a Scythi a n tribe in South ern Indi a w h o g a v e
its fa m e t o the gold of Oph ir which M a x M iille r ,
’

h a s s how n to h ave been proba bly a n Indi a n r e g i o n l

But
.

th a t these e a rly je w ellers may h ave h ad the S e r p e n t

as the ir sig n or emblem is highly prob a ble a nd in e x
pla n ation of it there seems little re a s on to res ort to t
,

he
hypothesis of a id h a ving bee n given by the Serpen t to ma n
in his d iscove ry of meta l s S urely the jewelled dec o ra t ion
.

of the serpent would in itsel f h a ve bee n a n obvio u s s u g

ge s tion of it as the emblem of gems Where a reptil e for .

—
some re a sons a ssocia ted with the sn ak e the to ad h a d —
n ot the like bright spots the cogn a te superstiti on mi g ht
a rise th a t its jewel is conce a led in it
,

s he a d A n d fi n ally
when these reptiles h a d been connected with gems t
.
, ,

h e e ye ,

of either would e a sily receive a dded ra ys from m a ni fold

eye bea ms of s upers tition

-

We might a lso credit the primitive people with su ffi cien t

.

logica l power to understa nd why they s ho u ld in fer th a t a n

a nim a l so wonder fully a n d el a bora tely provided with dea d

lin e ss a s the Serpent should h a ve t a sk s of correspondi ng

impo rt a nce Th e medicine which he a led ma n (there fore
.

po s s ibly god s) the tre a s u res va lued most by men (there fore
by a nthropomorphic deities ) the fru it of immo rta li t
,

y (which
the gods might wis h to monopoli s e) might see m t
,

— he ,

supreme things of va lue which the supreme perfectio n of

,

the serpent s fa ng might be crea ted to gu a rd Thi s might

’
.

be s o in the hea vens a s well a s in the world or the under

world The ra i nbo w w a s c a lled the Celesti a l S erpent in ’

Pers i a a n d the old notion tha t there is a ba g of gold a t

.

,
the
end of it is known to m a ny a n E nglish a nd A me rican
child .

Wh a tever may h a ve been the n ature of the origin a l sug

1
Sc ience of L anguage, 1. 230.
356 R A I N A N D LI GH TN I N G .

hiding fa ta lly striking w a s gra du a lly a s soci a te d w ith

undula tions of rivers a nd s ea wa ves on t h e ea rt h w it
, ,

h -

the M ilky w a y with coverers of the sky n ig h ta n d

,

- — ‘ ’

cloud a bove a ll wit

,

— h the d a rting crooked fork t o n g u e d -

lightning It ma y h a ve been the li ghtning th a tw a s

, , ,

the A mrita churned out of the a zure s e a in t h e my t

.

h
of the M a h abh ara ta when the god s a n d demon s t u r n e d
‘ ’
,

the mount a in with a huge se rpent for cord (p me a n

ing the descent of fire or its di s covery ; bu t
.

oth er fa ir ,

a n d fruit ful things emerged a lso — the goddes s o f w i n e

the cow of plenty the tree of he a ven Th e inh a bit a n t
, ,

of Burm a h still h a ve a custom of pu lling a t

.
,

a rope to p ro

d uce ra in A rain p a rty a n d a drought p a rty tug a g a i ns t

.

e a ch other the ra in pa rty being a llowed the victory w h i ch

, , ,

in the popul a r notion is genera lly followed by ra in I .

h a ve o ften seen sn a kes hung up a fter being killed to b ring

ra in in the S ta te of V irgini a For there a lso ra in mea ns
, .

we a lth It is there believed a lso th a t howeve r much it ma y

.
,

be crushed a sn a ke will not die entirely until it thunde rs

,
.

The s e a re d i s ta nt echoes of the V edic sentence s Fr iend .

V i s hnu sa y s Ind ra stride va s tly ; s ky give room for the

’

thunderbolt to strike ; let us s l a y V rit

, ,

ra a n d let loose the

wa ters When Th u nderer thou d idst by thy might sl a y

’ ‘

V rit
.
, ,

ra who stopped up the stre a ms then thy d e a r steeds ,

,

grew ”

V rit
.

ra tho u gh from the s a me root a s V a run a the s ky)

(
mea ns a t
, ,

fi rs t a coverer of the s ky— cloud or d a rkne ss ;

hence eventu a lly he becomes the hider the thie f who , ,

s te a l s a n d conce a l s the bounties of he a ven — a ra inle s s

cloud a su ffoca ting night ; a nd eventu a lly V rit ra co a le s ces

with the most fe a rful ph a nt a sm of the A ry a n mind t

,

— he
s erpent A h i .

The G reek word for A dder éxt s is a modific a tion of ,

’

Ah i P erh a ps there exists no more wonderful ex a mple

.
 VR I TR A A HI 57

of the unconscious ide a lism of hum a n na ture th a n t he

h isto ry of the n a me of the gre a t Thrott ler a s it h a s been ,

tra ced by Pro fessor M a x M uller The Se rpent w a s a lso .

c a lled a h i in S a nskrit in Greece ee/zis or , in La tin

a n ui
g s
. T h e ro ot is a ]: in S a nsk rit or a nt/z which me a n s , ,

to press together to choke to throttle It is a curiou s

, ,
.

r oot thi s a m fz a nd it still l ives in severa l modern word s

I n L a tin it a ppe a rs a s a ngo a nxi a not
, ,

a m to stra ngle ; in , , ,

a ng ina q uins y ; in a nger su ffoc a tion But a ngor me a nt

n ot
.
, ,

only q uin sy or compress ion of the neck : it a s sumed a

mora l import a n d signifies a ngui s h or a nxiety The two
a djectives a ng ust
.
,

us n a r ro w a n d a nx zns une a sy both c a me

'

, , , ,

from the s a me root I n Greek the root ret a ined its na tura l
.

a n d m a teri a l me a ning ; in eggy s ne a r a n d a id s serpent , , , ,

th rottler But in Sa n s krit it w a s chosen with grea t truth

.

a s the proper n a me of s in E vil no doubt presented itsel f

.

under va riou s a spects to the huma n mind a nd its n a mes ,

a re m a ny ; but no n e so expressive as tho s e derived from

our root a m/z to throttle A mit

, a s in S a nskrit me a ns sin
.
,

but it does so only bec a use it me a nt origin a lly throttli ng

— the consciou s ne s s of sin being lik e the gra sp of the
a ss a ssin on the thro a t of the victim A ll who h a ve seen .

a nd contempl a ted the s ta tue of L a okoon a nd his son s ,

with the serpent coiled a round them from hea d to foot ,

may rea lise wha t those a ncients felt a nd s a w when they

ca lled s in a m/za s or the th rottler This a mlza s is the sa me
, .

as the Greek ag os s in In Gothic the s a me root h as pro

, .

d u ce d ag is in the sense of fe a r a n d from the s a me source

, ,

we h a ve a w e in a wf u l in fe a rful a nd ng in ug ly
, , Th e
, , .

E nglish a ng u is h is from the French a ng oise a corruptio n

of the L a tin a ng ns t
,

ie a stra it 1
In this wonderful hi s to ry
, .

of a word w hose biogra phy a s M a x M iille r in his Hib

, ,

bert Lectures s a id of D ev a might fill a volume m ay a lso

, ,

1
Lect
u es o Languag
r n e, 1. 4 35 .
358 TII E A D D E R .

be included our og re a n d a lso the Germa n u nke which , ,

me a ns a frog or to a d but origin a lly a s n a k e espe

‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘ -

c ia lly t t
,

he little house sn a ke whic h pl a ys a la rg e -

pa r in

T eutonic folklore a d
n w as supposed to,
b rin g g o od lu c l
r
1
.

This eu p h e mistic vari

a nt is ho w e v e r the only , ,

e xceptio n I ca n find
to the ba le fu l b ranches
into whi c h t he root
a]: h a s g ro w n t hrough
the world ; o n e of it s

fe a rful fru its b e i ng t he

a ccomp a ny in g figure
copied fro mo n e of t
,

he
orn a menta l b osses of
Wells Cath e d ra l .

The A dde r d e m
F"
onhas

been universa l Herodotus rel a tes th at from a m o n ster half

w om a n h a l f serpent S pra ng the S cythi a ns a nd t
.
,

,
-
,
h e fa ble has ,

o ften been reme mbered in the histo ry of the Tu rks The .

Zoh ak of Firdu s i is the Ira ni a n form of A hi Th e nam e fs

the A ra bicised form of the A zh i D a h ak a of the Avest

.

‘ ’
a

the b a ne ful serpent v a n quished by Th ra et a on o (Trait

.

’
ana

of the V ed a s) a n d this Ira ni a n n a me a g a in (B asa k a) is Ahi

Th e n a me re a ppe a rs in the M edi a n A s t

.
,

1
Zo h ak is
y g
a es .

represented a s h aving two serpents growing out o f h is

s houlders which the l a te Pro fessor Wilson supposed m ight

h ave been suggested by a ph ra se in the K a nka t
,

o n (
a y e

a n s ya ye a n gyah ) which he tra nsl a tes Thos e who m ove

,
'

with their shoulders those who move with their bodieS .

which however may me a n those produced on t

,

, ,
he ‘

1 G imms
r yt
M hology, p 650 ff
’
mrock
Si p 0
44 .
t t l f t t t
.
. .
,

J h G m O y 2 16 E:
’
e n al Soc ie vol
1
h
Ro h, in ri
‘
ou rna o er
e e an 11. p
l id t
d t yt
. .
,

has e uc h h l m
a e h e w o e .
360 A TE U TO N I C L A O K O O N .

still told by mothers to their chil d ren in some d i s t r ic t s of

Germ a ny It rel a tes th a t a little boy a n d g ir l w e n t into

the fields t A fter they h a d g a t
.

o g a ther stra wberries h ered

they met a n a ged wom a n who a sked for so m e o f t
.

,
h e fruit .

Th e little girl empti e d her b a sket into the o ld w o m

’
an s

la p ; bu t the boy clutched his a n d sa id he w a n t e d h is

berries for himself When they ha d pa ssed on t

,

. h e o ld w om an

c a lled them ba ck a nd presented to e a ch a littl e b o x The

girl opened hers a nd found in it two white c a t
.
,

e rp illa rs
which speedily bec a me butte rflies then grew t
,

, o b e a n gels

with golden wings a n d bore her a wa y to Pa ra d is e The

boy opened his box a n d from it issued t wo t
.
,

in y b l a ck
worms ; t
,

hese s w i ftly swelled to huge serp e n ts w hich

twining all a bout the boy s li mbs drew him a w a y in t
,
,
’
,
o

the d a rk forest ; where this Te u tonic L a okoo n s t ill re

m a i ns to illu stra te in his helplessness the mi gh t y p ower
of littl e fa u lt s t
o grow into ba d ha bits a nd bind th e whole
man .
 THE BASI L I SK .

Serpen t m— Th e Ba s ilisk s —Bas i cu s mt rat — Hou se

’
Th e s ge
’
e ye i
l s i us

s n akes in R us sia a nd m y— Ki g ke — He ld ic d go
Ge r an n -
sna s ra ra n

—
Hen ry I I I M elus in a e — Th L id l y W o m
a e r —V ict
o io
r us d go ra ns

t
.

— P en d ra gon— M erli n a nd Vor igern —M ed icinal d ragon s .

A D RA GOO N once pre s ented him s el f be fore the Frederick

Gre a t a n d o ffered the king a sm a ll pebble which he s a id , , ,

h a d been cut from the he a d of a king sn a ke a n d would no -

,

doubt prese rve the throne Frederick proba bly trusted

more to dr a goons th a n dra gons bu t
.

he kept the little ,

curiosity little knowing perh a ps th a t it would be a s pro

, , ,

lifi c of legend s a s the cock s egg to which it is popul a rly

’
,

tra ce a ble in cock a trices (whose n a me ma y h ave given rise

to the cock fa bles) or b a sili s ks It has n ow ta ken it
,

-
s .

pl a ce in Germ a n folklore th a t Frede rick owed his gre at

n ess to a fa mili a r kept n e a r hi m in the form of a b a si lisk

Bu t
.

there a re few p a rt s of the world where simil a r legends

might n ot s pri ng up a n d coil round a ny fa mous reput a tion

A n Indi a n newsp a per the L a w ren ce Ga z et t

.

e h a ving men

t
, ,

ion e d th a t the ex king of Oudh is a collector of sn a ke s

-
,

a dd s P erh a ps he wishes to become posse s sed of the

precious je w el which some serpents a re s a id to cont a in or ,

of th a t species of sn a ke by whose m e a ns it is sa id a pe r , ,

s on c a n fly in the a ir D r D enny s in w hose work on

’

C hinese Folklore this is q uoted finds t

. .
,

h e sa me notion in ,
 THE SE RP E N T S GE M ’

C hin a In one story a foreigner repeat e d l y t r ie s t o pur

ch a se a butcher s bench but the butcher r e fu s es t o sell it

.

suspecting there must be some hidden va l u e in t

, ,

h e article;
for this re a son he puts t h e be nch by a n d w hen t he
foreigner returns a yea r a fterwa rds lea rn s fr o mh imthat
,

lodged in the bench w a s a sn a ke kept a li v e b y t

,

h e blood
t n it ut
,

s o a king hrough it which h eld a precious m i s m o h

, g e

— q uite w orthless a fter the sn a e w a s de a d C i h i

k u r s n g s

s tupidity a t h a ving put the bench out of u s e t

.

h e butcher
cut it O pen a nd found the serpen t dea d h o ld in g in it
,

mouth something like t

,

h e e ye of a dri ed fi sh .

Here we h a ve two items which m a y only b e a c cidental

a nd yet on t
.

h e other h a nd possibly posses s s ig n ificance

Th e superior knowledge a bout the serpent a t tr ib u ted t
.
, ,

o:

foreigner m ay indic a te th a t such stories in C hina are

‘ ’

t ra dition a lly a lien imported w ith the Bu d d h is ts ; and

,

the comp a riso n of the dea d gem to a n eye ma y a dd a

little to the proba bilities th a t this m agica l j ew e l whet her ,

in hea d of to a d or serpent is the reptil e s eye a s s ee n by ’

the g la mour of hum a n eyes The eye of the ba s i lisk is at

,

once its wea lth producing its fa scin a t ing a nd it

.

-
, s p a ralysi ng ,

t a li s m a n th o ugh all these belie fs h ave their va rio u s sources

a nd their seve ra l represent a tions in myt hology That it
,

w a s see n as a gem w a s due a s I think t o t

.

h e jewelled, ,

s kin of most serpe nts which gra d u a lly m a de them sy m bols

o f riches ; th a t it w a s believed a ble t
,

o fa scin a te m ay be

a ttributed to the gener a l principles of illusio n a lready

considered ; but its p a ra lysing power it s ev il eye co nnects

it with a notion found a lik e in E gypt a nd Indi a that

, ,

, ,

the se rpent kills with its eye A mong Sa nskrit words for
se rpent a re d n g ozlr/za a nd d r is/zt
.

‘ -
i v is /za
’
— literally ‘
-

‘
h aving poison in the eye ’

While all serpents were lords a nd gu a rdi a ns of wealt

.

h .

c ert a in of them were crested or h a d s m a ll ho s i

rn w h ch
, ,
 6
3 4 [I O U SE SN -
AK E S
becoming extinct There were fa bulous cre a tures e nough
.
,

however to perpetu a te the b a sili s k s im a gi n a ry powers

,
’

some of which will be here a fter considered We ma y de .

vote the rem a inder of thi s ch a pter to the considera tion of

a va ri a nt o f dr a go n mythology which must be cle a red out
-
,

of our w a y in a pprehending the D ra g on This is the

a ga t
.

h od e m on ic or hera ldic D r a gon which h a s inherited ,

the euphemistic ch a r a cters of the tre a sure gu a rding a nd -

crowned serpe n t .

I n Sl a vonic legend the ki ng serp ent pl ays a l a rge pa rt -

,

a n d innumera ble stories rel a te the glories of some pe a sa nt

child t h a t m a n aging to secure a tiny gem from his crown

, ,

while the reptili a n mon a rch w a s ba thing found the j ewel ,

d a ily surrou n ded with new tre a sures This is the s a me .

s erpent which g a thering up the myths of lightning a n d of

,

comets flies through m a ny Germ a n legends a s the red

,

D ra ke K olbu k A lp or A lbe rflecke dropping gold when it

, , , ,

is red corn if blue a n d yielding v ast services a nd powers

, ,

to those who ca n m agica lly m a ster it The h a rmless ser .

pents of Germ a ny were u n iversa lly invested with a ga tho

d em onic functions though they still h e a r the n a me th a t
,

rel a tes them to A h i viz u nken O f these hou sehold ,

.
, .

s n a kes Grimm a n d S imrock give much in form ation It .

is s a id tha t in field s a n d houses they a ppro a ch solita ry

children a nd drink milk from the d i s h with them On .

their he a d s they wea r golden crowns which they lay down ,

be fore drinking a nd s ometimes fo rget when they retire

They wa tch over children in the cra dle a n d point ou t
.
,

to ,

their favourites where tre as ures a re hidden To kill them

b ri ngs mi s fortune I f the p a rents surprise t
.

h e sn a ke with
the child a nd kill itthe child w a s tes a wa y Once the
.

.
,

sn a ke crept into the mouth of a pregn a nt wom a n a nd ,

when the child w a s born the sn a ke was found closely

c oiled a round its neck a n d could o n ly be unt w ined by a ,
 KI N G SN A K E S . 6
3 5

milk ba th ; but it never le ft

-
the child s si d e lept ’
, t
a e and s

with it a nd never did it h a rm I f such se rpents le ft a house

or fa rm p rosperity went wi t
, .

,
h them I n s o me regio ns it is .

s aid a m a le a n d fem a le sn a ke a ppe a r whenever the m aster

or mistres s of the house is a bout to die a n d the legend s of ,

the U nkmsometime s rel a pse into the o rigin a l fe a r out of

which they g rew Indeed their venge a nce is eve rywhere
.
,

much dre a ded while their gra titude e s peci a lly for milk is
, , ,

a s imperish a ble a s might be expe c ted from their a nce s tor s

’

qu a rrel with Indra a bout the stolen cows In the Ges t a .

R om a n oru mit is rel a ted th a t a milkm a id w a s regul a rly

a pp ro a ched a t milki n g time by a l a rge s n ake to which

-

s h e g a ve milk Th e m a id h aving le ft her pl a ce her s u c

.
,

ces s or found on the milking stool a golden crown on -

,

which w a s insc ribed In Gra titude Th e crown w a s sent

‘ ’

to the milkm a id w h o h a d gone b u t

.

from th a t time the ,

s n a ke w a s never seen a g a in 1
.

In E ngl a nd serpents were m a stered by the vows of a

s a intly Ch risti a n Th e Kni ght Bra n in the Isle of Wi ght
.

is s a id to h a ve picked up the cock a trice egg to h a ve been ,

pu rsued by the serpents which he esca ped by vowi ng to

build S t
,

La wrence C hurch in th a t isl a nd

.
— the egg h a vi ng ,

a fterw a rd s brought him endles s we a lth a n d uni form success

i n comba t With the m a ni fold fa bles concern ing the roya l

.

d ra gon would s eem to blend tra ditions of the astrologica l ,

celesti a l a nd lightning serpent s But the s e wou ld coincide

, .

with a development a rising from the terrestri a l worms

a n d their heroic S l a ye rs The demonic dra gon with his
.

t e rrible eye might di s cern from a fa r the a dvent of his

p rede stined destroyer It might seek to devour him in .

in fa ncy A s the comet might be deemed a portent of

.

some powerful prince born on e a rth so it might be a com

t t t
,

p lim e n o a roy a l fa m ily on the birth o f a prince o

,
report ,

1
G ste Rom cap 68
a ,G imm M yt h 650 ff Simock p 4 00
. . r
’
s , . r , . .
366 HE R ALD I C D R A G O1V .

th a t a d ra gon ha d been seen N or would it be a long step

from this offi ce of the d ra gon a s the hera ld of grea tness t
.

pl a cing th a t monster on ba nners From these ba nne rs .

'

would grow sa ga s of dragons encountered a nd sla in The .

devices might thus multiply Some proces s of thi s kin d

would a ccount for the entirely good reputa tion of t
.

he
dra gon in Chin a a n d J a p a n where it is the emblem of a ll
n a tion a l gra nde u r It wou ld a lso a ppe a r t
,

. o underlie

the proud titles of the Pythi a n A pollo a n d Bellerophon

ga ined from t
,

h e monsters they were s a id to h a ve sl a in

The city of Worms ta kes it s n a m e from the serpen t
.

inste a d o its sl aye

f r l —
Pendra go n in the past a n d eve n
our dra goon of the present a re n a mes in which t
.
,

— he
horrors of the mons ter becom e tra nsformed in the hero s ’

fa me Th e dra gon s ays M r Ha rdwicke w a s the sta nd a rd

of t
.
.
, ,

h e We st Sa xon s a nd of the E nglish previous to the N or

ma n Con q uest It formed one of t
'

. h e supporte rs of the roy a l

a rms borne by a ll the Tudor mon a rchs with the exceptio n

of Queen M a ry who substituted t

,

, he e a gle S evera l of .

the P la nt agenet kings a nd princes inscribed a figure of

the dra gon on their b a nners a nd shields P eter La ngt ofi e
'

says a t
.

the b a ttle of Lewis fought in 1264 The king ‘

s c h ew e d fort
, , ,

h his schild his dra gon full a ustere A nother ’

a uthority s a ys t
.
,

h e s a id king (Henry I I I ) ordered to be .

m a de a d ra gon in the m a nner of a b a nner of a certa i n

‘
,

red silk e mbroide red with gold its tongue like a fl a min g
fire m u s t a lwa ys seem to be moving ; its e yes mus t be
m a de of s a pphire or of some othe r tone suita ble for th a t
,
~

purpose 2
.
’

It will thus be seen tha t a n influence has been intro

d u ce d into dra gon lore which h a s no rel a tion wha tever to
the demon itsel f This will expla i n those v a ri a nts of t
-

. he

1
hers deri e t
Ot he n m
v e f omt
h a r e a ncien t
B bt
mg or e o a us.

t
Trad i ions ,
p 44
. .
368 V]C TO R I O U S D R A GON S .

In t h e end the prince m a n aged to h a ve the wicked Q u een

tra ns formed into a toa d which in memory thereo f a s every
, ,

N orthumbri a n boy knows spit s fire to this d a y : but it is

nota ble tha t the sorceress w as n ot
,

tra ns formed into a

dra gon a s the sto ry would proba bly h a ve run if the d ra go n
form ha d not a lre a dy been deta ched from it
,

s origin a l

ch a ra cter a n d by m a ny noble a ssoci a tions be en rendered

,

a n honoura ble thoug h fe a r ful sh a pe for m a iden s like thi s

p rince s s a nd like M elu s in a .

In the sa me direction point the legends which sho w

d ra gon s a s someti m e s victo rious over their heroic a ss a il
a nts Geoffrey of M onmouth s o rela tes of King M orvid u s
w h o encountered a dra gon t
.

of N orthumbri a , h a t ca me
fro m the Iri s h S e a a nd w a s l a st seen disa ppea ring in
t
,

h e monster s j a ws like a sm a ll fi sh A more fa mou s

’ ’
‘
.

in s ta nce is tha t of Beowul f whose A nglo Sa xon s aga is ,

-

s ummed up by Pro fessor M orley a s follo w s A fter wa rd

the broa d l a nd c a me under the swa y of Beowu l f He .

held it well for fi fty winters unti l in the d a rk night a ,

dra gon which in a ston e mound w a tched a ho a rd of gold

,

a n d cups w on m a stery It w a s a ho a rd he a ped up in s in

it
, . ,

s lords were lo n g since de a d ; the l a st e a rl be fore dying

hid it in the e a rth ca ve a n d for th ree hundred winters t

-
he
grea t s ca t
,

h er held the c a ve until s ome m a n findi n g by

, ,

cha nce a rich cup took it to his lord Then the d en w as

, .

sea rched while the worm slept ; a ga in a n d a ga i n when the

'

dra gon a woke t here ha d been the ft He found not the ma n

but wa sted the whole l a nd with fire ; nightly t
.

h e fiendish
a ir fi ye r m a de fi re grow h a te ful to the sight of men
-
Then
it was told t
.

o Beowul f He sought out the dragon s

’

One wound t
.

d e n a n d fought with him in a wful stri fe he .

poison worm st ruck in the flesh of Beowul f Whereo f

- .
’

Beowul f died .

E q u a lly sig n ifica nt is the legend th a t when King A rthur

 P E N D R A G ON . 6
3 9

had em ba rked a t South a mpton on his expedition a ga inst

R ome a bout midnight he sa w in a dre a m a be a r flyi n g ‘

in the a ir a t t
,

, h e noise of whi ch a ll the shores trembled ;

a lso a terrible dra gon flying from the west which
, ,

enlightened the country with the brightness of its eyes

When these t
.

w o met they h a d a dre a d ful fight but the

dra gon with its fiery bre ath burned t
,

h e be a r which as
s a u lt e d him a nd thre w him do w n scorched to the e a rth
’

, .

This vi s ion w a s t a ken to a ugu r A rthur s victory Th e fa ther

’
.

of A rthur h a d a lre a dy in a m a nner consecra ted the

symbol being n a med Uther Pendragon (dragon s hea d)

,
’
.

On the de a th of his brother A u reli u s it w a s told there ,

‘

a ppe a red a sta r o f wonderful m a gnitu de a n d brightness

’

d a rting forth a ra y a t t
,

h e end of which w a s a globe of

fire in form of a dra gon out of who s e mouth issued t
,

, , wo
r a ys one of which seemed to stretch out itsel f tow a rds the
,

Iri s h Se a a n d ended in seven lesser ra ys M erlin in ’

t e rpre t
, .

e d thi s phenomenon to me a n th a t Uther wou ld be

m a de king a n d conquer va rious regions ; a nd a fter his

first victory Uther h a d two golden dra gons m a de one of ,

w hich he presented to Wi n che s ter C a thedra l reta ining ,

the other to a ttend him in his wa rs

In the l e gend of M erlin a nd V ort igern we find t
.

he
D ra gon so completely developed into a merely wa rrior
like symbol th a t its mora l ch a ra cter has to be determined
by its colour A s in the two a rmies of serpents seen by
.

Z oro a ster in Persi a n legends which fought in the a ir

t h e victory of the white over the bl a ck foreshowing t
, , ,

he
triumph of Ormuzd over A hrim a n the tyra nny of V or ,

tigern is represented by a red dra gon while A urelius a n d

Uther a re the t
,

w o he a ds of a white dra gon M e rlin a bout .

,

to be buried a live in pursu a nce of the a strologer s d ecla

,
’

ra tion to V o rtigern th a t so only would his ever fa lli ng wa ll -

s t a n d firm ha d revea led th a t the recurring dis a ster w as

,

VO L . I .
2 A
376 M E R LI N AN ! ) VO R TI GE R N .

ca used by the struggle of these t

w o dra gons u nderground .

When the monsters were unea rthed they fought terribly ,

until the white one

Hen tt
h d it h ll h i m
e re w ight a s

A d t t d h h im t
,

n h g o e r ou n e cas

ith t f h i bl t
,

A d n h fi w e re o s as

A lt t t t
, ,

g h b
o e h er d re n e re

Th t
,

a f h im
n e ve r of d h w as oun en s red ;
B t d tp
u t h g
us u d h l y
on e r ou n e a .

The white dragon va nished a nd was seen no more ; but

the tyra nt V ortigern fulfilled the fa te of the red d ra gon
being burnt in his ca s t
,

le nea r Sa lisbury These two .

dra gons met a g a in however as red a nd white roses

, , .

M a ny development s corre s ponding to these might be

cited One indeed be a rs a s t a rtling resembl a nce to ou r
.

E nglish legends .O f King N u a t M e ia m ou n w ho s e con ,

quest of E gypt is pl a ced by G M a spero a bout B C 664 6 54

. . .
-
,

the E thiopi a n Stele of the D re a m rel a tes His M aj esty

beheld a drea m in t h e night two sn a kes one to his right
, , ,

the other to his le ft (a n d ) when His M aj esty a woke

,

he sa id : E xpl a in these things to me on the moment a nd ,

’

10 ! they expl a ined it to him s a ying : Thou wilt h a ve the

,

Southe rn l a nds a n d seize the N orthern a n d the two

, ,

crowns will be put on thy he a d (for) there is given unto

thee t
,

h e e a rth in all its width a n d its b re a dth These

’

t
.

wo sn a kes were prob a bly suggested by the u re i of the

E gypti a n di a dem .

Beyond the glory reflected upon a monster from his

con q ueror there would be re a s on why the a lchemist an d
t
,

he wiz a rd should encoura ge th a t a spect of the dra go n .

Th e more perilous th a t Gorgon whose blood E s c u la piu s

used the more costly such medic a ment ; while th a t the
, ,

remedy may be a dva nta geous the monster must not be

.
,

wholly destructive This is so with the now dest ructive

.
 ( 372 )

C H A P TE R V I I I .

THE D RA GO N S '
EY E .

The E ye of E vil — T u rn er s D ra gons— C lou d pha n

’
t
oms — P arad ise a nd

t
-

t
h S e n a ke — P rome t
h eus an d J ov e — Ar and N ate— D rago
ur n

m
for s : A nglo S ax on , I
-
tli
a an , t
E gyp ia n , Greek, Ger m
an —The
mod e rn con v en t
ion al D ragon .

THE etymologies of the word s D ragon a n d Ophi s given

in the preceding ch a pter ide a lly the s a me both re fer t ,
o ,

powe rs of the s erpent which it does not possess i n n a ture

— the pra t e rna t
u ra l vision a n d t
,

h e gl a nce th a t ki lls The .

re a l n a ture of the s n a ke is thus overla id ; we h a ve now to

d e a l with the crea tion of a nother world .

There a re va riou s convention a li s ed types of the D ra gon ,

—
but thro ugh them a ll one fe a tu re is const a nt the ide a lised
It
,

s e rpe nt . s pre s ence is the demonic or supern a tu ra l s ign .

Th e heroic dra gon s l a yer mu s t not be s upposed to h a ve

-

wres t
-

led with mere fle s h a n d blood in wh a tever powerful

for m Th e comb a t which immort a lises him is wa ged w ith
,

a ll the p a ins a n d terrors of e a rth a n d he a ven concentra ted

a n d combined in o n e fe a r ful form .

Imposs ible a n d ph a nt a sm a l a s w a s thi s form in n a ture ,

its mys tica l me a ning in the hum a n mind w a s terribly rea l .

It wa s thi s E ye of a nti hum a n n a ture which filled ma n with

-

dism a y a n d co nj u red up the typica l ph a ntom It w a s thi s

, .

Pa in purposed a nd purpo s ing the A gony of fa r se a rching

, ,
-

visio n subtlest skill silently c reeping winged a d a pted to

, , , ,
 THE E YE OF E VI L .
373

meet his every device with cleverer device which gra

a ,

d u a lly impre s sed m a nkind with belie f in a genera l prin

c iple of a nt a goni s mto hum a n h a ppines s .

It is only a s a combin a tion th a t a n y d ra gon form is

mira culou s E very co ns tituent fe a ture a n d fa ctor of it is
.

in n a ture but here they a re rolled together in one p a nd

monic expression a nd terror Y et no such form loses it
,

. s

rel a tions with n a t u re : it is lightni n g a n d tempest fever ,

be a ri n g m a l a ri a a n d fire venom a n d fa ng s lime a n d

, ,

j ungle a ll the ferocities of the e a rth a ir a nd he a ven s

, , , ,

g athering to their fa ta l a rtistic fo rce a nd wa yl a ying ma n

at
,

eve ry s tep in his a dva nce In Tu rne r s picture of.

’

A pollo s l a ying the Python there is a m a rvellous s u gges

tion of the n a tura l conception s from whic h the dra go n w a s

evolved The fe a rful fold s of the monster undul a ting .

with mou nd a n d rock on which he lies a t

.
,

points a lmo s t
blend wi t
,

h ta ngle of bu s hes a nd the j a gged ch a os a mid

which he stretches Th e h a rd wild cru el a spect s of in
. , ,

a n im a te n a ture s eem here a n d there ra nkly s w elling to

ho rrible li fe a s yet but h a l f di s tingui s h a ble from the

-

st ony he a rted m a t r ix ; t
,

-
h e cra g be gin s to coil a nd quiver
t
,

h e j ungle puts forth in cl a ws ; but a bove a ll a ppe a r the

mon s t rous E Y ES in which the forces of p a in h a rd s hip
ob s t a cle h a ve a t
, , ,

l a s t a cquired purpo s e a nd direction

Th e god con front s them with eyes ye t
.

keener ; his a rro w

fe a the red with eyebe a m s h a s re a ched it
,

, s m a rk st ra ight ,

bet w een the mon ste r s eyes ; but there is no more a nger
’

in h is fa ce th a n might ma r the c a lm strength of a ga rdener

cle a ring a w a y the stone a nd thicket th a t m a ke the con
st it u ent p a rt
s of P ython

I f we turn n ow to the neighbouri n g pict u r e in t

.

he
N a tion a l G a llery by the s a me a rti s t the Hespe ri a n ,

G a rden s a n d their Gu a rd we behold the D ra gon on his

hi gh cra g outli n i ng a n d vit a li s i ng n ot on ly t
,

h e ed ge of
 TU R N E R S D R A G ON S ’
.

rock but a l s o the s ky it mee t s His bre a th ste a m u p .

s

into cloud Th e hea ven s a ls o h a ve their ter ro rs which

.
,

t a ke on eyes a nd coils On the line of the horizon were

hung the pictures of the primitive a rt
.

g a llery I m agin a -
.

tion p a inted them with brush dipped now in bl a cknes s of

the storm now in fire s of the lightning or the s u ns et but
, ,

the forms were born of experience of e a rthly stru ggle , ,

de fe a t a n d victo ry
, .

A s I write these wo rd s I la y a side my pe n to look ,

a cross a little l a ke a mid the lonely hills o f Wa les to a

s u nset which is flooding the s k y with glory Through the .

a lmost gree n i s h s ky the w ind is be a ring fa nt a stic cloud s ,

th a t sometimes ta ke the s ha pe o f cha riots in which cloud ,

v eiled forms a re s e a ted a n d n ow gre a t bird s with va rie

g a ted plum age a ll h a stening a s it

,

,
we re to some ga thering
pla ce of a eri a l gods Bene a th a long ba r of m a roon tint
.
-

stretches a s e a of yellow light on the hither side of whic h ,

is set a g a rden of fle ecy trees touched with golden fruit

A mid them pl a ys a fount a in of ch a nging colours On t
.

he .

le ft h as stood fa s t a s a mount a in ra nge a m a s s of d a rk

, ,

blue cloud with uneven pea ks s uddenly a pink fa int glo w

shine s from behind th a t lea den m a ss a nd next a ppe a rs
sinuous with it
, ,

s long indented top the mighty fold s of a

fiery serpent N ay its he a d is seen it s y a w ning l a cer t

,

.
,
ine ,

j a ws its tinted c rest It is sleepless L a don on h is high

, .

ba rrier keeping wa tch a nd wa rd ove r the He s peri a n

g a rden
J uno set him the re but he is the son of Ge t
.

,
— h e e a rth .
,

Th e tints of he a ven inve s t a n d tra ns form a n d in a sense

crea te him but he would never h a ve been born myt
,

h olo
ic a lly h a d it n ot been th a t in thi s w orld sting s h over ne a r
g
a ll sweetne s s d a nger environs be a uty a n d as Pl a to s a i d
, , , ,

‘
G ood things come h a rd The g ra ce a nd lu s tre of the .
’

serpent with his fa ta l fa ng preceded him a n d a ll the peri ls ,

376 P A R A D I SE A N D THE SN A K E .

S erpent, heroes h a d given b a ttle to the whole fra te rnity .

N a y in thei r pl a ce h a d a ri s en a n e w ra ce of gods whos e

theoretic a l omnipotence w a s gl a dly su rrendered in t
, ,

he
intere st of their righteou s ne s s ; a n d there w as n ow w a r in
h ea v en ; the dra gon a n d h is a llies were c a st down a n d ma n ,

w a s n ow free to fight them a s enemie s o f the god s a s w e ll

a s h imsel f Woe hence forth to a ny gods s u spected o f

.

taking sides with the dra gon in thi s m an s li fe a n d dea th ’

- -

struggle with the fe rocities of n a ture a nd with h is ow n ,

terrors reflected from them ! The legend of P rometheu s

w a s their unconsciously given notice to quit though it
-
‘ ’

wa ited m a ny centu ries for it

,

s gre a t interpreter It is .

Goethe who a lone h as seen h ow p a le a n d wea k grow

Jove s fi rewo rks before the th ought thunderbolts of t
’
he -

a rti s t l a unched fa r beyond the limit a tions th a t ch a in h im

,

in n a ture God s a re even yet goi ng do w n in ma ny l a nd s

.

be fore the s ublime s ente n ce of P ro metheu s .

C ur ti t
hy h
a n th J w ith l d
ea v e n s , dou ov e , c ou s an

A d lik
n b yt h t mw t
e a h t
o hi t l d w
a o e s es o n,

t d m t i t
,

U l n oos eh y pl k s een on oa p s an ou n a n - o s

Y t t
e th
c ans td p i m f my t
ou n o he r ve e o e ar

t t t t t
,

N fm
or o y h h w hi h hu d id e b i ld c ou s no u

t t t
, ,

N fm
or o y h h w h li l
ea r h f l fl m ose e c ee r u a e

i t
,

Th m
ou en v es e

I k w no t gh t w it
no hi t h au i n e u n ve rs e

M ligh t
ore s m pit if l th ore
y y g d u an ou , e o s

t t t
,

Wh o n urs e
y m j y w i h
our pp l i
a es sca n su es

O f ff i g w
o er n g f m f
s d
ru n m tt rod p y e ar, a n u ere ra ers,

A d d m t t w tt h t
t b b d b
’
n n ee s us s a rv e, e re no a a es a n egga rs

A re h 0 pe -
b es ot
td foole s

W h en I w a s yeth t a ch ild , a n d kn ew no w en c e
My b m h tt itp
e ing ca e, n or w e re o u rn s ow er s ,

Up t t
h I b t
o my ild d y
e su n en w e re e e,

A th gh b
s ouh i it
w it gl i ba ov e, n s or ou s or

T h d lt tli t tmy pl i t
,

er e we a n ear o s en o a n

tlik mi tpit t
,

A h ear , y
e h ne, o e oppre s s ed .
 P R OM E THE U S AN D [ 0 VB .
377

W h o ga veme cco su ur

Ag i t t
he T its i t
a ns h i ty o migh tan ? n e r ra n n us

W ho d m f omd t
re s cu e h f omsl
—
y ? e r ea r a ver

Tho tho mu y o l b i g w ith

u,h ll w e d fi s u u rn n a o re,

T ho h t t
,

h y lf a lo e ch ie d itll !
u as se n a ve a

Y t d id t
e tho i t h y yo g s im
s pli it
u,y n un c

Glow w it i g id ed t t
,

h m h kf l e o h im
s u an u n ss

T h tl mbe o i idl
a s u th bo e
rs n n es s e ere a v

I t h
re vere n ce ? ee

Wh f ? H t
ere ore th as ou e v e r

Ligh t d t h en ew fth h yld ?

e s orro s o e ea v a en

Tfi tth t h y h d tt
ou e ver s re c ill t
h t an o s e ea rs

Of th p pl d i p i it
e er? ex e n s r

W it tas no

Alm igh t
y Tim d d i g F t e, a n ev er- ur n a e

Myl d d t h i —t
or s an h t h p d d f hi ne a s a e an as on ed me
I t th M
n o I m? e AN a

t t m
i
B el ke i w a s h y d rea
T t t t t d w i ld
h a I s h ou ld h a e life— fly o w as es a n s,

F h t
t
or t
h b d f ii ayt h gh t e u s o v s on ar ou

D id tll ip i tg d ly fl w ?
no a r en n o oo o e rs

H d I it d m ld
ere o s an ou

M ftm
en a i w img er ne o n a e

A t
h t
ra cemy b lik tmy lf a a e e un o se

w p t j y d t j i
,

T ff
o su er, ; ee o en o an o re o ce

A d lik m y lf h d i g ll f t
,

n , e h l se , un ee n a o ee

Th e myth of Promethe u s revea l s the very d a mof a ll

—
dra gon s the mere terrorism of n a ture whic h p a ra lysed
,

the energie s of ma n M a n s fi rs t comba t w as to be with

.
’

h is ow n qu a i li n g he a rt A poll o driving ba ck the A rgive s

.

to their s hips w ith the im a ge of the Gorgon s he a d o n ’

Jove s s hield is Homer s pic t u re o f the fe a rs t

h a t unnerv e d
’ ’

h e roe s

l htn bu s h i m lf t
’
h hi g b t tle led ;
se e ru s n a

A v e il of clou d s inv olv e d h is ra d ian t

he d a

High h eld b efore himJ o ’

ve s en or mous sh eld i

tt t
,

P or en ou s s h on e , a n d s h ad ed a ll
h fi e eld

V l tJ th immt
u ca nl gift ig o ove
’
or a cons n ed ,

T th t d tify m k nd
t o sca er os s, a n e rr an i .
 D eep h orror se izes ev r Grec ia n rea s , ’
y b t
Th e ir force is hu t t mb
led, a nd h eir fea r confes
t
t
.

fl
So ies a h erd of oxen, s ca e red w id e,
N i t
o swa n g d t
h m d od y t
uar g id e an no a o u e,

W h t f ll li f mt h m t
,

en wo e i m on s ro e ou n a n co e,

A d p
n d t
h
s great
h th h d y gl m
e c arn a e ro
’
e s a oo

t
.

Th G ie g d
re c an s i h w ild d i
a ze arou n
p w es a r,

C f d
on u s e d y ll t
h i ,p an ith y
w e ar
p a e r
’
ow rs w ra er .
l

A genera tion whose fa thers remem bered the time whe n

men educa ted in universitie s reg a rded Fra nklin with his
lightni ng rod a s hea ven de fying ca n rea dily understa nd
- -
’

the legend o ulca n type of t

,

f V — h e unt a med force of fi re

being sent to bind Prom etheus m a ster of fi re How a
, .

much fe a r of the forces of na tu re a s personified by super

st it
,

ion levelled a ga inst the first crea tive minds a n d h a n d s

,

the epithets which Fra nklin he a rd a n d which still fa l l ,

upo n the he a ds of some scientific investiga tors ! Storm ,

,
—
lightning rock oce a n vulture the s e blend together with
, , ,

the intelligent cruelty of Jove in the end a nd behold the ,

D ragon ! The terrors of n a ture which d rive cow a rd s to ,

their knees ra ise h eroes to their height Then it is a

fl a me of genius m a tched a ga inst ma d thunderbol t
, .

s .

Whether the je a lous n a ture god be Jehova h forbidding -

s culpture dem a nding a n a lt a r of unhewn stone a n d re

, ,

fusing the fruits of C a in s ga rden or Zeus j e a lous of the

’

a rt
,

ifi c er s fl a me they a re thro w n into the Oppo s ition by

’
,

the a rtist ; a n d when the two next meet he of the thunder ,

bolt with a ll his mob will be the D ra gon a n d Promethe u s

will be the god sending to it
,

s he a rt his a rro w of light

,
.

The dra gon forms which h a ve become fa mili a r to u s

t hrough medi ae va l a n d mode rn iconogra phy a re of com
p a ra tiv e ly littl e impo rt a nce a s illustr a ting the soci a l o r

spiritu a l conditio ns out of which they gre w a nd of whic h ,

they beca me emblems They long a go cea sed to be de .

scriptive a n d in the rude pe riod s or pl a c es a very few

,

Pop Hom Book

1 ’
e s S p 59
er,
’
xv . ee . .
380 AN GL O SA X ON A N D S O U THE R N D R A G O N S
-
.

Ga dmon M a nuscript tenth century (Fig a fa ir e x a mp l e

Th e c u t t
.
,

o f the o rn a ment a l A nglo S a xon dra gon

-
le fi s h
s eem s t
.

o h ave sugge s ted the a nim a li s ed form of the H y d r a

w hich in turn helped t

,

o s h a pe the D ra gon of the A p o c a

lyps e Y et the Hyd ra in pictori a l representa tion a p p e a r s

t
.

o h a ve been influe n ced by A s s yri a n ide a s ; for a lt h o u g h

th e mon s ter h a d nine he a ds it is o ften given seven (nu mb e r

"

o f the Ha t
,

h ors or Fa te s) by the engra vers a s in Fig 6

Th e conflicts of Hercules with the Hydra repe a ted th a t
, . .
,

of

Be l with Ti a m a t ( the D e e p a nd h a d n o doub tit

‘
s

Fig
. 28 —Fromt
h e Fre sc o a t
. Aren a .

c ounte rp a rt in tha t o f M ich a e l with the D ra gon — t he ,

finest rep re s ent a tion of which pe rh a ps is the gre a t fres co

by S pinello (fourteenth cen t u ry) a t
, ,

A rezz o a g roup from ,

w hich is presented in Fig 2 8 In thi s ca s e the wings

in S emitic myt
. .

rep re s ent tho s e a lw a y s a tt ributed ho

logy to the D est roying A ngel Th e E gypti a n D ragon
o f which the crocodile is the b a sis a t
.
,

a n e a rly pe riod

e nte red in t
,

o ch risti a n s y mboli s m a nd gra du a lly e fla ced,

'

mo s t of the pa ga n mo n s te rs Th e crocodile a n d the a lli

.

g a to r besi d es be ing su s ceptib le of m a ny ho rribl e va ri a

,
 E G YP TI A N AN D GE R M AN D RA GON S .
3s :

tion s in pictori a l tre atment were p a rticul a rly a ccept a ble

,

to the chri s ti a n prop a ga nd a bec a u s e of the sa nctity a tt a ched

to them by A frica n tribes a s a nctity which continues t
,

— o

t
,

his d a y in m a ny p a rts of th a t count ry where to kill on e ,

of the s e reptiles is believed to s uperinduce d a ngerou s

in und a tions I n Semitic tra ditions a lso L evi a th a n wa s

.
, ,

g ener a lly identified a s a demonic crocodile a n d the fe a t ,

of de s troying him w a s c a lcul a ted to impress the im a gin a

tion s of a ll va rietie s of people in the S outhern countries for

which Chri sti a nity struggled s o long This form contributed
.

Fig. 29 . —FromAlbe rt
D urer s
'

P assion.
’

s ome of it s ch a ra cters t
o the l a ce rt
ine dra gons which were
s o o ften p a inted in the M iddle A ges with w ha t e ffect m ,ay

be ga the red from the a ccomp a nying design by A lbe rt

D u rer (Fig . In thi s lo a thsome c re a ture which seek s ,

to prevent delivera nce of the s pirits in prison we ,

’

ma y rem a rk the sly a nd cruel eye : the p re tern atura l

vision of s uch monsters w a s s till s trong in the tra di
tion s of the s ixtee nth centu ry In looking a t this liz a rd
gu a rd a t
.

the mouth of hell we ma y rea lise th a t it h a s

been by some principl e of p sychologica l selection th a t
38 2 C HI M / E R A .

the reptili a n kingdom gra du a lly ga ined sup rem a c y in

thes e po rtra y a ls of the repulsive I f we comp a re w it
. h
Fig 29 the well kno w n form of the C him a ra (Fig
.
-
.

most o f u s will be co n s ciou s of a s en s e of relie f ; for t h o u g h

the reptili a n form is present in the l a tte r it is but a n a p ,

pend a ge a lmost a n orn a ment to the lion It is imp o s

— —
s ible t at
.

o feel a n y lo a thing tow a rd s thi s s pirited Tris om os ,

a n d on e m a y recogni s e i n it a di fferent a n imus fro mt h a t

whic h depi c ted the ch ri s t i a n dra gon O n e w a s m e a n t t . o

Fig p
.
—C n ru u .

att e st the boldne s s of the hero who d a re d t o a s s a il it ; t

he
other w a s me a nt in a ddition to t
,
h a t to excite h a t red a n d,

horro r of the mon s ter a ss a iled We ma y the re fo re fi n d

a ve ry di s tinct line d ra wn between s uch forms a s t
.
, ,

he
C him a ra a n d such a s the Hyd ra or ou r co nventio n a l ,

D ra gon Th e h a iry i n h a bita nt s o f L yci a hum a n o r

.
,

be s ti a l whom Belle rophon conquered were not me a nt to

,
1
,

be s uch a n a bs t ra ct exp res s ion of the evil p rinciple i n

n a ture a s the D ra on a n d while they a re gener a lised the
g , ,

1
See p. 1 54 .
 C H A P TE R I X .

THE C O M A B T .

T e pe
h r M -
h t
i
u n c a u s e n e world — i
Th e C olon a l D ragon — 10 s o u r n e y
’
j
t
— M ed u sa — Br i is h D ra on s— The C o
g u n a l D ragon— S a v mm
a g e
— m —
S a v iou rs A M i a c h elper Th e Bru al D ra gon — W o a n p r o t m
tt
d — Th
ec e e Sa in tf t
h M ik
o e a d os .

THE re a lm of the Unk no w n h a s n ow by explora ti o n o f

o u r pl a net a n d by s cience been pretty well pre s s ed i n t
,

,
o

a nnex a tion with the Unknow a ble In e a rly period s h o w

.
,

ever unexplored l a nd s a n d s e a s exi s ted only in the hu ma n

im a g ina tion a nd men a ppe a r to h a ve included them wi t
,

,
h in
the l a ws of a n a logy a s s lowly a s their des ce n d a nts s o
i n cluded the pl a nets Th e mon s trou s forms with wh i c h
.

s upers tition now peoples re gions of s p a ce th a t c a nnot b e

vi s ited could then d w ell securely in pa rt s of the wo r ld

where their exi s tence or non exi s tence could not be ve r i
-

fied Sci e nce h a d not yet s hown the simplicity a n d uni ty

.

underly ing the s uperfici a l va rietie s of n a ture a n d thoug h

R u dol f R a s pe a ppe a red m a ny times a nd rel a ted the ,

a dventure s of h is Ba ron M u n c h a u s en in m a ny l a ngu a ges i t ,

w a s only a hu n dred ye a rs a go th a t he m a n a ged to ra is e

a l a ugh over them It h a s t aken nea rly a nother hundred

.

to reve a l the humo u r of M unch a u s eni s m s th a t rel a te to

invi s ible a nd futu re wo rl d s .

Th e D ra gon which now h a u n ts the im agin a tion of a few

compulso ry voy a gers beyond the gra ve origin a ted in
 P R E M U N CHA U SE N I TE
-
WOR LD . 8
3 5

specul ation s concerning the unseen s hores of e q u ally

mythica l rea l ms whos e burning zon es a n d frozen se as
,

h ad not yet be e n deta ched from this pl a net to m a ke the

In ferno of a noth e r In our section on D emonology we
.

h a ve considered m a ny of these ima gin a ry form s in deta il ,

limiting ourselves generally to the more re a listic e mbod i

ments of speci a l obst a cles J u s t a bove th a t form a tion .

comes the stratum i n which we find the separa te fe atures

of the previous demonic fa un a combining to forms which

indica te the n e w crea tive power w hich as we h a ve seen , ,

m a kes n a ture over a ga in in its own im age .

Beginning thus on the phy s ic a l pl a n e with a v ie w of ,

p a ss ing to the soci a l politica l a nd meta physica l a ren a s

, ,

where ma n h as successiv e ly met his D ragons we may first ,

con s i d er the combin a tion of terrors a nd pe rils rea l a nd ,

im agin a ry which were con fronted by the ea rly colon is t

, .

I will venture to ca ll this the CO LO N IAL D RA GO N

Thi s form m a y b e represe nted by a ny of t
.

hos e forms
a g a inst which the Prometheus of E s chylus c a utions Io

r on her w a y t o the re a lm which should be c a lled Io n i a .

‘
When thou sh a lt h ave crossed the strea mth a t bounds
the continents to the rosy re a lms of the morning where
the s u n sets forth thou s h a lt re a ch beyond the roa ring
s e a Cis t
,

h e n e s Gorgoni a n pl a ins where dwell the P h ork id es

’
, ,

a n d h a rd by a re their three winged sisters the S n a ke ,

h a ired Gorgons by mort a ls a bhorred on whom none of

, ,

hum a n ra ce ca n look a nd live Be on thy gu a rd .

a ga inst the Gryphons sh a rp fa nged hounds of Jove th a t

,
-

never ba rk a nd a ga inst the ca va lry host of one eyed

,
-

A ri m a s pi a ns dwelling on the gold gushing fount the

,
-
,

stre a m of Pluto Thou wilt rea ch a dista nt l a nd a da rk

tribe ne a r to the fount of the s u n wh ere runs t
.
,

h e river
t
, ,

AZ h iops
’ l
'
.

1
E sch. P om 790
r . &c .

VOL . I .
38 6 C OL ON I AL D R A GON

One who h as looked upon Leon a rdo d a Vinc i s Me d u s a

at Florence on e of the finest interpret a tion s of a m
— y t
h o

logic s ubject ever p a inted ma y compreh end wh a t t

— o t he
e a rly explorer a n d coloni s t were the fa scina tion s of t h os e
r umoured regions where n a ture w a s fa ir but gi rt ro u n d

with terrors Th e Gorgon s he a d a lone is given wit h it

’
s

fe a rful t a ngle of serpent tre s s e s ; her fa ce even in it

.
,

s pa in

pos se s s es the be a uty t

, ,

h a t may veil a fa t a l power ; fr o m

her mouth is exh a led a va pour which in it s outline ha s

brought into li fe v a mpyre ne w t toa d an d lo a thso me

, , ,

Fig
.
—Bau . n or n ou I mCp u xu m (C orin t
hi
an ) .

nondescript crea tures Here is the m a l a ri a of undrain ed

co a sts the vermin of noxious n a ture The source of t
.

hes e
must be destroyed be fore ma n ca n found his city it is t
, .

he
fiery poisonous bre a th of the C oloni a l D ra gon
M ost of the D ra gon myths of Gre a t Brit a in a ppea r t
.

o
-

h a ve been import a tions of the Coloni a l mon s ters P er

ha ps the most fa mous of these i n all E urope w a s t
.

he
C him e ra which c a me we s twa rd upon coins Belleropho n
h a ving become a n ation a l hero a t
, ,

C ori n th — a lmost super

 S O CK B U R N WOR M

of th fe t On ccou t f t
e a h interests conce ned i a ld n o e r n o

t
.

imes we should be gu rd d in r ceiving the ti li d a e e ra on a se

inte pret t ions f such myths which h v becom t

r a o r di a e e a

t Th b rb ric chie em t f
,

i l in om loc lities
on a s e a e a a a v en s o

knights did t
.

lo e i the b ll d f minstrel
no y m s n a a s o s an ar

ve ll ple dou s but g ined m ny

ou s s n d most f t h e
r a a ; an o es

c me from t
,

a h outh d e st Th D gon w h ich G y

e s an a e ra u

ick slew still ret ined t ce f Chim r it

.

o fW a rw h d a ra s o e a ; a

‘
p ws a lion S i Willi m D ugd le thought th t
as a
’
this r a a a

om nt
.

w as icised ver ion f

a r are l comb t hich G y s o a a a w u

fought with D a ni s h
chi e f A C 9 26 S imila rly the D ra g o n
a

of W a n t
, .
. .

le y h a s been reduced to a fra udulent ba rrist e r .

Th e most ch a ra cteri s tic of this cl as s of legend s is th a t o f

S ockbu r n S oon a fter the N orm a n conquest the C o n y e rs
.

fa mily received th a t m a nor by episcopa l gra nt the t r a d i

tion being th a t it w a s beca use S ir John C onyers K n i g h t
,

, ,

s lew a huge Wor m which h a d devo u red m a ny p eo le

p
Th e fa lchion with which t
.

his fea t w a s a chieved is still -

p rese rved a n d I believe it is s till the custom when a n e w

, ,

bi s ho p visits th a t diocese for the lord of S ockburn to p re ,

sent this sword Th e lord of the m a nor meets the bishop

.

in the middle of the river Tees a n d s a ys M y L ord ,

Bi s hop I here pres ent you with the fa lchion wherew ith
t pion C onye rs slew t
,

he Ch a m h e Worm D ra gon or fie ry , ,

flying S erpent which destroyed man wom a n a n d child

in memory of which t
, , , ,

h e ki n g then reignin g ga ve h imthe

m a nor of Sockburn to hold by thi s tenure —t h a t u pon the ,

firs t entra n ce of every bi s hop into the country thi s fa lchion

s hould be pre s ented Th e bi s hop retu rn s t h e sword a n d
’

wi shes t
.

h e lord long enjoyment of the tenure which

ha s been thu s held s ince t
,

h e ye a r 1 39 6 Th e fa mily .

tradition is th a t the D ra gon w a s a S cotch intruder n a med

C omyn w hom Conyers compelled to kneel before the
,

e piscop a l throne The C onyers fa mily of Sockburn see m

.
 C OM M U N AL D R A GON 8
3 9

to h a ve been a t l ast overt a ken by a D ra gon whi ch was too

much for t hem : t h e l a st kn ight w as ta ken from a work
house b a rely in time n ot to d ie there .

In the M emoirs of the Somervilles we rea d th a t one of ’

th a t fa mily a cq uired a p a rish by s la ying a hyd eou s mon

ster in forme of a worme ‘
1
.
’

Th e w od e La ird of Larist
on e

Sle w h e tW orrn e of W orme s Glen,

’

And w a n a ll Lint
on pa roch in e .

It w a s in lenth 3 Scots ya rds a nd somewh at bigger th a n

‘
,

a n ordin a ry m a n s leg with a hede more proportion a ble

’

to its lenth th a n it
,

s gre a tness ; its forme a n d collou r like

( )
to our common muir a dders .
’

Thi s w a s a ve ry modera te dragon compa red w ith othe rs ,

by s l a ying which m a ny knights won their sp u rs : thi s

for ex a mple which S ir D ygore killed in t he fourt
,

,
eenth
century
A D ragon grea an d gry t mm e,

Fu ll of fyre, a n d a ls o of v en y mm e

W ih t t t d tk g t
a w id e h ro e an us es re e,

U pp th t
onk ight f t g a h b t; n as an e e e

A d
n Li t
as ah hi f t on n en wa s s e e,

Hi t
s yl al g d f l
e wa s m t on an u un e e

B t
e w eenhi h d d hi t y l
s e e an s a e

W ii f t
as xx w it
h t f yl o e ou en a e

i t
.

Hi b d y w lik
s o as e a w ne onn e,

H h
e s f ll b ight
on eg y t th
u r a e ns e s u n ne ;
Hi y b ight
s e es w e re yg l r as an a s s e,

His s c ales w ere ha rd as a n y brasse .

Th e fa mil ia r to ry of St
s Pa trick clea ring t
h e s nak es out
o f Irel a nd a n d the C orni s h version of it in which t
.

h e e xor
ci s t is St
, ,

Petrox presents some fe atures which rel a te it to

the coloni st s comb a t with his dragon though it
.
,

is mor e
’

interesti ng in other a spects The Coloni a l D ragon in

e ludes t h e di s e a ses the wild beas t s t
.

, he s avag es an d a ll , ,

1
Vol i p 38 . . . .
39 0 SA VA GE S A VI O UR S .

m a nn e r of obstru ct ions which envi ron a n ew coun ry

“

t
But when these di fficulties h ave been surmounted t
.

he ,

you ng settleme n t as still its foes to contend with w ar

h — ,

like inv a ders from without a mbitious members wit h i n ,

.

We then find the D ra gon ta king on the form of a publ ic

enemy a n d his a lleged sl a yer is representa tive of t he
commune possibly in the end to tra n s mit it
,

— s more re a l de

yt
,

v ou re r M o s t of the British D ra gon m hs h a ve expanded -

beyond the sta ge i n which they repres ent merely t

.

he
struggles of immigra nts with wild n a ture a nd incl u d e ,

the fu rther sta ge where they repres ent the form a tion of
the community Th e grow th of p a trioti s m a t length is
mea sured by its s h a dow The Coloni a l is tra nsformed t
.

. o

the C ommun a l D ra go n M a ny D ra gon myths a re a d a p -

tat as t
.

ion s of the a ncient symbolism to [t es com mu nes : suc h

a re the mon s ters de s cribed a s desol a ting vill a ges a n d d is

trict s until they a re encountered by a nt a gonists a nim a te d

,

by public spi rit S uch a nt a goni s ts a re distinguish a bl e

.

from the heroe s th a t go forth to rescue the m a iden in dis

tre s s : their chie f repres enta tive in mythology is Hera kles ,

mo st of whose l a bours reve a l the ma n of sel f devotio n -

redressing public wron gs a nd ra ising the sta nd a rd of ,

hum a nity a s well a s civili s a tion .

The a ge of chiv a lry h as its legend in the C ent a urs

a n d C heiron Th e Hippo cent a urs a re mounted s a va ges
.
-

C heiron is the true knight with s t a nding mon s ters in his ,

own sh a pe s a vi n g P eleus from them a n d giving hospi

, ,

ta lity to the A rgon a uts Th e mounted m a n w a s d ra go n

t
.

o the m a n on foot u n til he bec a me the chev a lier ; the n

the demonic ch a ra cter p a s s ed to the stra tegist who h a d

no hors e It is curiou s eno u gh to find existi ng a mon g
.

the M ormons a murderou s order ca lling themselves

D a nites or D e s troying A ngel s a fter the text of Gen xlix
, , . .

17,
‘
D a n sh a ll be a serpent by the w ay a n a dder in the ,
39 2 S AI N T OF THE M I R A D OS

oro it
th ti the serpent of eigh t hea ds a nd tails st r e t
a s, ch i n g

over eight va lleys would pretty cert a inly represen t

, ,

a riv e r

O n e is remin d ed b y t
,

a nnu a lly overflowing its b a nks h is

mon s ter of the a ccounts given by M encius of the di ffi c u l t
.

ies
with st re a ms which the C hi n ese h a d to surmount b e fo re
they could m a ke the M iddle St a tes h a bita ble B u t th is
Coloni a l D ra gon in t h e further e volution of t he co u n t
.

ry

re a ppe a rs as the Bru t

, ,

a l D rag on Th e a dmira ble le g e n d

rel a tes th a t while t h e rest of the world were u sing s t
.

on e

implements there ca m e into t

,

h e possessio n of Sosa n o o -

no M ikot
,

-
o (the Princ e of Sos a n o) a piece of iron w h ic h

w a s wrought into a sword Th a t m a iden sword of t he -

world w a s fles hed to s a ve a m a ide n from t

.

h e j a ws o f a
monster The prince descended fro mhea ven to a b a n k
of the river Hino K a w a a n d t
.

h e country a round see me d

u ninh a bited ; but presently he sa w a chopped s t ick flo a t
,

in g do w n t h e stre a m a n d concluded th a t there mu s t

,

be beings dwelling fa rther up ; so he tra vell e d u nti l h e

-

c a me to a spot where he beheld a n aged ma n a nd h is

wi fe (A sin a d u t i a n d Te n a d u t i) wi t h their bea uti fu l ,

da ughter Him e of In ad a Th e thre e were w eepi n g

bitterly a nd the prince w a s in form e d t
.
,

,
h a t Him e w a s
the l a s t of their d a ughters seven of who m h a d bee n
devoured by a te rrible serpent This serpent h a d e igh t
,

he a ds a nd the condition on which it

.

,
ha d ce a se d to deso
l a te the district w a s th a t one of these eight m a ide ns sho u ld
be brought a nnu a lly to this spot to s a tis fy his vora city .

Th e l a s t h a d now been brought to complete the drea d fu l

comp a ct The J a pa nese a re ca re ful to distinguish t
. h is
serpent from a dragon with them a n a g a thodemon It
h a d no feet a nd it
, .

s he a ds bra nched by a s m a ny necks from

a single body this body being so l a rge th a t it

,

stretched
over eight v a lleys It was covered w i t
,

h trees a n d mos s ‘

a n d it
.
,

s belly w as red a s blood Th e prince doubted if .

 SA I N T O F THE M I K A D OS .
39 3

eve n with his s word he could enco u nter such a monster ,

s o he resorted to stra t a gem ; he obt a ined eight va st bowl s ,

filled them with eight di ffere nt kinds of win e a nd h a ving

, ,

built a fence with the sa me n umber of openings set a bowl

,

in e a ch Th e result may be im a gined the eight he a ds in

.

in a sta te of be a stly intoxica tion I n t hi s co ndition the

hea ds were severed from t heir n eck a nd t
.

h e m a iden s a ved
to wed the firs t
,

M ik a do Pri nce
.
 C H A P TE R X .

THE D RAGO N SL A Y E R
-
.

De migod t
—Alces is— Herakles—Th e Gh ilgh i Fi end — I ncarna e d e
s t t
t
liverer of Ghilgh i — A D a rd is an M a d on na—The religion of t
t m—R
A h eis es u s ci att
i on of D ra g S
ons tG g eor e an d his D ra g o n
Ge orge S a in t t
.

—E mers on a nd R u skin on — ly allies of h D e ra g on .

THEOLO GY h a s pro nounced I nca rna tion a mystery b u t ,

n othing is simpler Th e demigod is m a n s a pp e a l fro m

’
.

the gods It ma y a lso be a s E me rso n s a ys th a t wh e n ‘

the h a l f gods go the gods a r rive but it is equ a lly t

.
, ,

’
-
ru e ,

th a t their coming sig n a ls the depa rture of deities w h ich

ma n h a d long invoked in va in The gre a t Hera kl ea n
myth presents us the ide a l of godlike force u nited t
.

hum a n symp a thy R a (the S u n) p a ssing the twelve ga tes

.

(H ours ) of Ha des (N ight )

1
is hum a ni s ed in H er a kles a n d
h is Twelve L a bo u rs He is Son of Zeus by a hum a n
.

— —
mother A lcmene a nd his l a bours for hum a n wel fa re a s ,

well a s his mira culous conception influenced Christi a nity , .

Th e divine M a n a ssa iling the monsters of divin e crea tion

represents hum a n recognition of the fa ct th a t mora l order
in n a ture is c o extensive with t
-
h e control of m a nkind .

One express ion of this perception is the A lces tis of E uri

pides whose s ignifica nce in rel a tio n to dea th we h ave
,

considered 11
.

A lcestis a s I h a ve written in a nother work is on e of

’ ‘
‘
, ,

the fe w a ncient Greek melodra m a s The majo rity of .

R o d of t h P t 79 P g 285 1
1 ’
ec r s e as , x. . a e .
39 6 THE GHI L GHI T FI E N D .

le ngth will repa y a c a re ful peru sa l Thi s legen d o f t he

origin of the Gh ilgh it
, .

tribe a nd government w a s to ld b y a
n a tive

Once u pon a tim e there lived a ra ce a t Gh ilgh it

.

w h o se
origin is u ncerta in Whether they sprung from t
. he s o i l o r
h a d immigra ted from a di s t a nt region is doubt ful ; s o mu ch
is believed th a t they w ere Ga yu pf fa sponta neous a b ori
gines unknow n Over t
, , ,

hem ruled a mon a rch who w a s a

descend a nt of the evil spirits the Y a t
, .

s h who te rr o r is e d

over the world His n a me w as Sh iriba d at ta nd h e r e

, ,

s ided a t a c a stle in front of which w as a course for t

.
,

he pe r
form a nc e of t h e m a nly g a me of P 010 His t as tes w e r e .

c a priciou s an d in every one of his a ctions his fi e n d i s h

origin could be discerned The na tives bore his rul e w it
,

. h
resign a tion for wh a t could they e ffect a ga inst a mo n a rc h
at
,

whos e comm a nd even m a gic a ids were pla ced ? Ho w

ever t h e country w as rendered fe rtil e a n d round t he c a p i
t Th e hea ven s or ra ther t
, ,

a l bloomed a tt ra ctive h e v ir
t u ou s Peris a t
.
,

l ast gre w tired of his tyra nny for he h a d

crowned his iniquities by indulging in a prope nsi t
, ,

y for
ca n niba li s m Thi s t as te h a d bee n developed by an a cci
dent On e d a y his cook brought him som e mutto n b rot
.

. h
the like of which he ha d nev er t a sted A fter much inqu iry
a s to the n a ture of t h e fo od on which t
.

h e sheep h a d be e n
brought up it w a s eventu a lly tra ced to a n old wom a n it
,
s ,

first owner S he st a ted th a t her child a n d the sheep w e re

born on t h e s a me d a y an d losing t
.

h e former she h a d con

, ,

s oled hers el f by suckling the l a tter This w as a revel a tion

to the tyra nt He h a d discovered t
.

h e secret of the p a l a ta
bilit
.

y o f the broth a n d w a s determined, to h a ve a n eve r

endi ng s upply of it So he ordered th a t his kitch e n shou ld

.

be regul a rly provided with children of a tender age whose ,

fles h whe n converted into broth wou ld rem ind him of the
, ,

exq u is ite dish he ha d once so much relished This cru el .

 A D VE N T OF THE D E LI VE R E R .
39 7

o rder was ca rried out Th e people of the country were

dism ayed a t such a st ate of t hings a n d sough t slight
.

ly to
improve it by s acrificing in t
,

h e first pl a ce a ll orph a ns and

, ,

ch ildren of n eigh bouring tribes The tyra nt however w a s

insa ti a ble a n d soo n was his cruelt
.
, ,

y felt by m a ny fa milies
at Gh ilgh it t
,

who were compelled to give u p hei r children

t
,

o sl a u ghter

R elie f c a me a t l a st A t the top of t

.

h e mounta in K o
which it t a kes a d ay t
.
,

o a scend a n d which overlook s the

villa ge of D oyu r belo w Ghilghit

,

, on the other side of the ,

river a ppe a red three figures They looked like men but
much more stro ng a n d h a ndsome In their a rms t
.
, ,

hey
ca rried bows a nd a rrows a n d turni ng their eyes in t
.

, he
direction of D oyu r they perceived innumerable flocks of
,

sheep a n d c a ttle gra zing on a pra irie between th a t vill age

a n d the foot of the mount a in Th e three stra ngers were
brothe rs a n d none of them h a d been bo rn a t t
.

h e sa me
t
,

ime It w as their intentio n to m a ke A zru She msh er the

youngest R aj a h of Ghilghit
.
,

, a n d in order to a chieve their , ,

purpose they hit upon the following pl a n On the a lrea dy

, .

noticed p ra irie which is ca lled D id ingé a sportive ca l f w as

, ,

ga mbolling to wa rds a n d a wa y from its mother It w as the

pride of it
.

s owner a n d its brilli a nt red colour could be s een

Le t
,

from a di s t a nce us see w h o is the best m a rksm a n ’

.
,

excl a imed the eldest a nd saying thi s he shot a n a rrow in

, , ,

the direction of the ca l f but mi ssed his a im The second

b rother a lso tried to hit it but a lso fa iled A t
.
,

l a st A zru
, .
,

Sh e m s h e r w h o took a deep interest in the sport shot h is

, ,

a rrow which pierced the poor a nim a l from side to s ide a n d

,

ki lled it Th e brothers whilst descending congra tula ted

A zru on h is s portsm a nship an d on a rriving a t
.
, ,

the spot
where t h e c a l f wa s l yi ng proceeded t o cut
,

its thro a t and

to ta ke ou t fro mits body t he titbzt
,

s na m ely li re kid neys a nd

'

, ,
 HI S I N CA R N A T1 01V .

‘
They then ro a sted these delica cies a nd in v ite d A z ru ,

to pa rta ke of them first He respect fully declined o n the .

,

ground of his youth but they urged him to do s o in , ,

‘

orde r they sa id to rew a rd you for such a n ex c e l l e nt

’ ‘

shot S ca rcely h a d the mea t touched t

, ,

h e lips of A z r u
’

th a n t
.

h e brothers got up a n d va n ishing into the a ir c a l led

ou t
, , ,

Brother ! you h a ve touched impure food whi c h P e ris

never should ea t
, ,

a n d we h a ve m a de u s e of your ign o r a n ce
,

o f this la w beca u s e we w a nt to m a ke you a hum a n b e in g

1

who sh a ll rule over Gh ilgh it t

,

; rem a in there fore a D o y u r

’

A zru in deep grie f a t

.
, ,

the sepa ra tion c ried Why re ma in ‘

at Then sa id t
, , ,

D oy u r unle s s it be to grind corn ?

’ ’
he
brothers go to Gh ilghit Why w as the reply go to
, ,

‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘

Gh ilgh it
.
, , ,

u n less it be to work in the g a rden s

, No n o ‘
, ,
’

w a s the l as t a n d con s oling rejoinder ; you w ill a s s ure d ly

‘

becom e the king of this count ry a n d deliver it fro m it s ,

merciless oppressor i N o more w a s hea rd of the dep a rt

ing fa iries a n d A zru rem a ined by hims e l f endea vou r in g
, ,

to ga ther consol a tion from the grea t mission which h a d

been bestowed on him A vill ager met him a nd stru ck .
, ,

by his a ppe a ra nce o ffered him s helter in his house N e xt

, .

morning he went on the roo f of his host s house a n d ca ll ’

ing out to him to come up pointed to t

,

h e K 0 mounta i n , ,

on which he sa id he pl a inly discerned a wild go a t Th e

, , .

inc redulous vill a ger bega n to fea r h e h a d h a rboured a

m a ni a c if no wo rse ch a ra cter ; but A zru shot off h is a rro w
, ,

a n d a ccomp a nied by the vill a ger (who h a d a ssembled some

,

friends for protection as he w as a fra id h is young guest ,

might be a n a ssoci a te of robbe rs a nd le a d him into a tra p) , ,

went in the direction of the mount a in There to be s u re

at the very spot th a t w as pointed ou t
.
, ,

though m a ny miles ,

di s t a nt w a s l ying the wild goa t with A z ru s a r row t ra ns ’

Th e a stoni s hed pe a s a nts a t

, ,

fi x ing its body . on ce h a iled

1
tm t
Ea in g w t
h p ea as e rocess of i
nca rna t
i
on.
4 00 THE HE A R T O F I CE .

despera tely fond a nd to whic h he used sometimes o t

devote a week or two a t
,

a time .

‘
We must now retu rn to A zru whom we le ft con versing ,

with the princess A zru rem a ined silent when the l a dy

.

con fe s sed her love Urged to decl a re his sentiments he

.
,

s a id th a t he would not m a rry her u nless she bound herse l f

to him by the most stringent oa th ; t his she did a nd they

beca me in t h e sight of God as if t
,

hey were wedde d m an

a n d wife .He t hen a nnounced tha t he h a d come t o

destroy her fa ther a n d a sked her to kill him h ersel f

, .

This she re fused ; but a s she h a d sworn to a id him in

every w a y she could he finally induced her to promise
th a t s h e would a sk her fa t
,

her w h en Iris s ou l w as R e fuse .

food s a id A zru for three or fou r d a ys a n d your fa ther

’

, , , ,

w h o is devotedly fond of you will a s k for the re as on of

your stra nge conduct then s a y Fa t
,

her you a re o fte n ‘

s t a ying a w a y fro mme for sever a l d a ys a t a t

, ,

ime a nd I a m ,

getting distressed lest s omething s hould h a ppe n to you ;

do re a ssure me by letting me know where your soul is ,

a nd let me feel cert a in th a t yo u r li fe is s a fe This the ’

.

princes s promised to do a n d when her father returned

refused food for s evera l d ays The a nxious Sh iriba d at t
,

m a de inquiries to which s h e replied by m a king the a lrea dy

,

n a med request Th e tyra nt w a s for a fe w moments thro w n

.

into mute a s toni s hment a n d fin a lly refus ed compli a nce ,

w ith her p repo s te rou s dem a nd Th e love s mitten l a dy -

went on s ta rving he rs el f till a t

.

l a st her fa ther fe a rful for

, ,

his d a u ghte r s li fe told her not to fret he rsel f a bout him

’

s s ou l w a s of s n ow in t
,

as [ u ire s n ow s a n d th a t he could
, ,

only pe rish by fire Th e princess communica ted this in for

.

ma tion to her lover A zru went b a ck to D oyu r a nd the

.

vill ages a round a n d a ss embled his fa ith ful pe a sa nts Them

, .

he a sked to t a ke t w igs of the fi r tree bind them together -

, ,

a n d light the m ; then to proceed in a body with torche s

 FA TA L TO R CHE S .
4 01

tthe c
o tl e in a circle keep close together a nd surrou n d
as , ,

it on every side He then went a nd dug out a ve ry deep

hole a s deep a s a wel l in the pl a ce where S hiriba d a t t
.

’
s
, ,

horse used to a light a n d covered it with green bough s ,

.

Th e next d a y he received in fo rm a tion th a t the torches were

re a dy He a t . once ordered the vil la gers gra du a lly to dra w
ne a r the fort in the m a nne r which he h a d a lre a dy indic a te d
Ki n g S h iriba d a ttw as then s itting in his castle ; nea r
.

him h is tre a cherous d a ughte r who w a s so soon to lo s e h e r

p a rent A ll a t
,

. once he excl a imed I feel v ery close ; go ,

‘

out de a re s t a nd s e e wh a t h a s h a ppened Th e girl went ’

out a n d s a w torches a pproa chi n g from a dist a n ce ; bu t

.
, ,

fa ncyi n g it to be something co n nected with the pl a ns o f

her hu s ba nd s h e went b a ck a n d s a id i w as nothing Th e t
torches c a me ne a rer a nd ne a rer a nd t
.
,

h e tyra nt beca m e ,

e xceedi n gly re s tless A ir a ir he cried I feel ve ry ill ; ’

.
, , ,

do s e e d a ughter wh a t is the m a tter Th e duti ful l a dy ’

we n t a n d returned w ith the sa me a n s w er a s be fore A t

, , .

.
,

la s t the torch bea rers h a d fa irly su rrounded the fort a n d

S h iriba d a t
-

twith a pres entiment of impending d a nger

,

, ,

rushed out of the room sa ying th a t he felt he w a s , ,

‘

d ying He then ra n to the st a bles a n d mounted h is

.
’

fa vourite ch a rger a n d with one blow of the w h ip m a d e

him jump over the w a ll of the ca stle Fa ith ful to it
,

h a bit the noble a nim a l a lighted a t

.

the s a me pla ce but , ,

a l a s ! only to fi n d it s el f engul fed in a tre a cherous pit .

Be fore the king h a d time to extric a te him s el f the vill a g e rs

h a d ru n up with their torches Throw them upon him .
,
’

c ried A zru With one a ccord a ll the bl a zing w ood w a s

t h ro w n upon S h iriba d a t twho mi s erably peri shed
.

’
, .

A z ru w as then mo s t enthu s i a s tic a lly p rocl a imed king ,

ce lebra ted his nupti a ls with the fa ir tra itor a n d as s ole , ,

t ribute ex a cted the o fferi ng of one sheep a nnu a lly i n ste a d

, ,

of the h u m a n child from eve ry one of the n a tives , .

VO L I
. . z c
 THE HE A R TL E SS S UP P LA N TE D .

When A zr u ha d s a fely a sce n ded the thro n e h e ordered

the tyra nt s pl a ce to be levelled to the gr o u n d
’
The
w illing pe a s a nts m a nu fa cturing sp a des of i r on fl o ck ed t
.

, o ,

a ccomplish a gra te ful t a s k a n d s a ng whil s t d e m o lishing ,

his c a stle
M y n a ture is of a h a rd met a l s a id S hi ri a n d B a d a t t ’
, .

Why h a rd ? I Koto the son of the pe a sa nt D e m S ingh

t
, , ,

a m a lone h a rdy ; with this iron s p a de I ra z e o the

ground thy kingly hou s e Behold n ow a lth o u g h th ou

a rt o f r a ce a ccurs ed of S h a t
.
,

s h o M a lik a I D e m S ingh s
, , ,
’

s on a mof a h a rd met a l ; for with thi s iron s p a d e I le vel

,

thy very p a l a ce ; look out ! look out l 1

A n a ccount of the Fe a st of Torches instit u t e d as a ,

memori a l of this tra dition has a lre a dy been g iv e n in ,

a nother connection Th e legend the fes tiva l a n d the

11

Tha t
,
.
,

s ong just quoted constitute a noble hum a n epic .

s t a rtling defi a nce of the icy he a rted god by the h u m a n -

he a rted pea s a nt tha t bra ve cry of the long co w e ring

w retch who a t
,

l as t holds in his spa de a n iron we a pon

to wield a ga inst the h a rdness of n ature a re the s ublime ,

pe a n of the D ra gon slayer L ook out ye sno w gods ! -

.
,
-

M a n s he a rt is there a n d wom a n s he a rt ; their coura ge

’ ’
, .

plus the sp a de c a n level your pa l a ces ; their love will

,

melt you their a rts a n d sciences kill you s o fa ta l may be

,

torches !
A ll gre a t religions w ere born in this gra nd a thei s m A s
the wors hip of He ra kle s mea nt the down fa ll of Zeu s t
.

he ,

worship of C h rist me a nt the overthro w of both Jove a nd

Jehova h E ve ry ra ce a do res the epoch when their fa thers
.

grew a sh a med of their gods a n d identifi ed them as dra gons

— the supreme cru eltie s of n a ture— welcomi n g t he m an

1
tf T
Resu l s o a ou r in D ard is t K hmi
an , as r,
’
&c , by Ch e valier Dr G W
t Lh t
. . . .

L e i ne r, a ore, vol . i par iii

. . Triibner 8: C o .

1
P age 9 1 .
4 64 R U SK /N A N D E M E R S ON ON S I : GE OR GE .

money embra ced A ri a ni s m collected a libra ry a n d got

, , ,

promoted by a fa ction to the episcopa l th rone of A l e xa n

d ri a When Juli a n ca me A D 36 1 George w as d ra gged
.
, .
,

to prison Th e p ri s on w a s burs t open by the mo b and

.
,

George w a s lynched a s he deserved A nd this p r e ciou s .

k na ve beca me in good time Sa int George of E n g la nd ,

p a tron of chiva l ry emblem of victory a n d civility a n d the

, ,

pride of the best blood of the modern world Wh e reon .

’

E merson further rem a rk s t h a t n a ture trips us u p when ‘

w e s trut
’

It is cert a inly ra ther h a rd for the founder of t h e St

.

Ge orge A ssoci a tion to be told th a t his p a tron w a s no

D ra gon sl a yer a t a ll but the D ra gon s a lly M r R u s ki n
’
-
. .
,

may be right in contending th a t wh atever ma y h a ve been

the fa cts they who m a de George p a tron sa int of E ngl an d
s ti ll me a nt their hom a ge for a hero or a t
,

a n y r a te not for ,

a rogue ; but he is uns a ti s fa ctory in h is a rgument th a t ou r

St . George w a s a nother who died for his fa ith s eve n t y

ye a rs be fo re the b a con contra ctor E ven if the R u s kin-

St
.

. Geo rge s a id to h a ve su ffered under D iocleti a n cou ld

, ,

be s hown historica l his w a s a very commonpl a ce m a rtyr

,

d omcomp a red with th a t of a bishop torn in pi e ce s by a

p a g a n mob The di s t a nt christi a n n a tions would never
.

h a ve li s ten ed to the pa ga n vers ion of the s tory even ha d

it re a ched them A b ishop s o m a rtyred would h ave been
.

the ve ry ma n to give their a rmie s a wa tchword The

ma rtyr w a s port ra y ed a s a D ra gon s l ayer only as a ti t
. .

le -

might be a dded to the n a me of one knighted or the ba d ge

of a n order s e t
,

upon h is brea s t the he ra l d ic device grew

'

into a v a ri a nt of the commo n legend w hich sugges ts t he

origi n of t he mythic a l Geo rge Th e m a gici a n A th a n as ius.
,

succes s ively a n opponent of Chris ti a nity a conve rt a nd a

m a rtyr is h is c hief a n t
, ,

,
a go n ist a n d the city of A lex a n d ri a

a ppe a rs a s the E mpr e s s A lex a n d ri a the w i fe of D iocleti an , ,

 A FI C TI TI O U S D R A G O N SL A YE R .
465

a nd herse lf a convert a n d a m a rty r This se ntence from

.
’

S mith s D iction a ry of Greek a n d R om a n Biogra phy tell s

’

more th a n P ro fess or R uskin s seventeenth centu ry a u t

’
-
ho
rity Th e D ra gon is the s a me A th a n a s ius w hose creed
s ends forth it
.

s a n a them a s in c h u rche s dedic a ted to the

A ri a n c a noni s ed for h a ving s l a in him !

Though it be gra n ted th a t they who m a de George of
C a pp a doci a the ide a l hero of E n gl a nd re a lly intended
their hom a ge for a m a rtyr a n d he ro it must equ a lly be ,

a c knowledged th a t his h a lo w a s cle a rly d ra w n from D ra

g o n fi
-
re . H e w a s a m a n who h a d t a ken to the s word a n d ,

by it pe ris hed so much w as known a n d a n n ounced in h is

c a noni s a tion He w as hono u red a s the V ictor a mong ‘ ’

the Greeks there fore to d a y p a tron of R ussi a ; a s prot

.

,
-
ec

tor of C rusa ders there fo re n ow p a tron of E ngl a nd ; thu s

,

is he s a int o f a w a r w a ged by the s trong a ga i n s t the we a k ,

in inte res t of a chu rch a nd p riesthood a ga in s t hum a n free

dom ; there fore Geo rge w a s t a king the sid e of the D ra go n
a g a in s t C h ri s t re s toring the prie s tly po w er he h a d a s s a iled
, ,

a n d delivering up h is bra ve brothers in a ll hi s tory to be

n a iled to C hri s ti a n ity a s a c ro ss

Le t
.

George rem a in ! Whethe r n a ming fa shion a ble

temples or engra ved on gold coi n s the fictitiou s D ra go n
,

s l a yer wil l rem a in the r ight s a int in the right p la ce s o lon g

a s the rea l D r a gon sl a yer is m a de to n a me every power

-

he h a ted a nd to con s ecra te every lie in whose mouth he

,

d a rted h is spe a r .
 ( 4 06 )

C H A P TE R X I .

THE D RA GO N S B R E AT H
'

m f
M ed us a — P h e no en — Th B ood of E hid
en a o d t
recu rrh i ce e r c na a n e r

—
i l B
s u rv va h mot d Le i t
h h — Th M o t
e e h f H
anll— Th v a an e u o e e

L mbt
a o W o m— R g
— Th nL m b t
o Dro m — T ha W o m
na r e a n o e r
’
s

O t
h od o y Th S p t
r — S p xtit
io d S i e er en ,
u e rs n, a n c e n ce .

A SU R A h a s l e dy been mentio n ed a s the mos t a nc ie n t

a r a

A rya n n a me for deity The me a ning of it is the Bre a t h e r

It has a l s o been rem a rked th a t in the course of time t
.
, .

he
word ca me to s igni fy both the good a n d the evil S pi rit
.
.

W h a t thi s e v il b re a th me a n t in n a ture is told in L eon a r d o

d a V inci s picture of the e xpi ring M edu s a re fe rred t
’
o ,

on p 386 from whos e bre a th noxiou s c re a ture s a re pro

It ma y h a ve been th a t the a rti s t me a nt only t
.
,

d u ce d . o

inte rpret the Go rgon a s a personific a tion of the m a l a rio u s

va pours of n a ture a nd their orga nic kindred ; if s o h e
~

pa inted better th a n he knew a nd h a s s ugge s ted th a t fa ta l

vita lity of the evi l po w er whic h ra i s ed it to it
,

s throne a s a

p ri n ciple coetern a l w ith good .

Th e phen omen a of re c u rren c e in thi ng s evil m a de for

ma n t h e mys te ry o f iniquity Th e d a rkne s s m a y be d is

t
.

p e rs e d but it
,
return s ; the s torm m a
y cle a r a w a y b u ,

it ga the rs a g a in ; i n und a tio n s s ickly s e a s ons d og d a y s , ,

-
,

Ca in wind s they go a n d retu rn ; the c a ncer is cut out a n d

-
,

grows a ga in ; the tyra nt ma y be sl a in tyra nny s u rv ives ,

.

Th e se rpent s lippi n g from on e s kin to a nothe r coil s s te a di ly

into the s ymbol of e n d l es s ne s s In a nothe r e x pres s ion it .
4 08 B E HE M O TH A N D L E VI A THA I V .

a nd it w ill be remembered tha t when these tee t h w e re

sown th ey spra ng up as a rmed men L ike them t h e a nc ie n t
ent
.
,

D ra gon myth s we re a ls o sow n bro a dcas t in the m

-
al
, ,

a n d mor a l fields cle a red a n d ploughed by a new th eol o gy

a nd t h ey sp ra n g up a s dogm a s more h a rd a n d cr u el t
, ,

han
the fe rociou s forces of n a ture which ga ve birth t o th e ir

a nce s tra l mon s ters .

Wh at the supe rstitious method of i n terpreting n a t u re

forced as it is to pers oni fy it s p a in ful as well a s it
,

s pl e a

s a nt phenomen a inevit a bly res ults in finds illustr a ti o n

in the t the A rya n a n d t
, ,

wo gre a t lines of t ra dition — he

S emitic which h a ve converged to for m t
— h e christia n
myth ology .

Th e Hebrew personific a tion Jehova h origin a ting in a , ,

rude period bec a me invested with m a ny s a va ge a n d im

,

mora l tra ditions ; but when h is wo rs hippe rs h a d re a c h e d

a h igh e r m ora l culture n a tio n a l sentiment h a d become t
'

oo

deeply involved wit h the s ov e re igri maje s ty of their d e it

,

for h is a lleged a ction s to be critici s ed or h is a bsolu t

.

eve n t
,

s uprem a cy a n d omnipotence to be questioned o

Thus the R a bbins a ppe a r t

,

s a ve h is mora l ch a r a cter o

h a ve been a t
.
,

t h eir wits end to a ccount for the existenc e

’

of the t wo gre a t mon s ters whic h h a d got into thei r

s c ed
a r —
re cord s from a e a rly mythology Behemot h
n —
a n d L evi a th a n Unwilling to a dmit th a t Jehova h h a d
.

crea ted foes to his ow n kingdo m or th a t crea tures ,

w hich h a d become foe s to it were beyond his power to

control they wo rked out a theory th a t Behemoth a n d

,

L evi a th a n were m a de a n d preserv ed by speci a l ord er o f

Jehova h to execute h is decrees a t the M essi a nic D a y o f
Judgment They proba bly corres ponded a t
. a n ea rlier

period with the g ryphon or gra bber a n d the s erpent

which bit gu a rdi a n s a t
, ,

, the ga te of p a ra dise ; but the need

of s uch gu a rds biters a n d spie s by the a ll powerful a ll
, ,
-
 THE B OOK OF N OA H .
4 09

seeing S ha d d a i h aving been recog n ised the monsters ha d ,

to be ra tion a lised into a ccord with his ch a ra cter a s a retri

bu t iv e ruler Hence Behemoth a nd Levi a th a n a re re pre
.

s e n ted as being fa ttened with the wicked who die in o rder ,

to be the food of the righteous during the un s ettled time s

th a t follow the revel a tion of the M essi a h ! Behe moth is
Jehova h s ca ttle on a thou s a nd h ill s (P S 1
’ ‘
In’
. .

P ire q u e de R a bbi E lie z u r he is described a s feeding d a ily

upon a thou s a nd mount a in s on which the gra s s g ro ws
a ga in every night ; a n d the Jo rd a n supplies him with
d rink a s it is s a id in Job (x 1
, . he trusteth th a t he ca n
dra w up Jord a n into his mout h In the Ta lmud these
.
’

mon s ters a re divided i n to two p a i rs but a re s a id to h a ve

,

been m a de b a rren lest their progeny s hould dest roy the

e a rt h They a re kept in the wildernes s of D e n d a in the
myt h ic a l a bode of t
.
,

h e de s cend a nt s of C a i n e a s t of E de n , ,

for the unique purpos e mentioned

Bu t
.

n ow we m a y rem a rk the s te a dy p rog re s s of the s e

mon s te rs to the bounds of their mythologica l h a bita t .

There c a me a time when Behemoth a nd L evi a th a n were

h a rdly mo re pre s enta ble t h a n other pe rsonified horrors
a period in t
.

They too must t a ke the veil —,

’
he hi s tory of

myth ica l corresponding to extinction in th a t of a ctu a l

, ,

mo n s ters Th e follo w ing p a ss a ge in the Book of E noch

.

is be lieved by P ro fe s s or D rummond to be a l a ter in s ertion ,

proba b ly from the Book of N oa h a n d a s e a rly a s the

In th a t d a y t
,

middle of the first century w o mo n ste rs

s h a ll be divided ; a fem a le mon s te r n a med L evi a t h a n to ,

dwell in the a bys s of the s ea a bove the s ou rces of the

,

wa ters ; but the m a le is c a lled Behemoth w hich occupies

wit h it
,

s bre a st a desol a te wilderness n a med D e n d a in on ,

the e a st of the g a rd e n where the elect a n d righteou s

dwell w he re my gra nd fa ther (E noch) w a s t a ken up being
th e s eventh from A d a m t a n whom t
, ,

,
h e firs t m h e Lord of
4 10 THE M O U TH OF HE LL .

the s pirit s cre a ted A n d I a sked t h a t other a ngel to s h o w

.

me the might of these monsters how they were s ep a ra ted

in one d a y a n d one w as set in the dep t h of the s e a t
,

,
he ,

other on the firm la nd of the wilderness A n d he s p oke .

to me Thou s on of ma n thou des irest in this to k now

,
‘
,

w h a t h as been conce a led A n d the other a ngel who w ent

’
.

with me a n d s howed me wh a t is in conce a lment s p a ke

, , ,

The s e two monsters a re prepa red con form a bly to

the g re a tne s s of God to be fe d in o rder th a t the p e n a l ,

judgme n t of God ma y not be in va in 1 ’

We ma y thu s s e e th a t there were a ntecedent s t o t

.

he

s entime n t of A quin a s — Bea ti in regno ce le s ti v id e b u n t ‘

pe na s d a mn a t oru m u t be a t
it t
,

u d o illi s m a gi s c om l
’

p, a c e a .

Or pe rh a ps one might s ay ra ther to the logic of A qui n a s ;

, ,

for though he s a w th a t it would be neces s a ry for s oul s in

bliss to be h a ppy a t vision of the d a mned or el s e deficie n t
'

in bli s s it is s a id he could h a rdly be h a ppy fro m th i nk

,

ing of the i rrevers ible doom of S a ta n him s el f It w o uld .

a ppe a r th a t only the followers of the Genev a n who a n tici

p a ted h is god s hell for Servetu s m a n a ged to a da pt th ei r

’

he a rts to su c h logic a nd glory in the e n dless to rtures of ,

thei r fellow crea tu re s -

.

A n eloque n t minister in N ew Y ork Oct a viu s B F roth

in gh a m bei ng requested to w rite out h is views on t
.
,

, he
‘
que s tion of eve rl a sti n g d a m n a tion bega n with the re
’
,

m a rk th a t he felt s o mewh a t a s a sports m a n s u d den ly

c a lled upon to hunt the Igu a nodon R ea lly it is Behe .

moth a n d L evi a th a n he w a s ca lled to de a l with L e v i a .

th a n tra ns mitted from Jon a h to the M iddle A ge s the ide a

of the belly of Hell a n d Behemoth s j a w s exp a n ded in
‘ ’ ’

t
,

h e mouth of Hell o f the M ira c le pl a ys ; a n d their utility -

,

a s de s cribed in the Book of E noch perh a p s o rigin a ted the ,

1
Th J w i h M ih & By J m D mm d B A L gm
s e ss a
’
0. a es ru on on a ns

l bl w k h pt i
e e

i t
.
, , .

C 0 . S hi ee n s va u a e or c a er x x .
4 12 C O N D I TI ON S OF THE C OM B A T .

into it a n d beheld a —
cre a ture th a t m a de him s hu d d e r a
di a bolica l big sna ke with nine fe rocious eyes A li t
, ,

tle .

time only h a d el a p s ed be fore this crea tu re ha d gro w n too

l a rge for the w ell to hold it a n d it c a me out a n d c r a w led
,

o n m a k i n g a p a th o f desol a tion bre a k fa s ting on a v i ll a g e

u ntil it c a me t A round th a t hill it

, , ,

o a sm a ll hill . c o i led

with nine coils ea ch w eighty enough to m ake a s e p a ra te

terra ce One ma y still see this hill with it
,

. s ni n e t e r ra ce s ,

a n d be a s s ured of the circumst a nce s by pe a s a nts r e s i d ing

nea r Ha vi n g ta ken up it
. s he a dqu a rters on thi s h i ll t he ,

n ine e yed monster w as in the h a bit of s a llyi n g fort h e v ery

-

d a y a n d sa ti s fyi n g h is hunger by devouri n g the pl u mp es t

fa mily he could find until a t length the people co n s u lted
or cle ome y a witch other ag a in a prie sta n d
,

a n a — s s a s ,
—
were told tha t the mo n ster would be s a ti s fied if i t w ere
given ea ch d ay the milk of nine co w s So nine cows w ere .

got together a n d a plucky d a irym a id w a s found to milk

the cows a n d c a rry it to the d ra go n I f a single gill o f t
,

he .

milk w a s mi s s ing the monster took a di re revenge u pon

the n e a re s t vill a ge Thi s w a s the unple as a nt s itu a tion
.

w hich young La mbton found when he return ed h o m e

fro m the crusa de s He w a s now a n a ltered ma n He

He felt
. .

w a s no lo n ger given to fishing a n d pro fa n ity .

keenly th a t by ra i s ing the demon out of the river We a r he

h a d brought w oe upon h is neighbours a n d he resolved t o

in single comba t Bu t
,

e n g a ge the Worm he le a r ned .

th a t it h a d a lrea dy been fought by severa l k n ights a nd ,

h a d s l a in them while no wounds received by itsel f a va il ed

,

a nything since if it we re cut in tw a in the piec es gre w

toge t
, , ,

her a ga in Th e knight then co n s ulted the ora cle

wit ch or pries t a nd w a s told th a t he could preva il in t
.
,

, he
comb a t on cert a in conditions He must provide hims elf .

w ith s peci a l a rmour a ll over which must be l a rge ra z or

b la d es He mu s t m a n a ge to entice the w orm into t

,

. he
 AN AL YSI S OF THE M YTH 4 3
1

middle of the river We a r in whose wa ters the comba t ,

mu st ta ke pl a ce A nd fin a lly he must vow to sl a y as a

.
, ,

sa c rifice the first living thing he s hould meet a fter his vic
tory These conditions h a ving been fulfilled the knight
entered the strea m The dra gon n ot
. ,

. h a ving received his ,

milk a s usu a l th a t morning c ra wled from his hill seeking ,

w hom he might devour a nd seeing the knight in the river

we nt at
, ,

him Quickly he coiled a round the a rmour but

it
.
,

s big r a zo rs cut him into m a ny sections ; a n d these s ec

tion s co u ld not piece themselve s together a ga in beca u s e

the current of the river w ashed them swi ftly a w a y .

N ow observe h ow this dra gon w as pieced together

,

mytho logic a lly He is a stor mcloud He begins sm a lle r

. .

th a n a m a n s h a nd a nd swells to huge di mensions ; tha t

’

ch a ra cteri s tic of the howling storm w a s represented in the

howling wol f Fe n ris of N orse M ythology who w a s a litt le
pet a s o rt of l a pdog for the gods a t
,

,
first but when ful l ,

g rown broke the cha ins th a t tied him to mount a in s a n d

w a s only fettered a t
,

l a st by the thre a d finer th a n cob w eb

which w a s re a lly t
,

he s u nbe a mconquering winter

'

Then .
,

when thi s worm w as cut in two the pa rts c a me together ,

a ga in Thi s fea ture of recurrence is e s peci a lly ch a ra cter

is t In the E gypti a n Ta le of Se t
.

ic of Hydra s P tah ‘ ’
. n au ,

n e fe r— ka sa w the river s n a ke twice re s ume its form a fte r

-

he h a d ki lled it with h is sword h e succeeded the thi rd ,

-

time by pl a cing sa nd between the two pa rts ; a nd w ha t

r e t u rn i n g floods t a ught the a ncient scribe rem a ined to

ch a ra cte ri s e the dra gon encountered by Guy of W a rwick

which recovered from every wound by dippi ng it
,

s ta il in

the well it h a d gu a rded The L erne a n Hydra h a d nine

.

he a ds the L a mbton Worm nine eyes a n d nine fold s

, ,

a n d d ra nk nine cow s milk His fondness for the milk

’

of cow s connects him stra ightly with the dra gon V rit
.

ra

who mIndra slew beca use h e stole Indra s cows (t

,

h a t is ’

,
4 14 THE LA M B TON D OOM
t
h good
e clouds w h ose mi lk is gentle ra in a nd d o n o
h a rm ) a n d s hut t
, ,

hem up in a c a vern to enjoy their milk

h im s el f Th a t is t
,

. he oldes t D ra gon fa ble on record a n d ,

it is sa id in the R ig V ed a tha t benea th Indra s thu n der

-
’

bolt the monster b roke up into piece s a n d w a s w a s hed ,

a wa y in a cu rrent of w a ter Fin a lly in being de s troyed

at la s t by ra zor bl a des t
.
,

h e dra gon is connected with th a t

,

sl a in by R a gn a r in whos e a rmour the s u n d a rts of A poll o

,
-

h a d turned to icicles In the D e a th S ong of R a gn a r ‘ -

iu s it is s a id t ha t
.

Lod bra c h p re s e rved by Ol a u s W orm

’
, ,

King E ll a of N orthu mberl a nd h a ving c a ptured tha t t e rror

o f the N orth (8 t h cen t ) ordered him to be th rown i n to a
,

pit of s erpents His s urn a me Lod bra ch or Ha ir Bre e c hes

.
, , ,

h a d been given bec a u s e of h is method of sl a ying a W o rm

which deva s ta ted Got h la n d whose king h a d promi s e d h is ,

d a ughter to the ma n who s hould sl a y the sa me R a gn a r

d re s s ed him s el f in h a iry s kins, a n d th re w wa t er ove r t
.

he
h a ir which freezing enca s ed him in a n a rmou r of ice
, , ,
.

Th e Wo rm u n a ble to bite through this w a s imp a led by

A nother version is th a t R a gn a r killed t
, ,

R a gn a r w o ser

pents which the Ki n g of Got hla n d h a d s et

.

to gu a rd h is
d a ughter but which h a d grown to s uch s ize th a t they
terrified the country It ma y be obs erved tha t t
,

h e L a mb
t
.

o n sto ry chri s ti a ni s es the R a gn a r legend showin g th a t to ,

be done in a tonement for s in w hich in the other w a s done

for love Th e Co rni s h lege n d o f S t P etrox h a s a l s o t a ke n
a hi n t from R a gn a r a n d a nnounce s t
. .

h e rescue of ch ri s ti a n s
,

from the s e rpent pit in which the p a g a n h e ro peri s hed

-
.

Th e icicles re a ppea r on the s l a ye r of the d ra gon of Wa nt

ley repres ented by lo n g s pikes bristling from h is a rmour
, .

The Knight L a mbton remembering h is v ow to s l a y a s ,

a s a c rifice the first living t h ing he might meet a fter the

comb a t h a d a rra nged th a t a dog s hould be pla ced whe re it

would a ttra ct h is eye But it tu rned ou t
,

tha t h is ow n fa ther
.
4 16 OR TH OD OX Y OF THE W OR M

ma y re i t it o n ly to h a ve it pa ss
s s the heredita ry doo m as

of his fa mily repres e nting a n imputed sin

, For I t he .
,

L ord thy God a m a je a lous God a nd visit the sins o f

the fa thers on t
, ,

h e child ren unto the third a n d fo u rt h

g ener a tion ’

There a re proce s ses of this kind in n a ture h e red it

.

a rv

evi ls tr a n s mitted di s ea s es a n d d i sgra ce s a n d a fllict

,

ion s of ‘

ma ny thro ugh the o ffences of one But

, ,

a fe a rful N emesi s

follows the d e ifi c a t
.

ion a n d a do ra tion of them How ca n .

I be h a ppy in hea ven s a id a tender he a rted la dy to h e r

,
’
-

clerica l a d v i s er when I mu s t see others in hell ?

‘
Y ou
’ ‘

will be ma de to s e e th a t it is a ll for t
,

h e be s t If I
’
.

a mto be m a de s o he a rt le s s I pre fer to go to hel l Thi s

’

genuine conve rs a tion report

.
,

s the doom of a ll deities

who s e exten s ion is in dra gons Hell implies a D ra gon

as it
.

s rep resenta tive a n d ruler Theology ma y induce .

the a bject a n d cowa rdly to subject their hum a n hea rts

to the proces s of indura tion required for loy a lty to
such pow e rs but in t he end it m a ke s a theism the on ly
s a lv a tio n of bra ve pure a n d lov ing n at
,

ure s Th e D ra go n s
’
.
, ,

b re a th h a s clouded the a ncient h e avens a n d blighted the

old god s ; but the s ta rry idea l s they pu rs ue in va i n Behe .

moth h as s upplied s i rloin s to m a ny priesthoods for a lon g

t ime but he h as a t
,
l as t become too t ough even for their
teeth a nd they feed h imles s ca refully every ye a r N ay
,
.
,

he is encountered n ow a n d then by his p ro fe s s io na l feed e rs

a n d h a s found even in Wes t
,

mi ns ter A bbey h is Guy o f

Wa rwick .

N o c o ld th is d esp t
r e ch a mpuio d au t ’
ra n n

A D Cow b igg t h un leph t er an e an

B u he, t tp o rov e h is cou ra ge s e rling, t

Cu t
f mh ro e r e n or mo u s s id e a s irloin .

The Worms — whether S emitic L evi a th a n or A r v a n

r
D a gon — a re n e a rly fos s ili s e d a s to thei r a ncient form .
 TII E D RA GON D OGM A .

Th e crifice of Jeph t
sa h a s d a u ghter to the one a nd of
’
,

young Conyers to the other found commut a tion in the ,

c a se of m a n s rescue from Sa ta n by C hrist s descent to

’ ’

Ha des a n d in the substitution of nine une as y dea th s for the

,

dem a nded p a rricide i n the L ambton c a s e ; a nd the most

direct s urviva l of these ma y be found in a ny country la d
’

trying to cu re h is w a rts by providi n g a weed for them to

a dhe re to Thei r e n d in A rt
. w as in such forms a s this st a rve

li ng c rea ture of Ca llot s (Fig whose thin spect a cled

’
.
,

Fig 33 —q tT iron Sr A n r n onv (C ll t

)
-
. rn
'
u n a or . a o .

rider tilting a t StA nthony denotes a s well the doom of a ll

powers however lo fty whos e m ajes ty re q uires t a lz a u x zlzo ot
,
. ,

' ' '

{s t
, ,

ir d f e ns or zbus Th e D ra gon p a s se s a n d le a ves a ro a r of

'

l a ughte r behind h imin which even St

.

,
A nthony could now .

join But Levi a th a n a nd L a mbton Worm h a ve combined

.

a n d merged their li fe in a D ogm a it is a D ogm a as remorse

less a n d vora cious a s its prototype a n d re q uires to be fed

with a ll the milk of hum a n kindne s s or it a t
,

once begi n s ,

to gn a w the found a tions o f C hri s tendom itsel f Chri s ti

a n it
.

y re s ts upon the p a st work o f the Worm in P a ra di s e

a nd it
,

s pre s ent work in Hell It m a kes no rea l di fference.

whether m a n s belie f in a unive rs e enmeshed in serpe nt

’

coils be ex p ressed in the Hindu s cow e ri ng a dora tion of ’

VO L . I .
2 D
4 18 SE R P E N T S UP E R S TI TI ON A N D S CI E N CE .

the venomous potenta te or t ,

h e ch ri s ti a n s impreca tio n
’

upon it : fund a menta lly it is serpent wors hip in ea ch c as e

-
.

V i shnu reposes on his cele s ti a l S erpent ; the god of D ogm a

ma inta in s his governmen t by s upport of the in fern a l S e r
p ent . F e a r beheld him a ppe a ring in D urh a m to vindica te

the m a s s a nd the Sa bb a th ; but the s a me fea r s till s e es

him in the fiery wo rld pu n i s hing Sa bba th brea kers a nd -

bl a sphemers a ga in s t his Crea tor a nd chie f Th a t fea r buil t

.

every c a thedra l in Chri s te n dom a n d they must crumbl e

,

with the ph a nt a sm evoked for their cre a tion .

Th e S erpent in it s el f is a perfect type o f a ll evi l in

n a ture It is irreconcil a ble with the reign of a perfectly
.

good a nd omnipoten t ma n over the universe N o a mount

o f ca sui s try c a n expl a in it s c c exi s tence with a n t
.

-
hropo
morphic Love a nd Wi s dom a s a ll a cknowledge when a
,

p a ra llel c a sui s try a ttempt s to de fend a ny other god th a n

their own from deed s th a t a re hum a nly considered ev il
, , .

It is ju s t a s ea sy to de fend the jea lousy a nd cruelty of

Jove on the ground th a t his wa y s a re n ot
,
a s our wa y s as ,

it is to de fend simil a r tempe rs in Jehova h The mons ter .

sent by one to devour P rometheus is ethica lly a twi n with

the sn a ke c re a ted by the other to bite t h e heel of m an .

M a n is s a ved from the superstitious evolution of the

veno mou s S e rpent into a D ra gon by recognising it s rea l

evolution a s s een by the eye of S cience S cien ce a lon e .

c a n tell the true s tory of the S e rpent a n d j u s ti fy its pl a ce

,

in n a t u re It forbids ma n his supe rs titious method of

.

m a king a god in h is own im a ge a nd his egoti s tic meth od

,

o f j u d gi n g n a tu re a ccording to his priva te likes a n d d is

likes his conve n ience or inco n venience Ta ught by Scienc e

,
.

ma n ma y with a freedom the ba rba ri a n ca n n ot feel exter

, ,

min a te the S erpent ; with a freedom the christi a n ca nnot

know he ma y s e e in th a t reptile the perfection of t
,
ha t
economy in n ature which has ever de fended the a dva ncin g
 ( 4 20 )

C H A P TE R X I I .

FA TE .

’
D oré s Lor et a nd Fa e — M oira a nd —
M oire Th e Fa t
es of E s ch ylu s

Di i b lt
v ne im a so u s s u rre n d e re d — T yph o —Gomm
J ov e a nd n u

tt
ai f th
on oD m e e on s
’
sh P op l
a re fa tl m Th ologica l
i — u ar a s e

f tli m
a a —F t d N
s a e an ec s y D eifi cat
e s it— o of W ill— M ta ph y s ics
i n e

t t
,

p asd pan res e n .

G U STAV E D O R E h a s pa inted a pictu re of Love a n d Fate ’

in which the terrible h ag is port ra yed towe ring a bove t

,

he
tender E ros a nd while the l a tter is extend ing the thre a d
a s fa r a s he c a n the wrinkled h a n d s of D e s tiny a re t
,

, he
bound a ries o f h is po wer a n d the fa t a l s he a rs clo s e upo n
the joy he ha s s tretched to it
,

s inevit a ble limit To the

a ncient mind the s e t
.

w o form s m a de the two gre a t re a l m s

of the univers e their powers meeting in the fruit with a

wo rm a t it
,

s co re in s e eds of de a th germin a ting a mid the

,

pla y of li fe in a ll the li mita tion s of ma n They a re p ro

ie c t
, .

e d in myth s of E ly s ium a nd Ha de s E den a n d the S e r ,

pe n t He aven a nd Hell a n d their m a n i fold va ri a nts

, , .

P erh a ps there is no on e li n e of mythologica l develop

ment which more clea rly a nd impres s ively illu s tra te s t he
fo rces under which g rew the idea of a n evil principle th a n
the ch a nge s which the pe rs onific a tion of Fa te underw e nt
,

in Greece a nd R ome Th e M oira or Fa te with Homer is.

, ,

only a second a ry c a use if th a t a nd s imply ca rries out the

, ,

decrees of her fa ther Zeus Zeus is the re a l Fa te N ever

,
. .
 M OI R A AN D M O IR / E .
4 ar

t
h l e es s, while this is the Homeric theo ry or th eology ,

there a re intim a tions (se e cha p xxvii p a rt 4 ) th a t the re a l

a w e of men w a s a lre a dy tra ns ferred from Zeus to t
. .

he
E rin n ye s This fore s h a dows a ch a nge of government
. .

With Hes iod we fi nd in s te a d of one three M oire They

a re no longer o ffs p ring of Zeu s bu t
.
, ,

a s it were his C a binet

They do n ot a ct
.
, , ,

ind ependently of him but when in pur

Zeus i s sues decrees t
, ,

s u a n ce of thei r j u s t counsels he , ,

M oi re a dmini s ter them N ext we find the M oi re of .

He s iod developed by other w riters into fin a l R ecorders ;

they write the decrees of Zeu s on certa in indestru ctible
ta blet s a fter which they a re ir revoc a ble a n d inevit a ble
,
.

With fE s chylu s we fi nd the M oire developed i n to in d e

pendent a n d s upreme po w ers a bove Zeus him s el f Th e
ch a ined P rometheus looks n ot
.
,

to Zeus but to Fa te for his

fi n a l libera tion .

Ch or us th i t
W ho
h g id fN it y?e n, s e u e o eces s

mt Th t i f mF t d t f g t t
.
,

P ro h e eus h e igF i
r -
or a es an e u n or e n ur es

t t t
. .

Cl I Z
io. hs l p f l
e u s, h h y ?
en, ess ow er u an e

P m At
ro l tt i ti h eas t p hi w d m
’
s c er a n e ca n n o es c a e s o n oo

A d h t b Z d mb t l t
. .

’
Ci ro. n w a ca n i g l e eu s oo u e v er a s n ru e

P m Th i y my t
ro l s p i
et t a no earn re s s no

m l m my ty t h id t
. .

67 S
10 ly u re hso e so e n s er ou es

mT t m t t
h m f t t t
. .

P ro h
u rn o soh i di l e oim h er e e or s s c osu re e as no

itmt y ty f by t
.

ip
r d
en e :b il d i d p m us e ve h k pi g f
e n ee s er or e ee n o

t th ll m my lib t
,

hi s secre s y f mb
a co h i e d m i y er ro ase c a ns an s er .

These gre a t l a ndm a rks repre s ent successive revolutions

in the Olympi a n govern men t A bs olutis m beca me bur
t
.
.

h e n s ome : a s i rre s pon s ible mon a rch Zeus bec a me re s pon ,

sible for the woes of the world a nd his priests were ,

sa tisfied to h a ve a n increa sing s h a re of th a t respons ibility

a llotted to his coun s ellors until fin a lly the whole of it is ,

t ra nsferred From th a t time the cou n ten a nce of Zeus or

.
,

Jupiter s hines out unclouded by re s pon sibility for hum a n

mi s fortunes a n d ea rthly evils a n d on the other h a nd t
,

he , ,
4 23 I O VE A N D TYP H ON .

once bea uti ful Fa tes a re pro portion a tely bl a cken ed an d ,

they become hideous h a gs the a ged a nd l a me c rones of ,

popul a r belie f in G reece a n d R ome every line of whos e ,

ugliness would h a ve di s figured the fa ce of Zeus had he

not been subordin a ted to them .

M oira me a ns sh a re a nd origin a lly perh a ps me a nt

‘ ’
, , ,

simply the power th a t meted out to ea ch h is sh a re of li fe ,

a n d of the p a in s a n d ple as ures woven in it till the term be

rea ched But a s the Fa tes g a ined mo re definite person a lity

.

they be ga n to be rega rded a s h a vi n g a l s o a sh a re of ‘ ’

their ow n They ca me to typi fy a ll the d a rk a n d formid

.

a ble po w ers a s to their i n evit a blene ss N o divine powe r

could s et
.

them a s ide or more th a n tempora rily subdu e

,

them Fa te mea s ured out her s ha re to the remors eless

.

Go rgon a s well a s to the fa irest god But whe re des tructive .

power w as exe rcised in a w a y friend ly to ma n the Fa tes

a re put s ome wh a t in t
,

he ba c kgrou n d a n d the fe a t is cl a imed ,

for some god S uch in the P rometheu s of IEs ch y lu s ‘ ’

.
, ,

is the s pirit of the wonderful p a s sa ge concerning Ty phon ,

rendered with t ra gic depth by Theodore Buckley — I ‘

co mmi s era ted too s a ys the rock bound P rometh eus whe n
’
-
‘

I beheld the e a rth born inm a te of t

, ,

-
h e C ilici a n ca verns ,

a tremendous prodigy the hundred hea ded impetuou s

,
-

Typhon ove rpowered by force ; who withstood a ll the

,

god s hissi n g sl a u ghter from his hungry j a ws a nd from

, ,

h is eye s the re fl a s hed a hideou s gl a re a s if he w ould

perfo rce ove rthro w the sove reignty of Jove But the .

s leeple s s sh a ft of J upiter c a me upo n him the descend ,

ing thu n derbolt brea thing fo rth fl a me which s ca red h im

out of his pre s umptuous bra va does ; for h a ving been
smitten to h is very s oul he w a s crumbled to a ci nde r a n d ,

thunder bl a s ted in his prow es s A n d n ow a h a pless a nd

-
.
,

p a ra l ys ed for m is he lying h a rd by a n a rro w frith p res sed

do w n be n ea th the roots of IEt A n d s e a ted on t
, ,

na he .
,
 C OM M U TA TI ON .

tt
i
u ons a re every theologic a l system a nd t
found in o

a pply them to individu a l s constitutes the r a is on d ét

,

’
re o f

every priesthood In the progres s towa rds civilisa tio n t

. he
s ubstitutes dimini s h in va lue a n d fin a lly they bec om e ,

me rely nomin a l a nd ceremoni a l a n e ffigy of a ma n

—
i n s te a d of the ma n or wine instea d of blood A t fi rs t t
,

, he .

commut a tion w a s o fte n in the s ubs titution of pe rs ons of

lower for othe rs of higher ra nk a s when sl a ves or wive s
’

were or a re s a crificed to a s sure p a ra di s e to the ma s ter or

, ,

hu s b a nd Thus D e a th is a llo w ed to t a ke A lces ti s in s te a d

.
,

of A dmetu s A higher d egree of civili s a tion substitutes

In keeping with this is t
.

a ni m a l s for hum a n victims .he

lege n d of Chri s t s s ending d emons out of two men into a
’

he rd of s wine : which a ga in is re ferable to the sa me cl a ss

1
, ,

o f ide a s a s the legend th a t fo llowed concerni n g Jesus him

sel f a s a vica rious o ffering ; ma nkind in this cas e being t he

herd a s compa red with the son of a god a nd the t ra ns fer
, ,

of the S a t a nic power from the hum a n r a ce to him s el f for ,

even a little time bei n g a ccepted in theology as a n equi

,

va lent on a ccount of the divi n e d ignity of the being who

,

des cended i n to hell It w a s some time however be fore

th eology worked out thi s theory a s it now s t a nd s t
.
, ,

he ,

c a ndid fa the rs h aving rejoiced in the belie f th a t the con

tra ct for commuta ti on on it s fa ce implied th a t C h ri st w as
to rem a in for ever in hell Sa ta n being outwitted in t hi s
The a n cient B a bylo n i a n ch a rms o ften e n d with t
, .

he
re fra in M a y the ench a ntment go fort h a n d to it s own

dwelling pl a ce beta ke it s e lf E ve ry evil spirit w a s sup

-
.
’

po s ed to h a ve a n a pp ropri a te dwelling as in the c a se of ,

J ud a s into whom Sa ta n entered a nd of whom it is s aid

,
1
,

he by tra n s gres s ion fell th a t he might go to h is own

‘
,

pl ace Very i ngenious are some of the a ncient specul a

11
.

1
Ma t
tiii 3
. v . 0.
1
L i.
u ke xxii 3
.
1 ti
Ac s . 2 5.
 P OP ULA R FA TAL I SM 32 5
0

tion s concerning the h a bit a tion s a nd congeni al resorts of

demons In s ome regions t
. h e colour of a disea se on the
s kin is supposed to in d ic a te the t a s tes of the demon

c a u s ing it ; a n d the spells of exorci s m end by a ssigni n g

him to something of the s a me hue Th e demon of j a un .

dice is gene ra lly consigned to the yellow p a rrots a nd ,

infl a mm a tion to the red or sc a rlet weeds Their colou rs .

a re re s pected . Hum a nity is little considered in the E a s tern

formul a s of this kind, a n d it is pretty genera lly the ca se
th a t in pra ying a ga inst pl a gue or fa mine popul a tion s a re ,

o fte n found s electing a tribe to which their trouble is

a djured to bet a ke itsel f M a y N in c iga l sa ys a Ba by
‘ ’
-
.
,

lon ia n exorci s m ,turn her fa ce towa rds a nother pl a ce ;

‘

ma y the nox ious spirit go forth a n d s eize a nother ; ma y

the fem a le che rub a n d the fem a le demon settle upon his
body ; ma y the king of hea ven preserve ma y the king of ,

e a rth pre s erve ! ’

S o is it in regions a nd ti m es which we genera lly think of

a s s emi b a rb a rous
-
But every now a n d then communitie s
.

which fa ncy themselves civilised a nd enlightened a re

brought fa ce to fa ce with the popul a r fa ta lism in it s p a ga n

form a n d a re shocked t
, herea t n ot remembering th a t it is
,

equ a lly the dogma of vica rious s a ti s fa ction or a tonement .

A l a dy re s idi n g in the neighbourhood of the Tra u n s ee ,

A u s tria in for m s me th a t recently two men were n ea rly

drowned in th a t l a ke being res cued a t
,

, the last moment

a n d brought to li fe with gre a t di ffi culty But this inci .

dent inste a d of ca usi n g joy a mong the neighbours of the

,

men excited their di s ple a sure ; a nd this not beca use the
rescued were a t
,

a ll unpopul a r but beca use of a wide

,

spre a d notion th a t the D es tinies required two lives th a t

they would h a ve to be presently sa tisfied with t
,

w o others ,

a n d th a t since the agonies of the drowning men h a d

p ass ed into unconsciousness it would h ave been better to

,
4 26 THE OL OGI CA L FA TA LI SI L

s u rrender the s elected victims to their fa te A t E lsinore . ,

i n D enm a rk when the s e a mo a ns it is sa id to wa nt s ome

,
‘

body a n d it is genera lly the c a s e th a t s ome sto ry of a

,
’

pers on j u s t drowned ci rcul a tes a fte rwa rds .

While the ea rly mythologica l forms of the Fa te s dimini s h

a n d p a s s a wa y a s cu rious s upe rs titions they return in met a
'

phys ica l di sgui s e s They g a ther their kindred in primitiv e

.

sciences a nd cos mogonies a nd finding their old home swept

,

free of p a ga n demo n s a n d g a rn i shed wit h philo s ophi c

phras es they enter a s g ra ve theories ; but th eir s ubtlet
, ,

y
a n d the l a st sta te of t
,

a n d their sting is with them he

hou s e they occupy is wors e t
,

h a n the fi rst .

Y e s wo rs e : for a ll th a t m
,
a n ever won of cour a ge o r

mora l freedom by conque ring h is dra gon s in det a il h e

, ,

surrende rs a ga in to the ph a ntom forces they typified -

w hen he give s up h is mind to belie f in a power not him

s el f th a t m a ke s for evil The terrible conclusio n th a t E vi l

.

is a po s itive a nd i mperish a ble Principle in the univers e

ca rries in it the poisonous bre a th of every D ra go n I t
lurk s in a ll theology which repre s ents t
.

h e u n ive rs e a s a n
a re n a of s t ruggle between good a n d evil P rinciple s a n d ,

hum a n li fe a s a w a r of the s oul a ga in s t the fle s h It an i .

m a te s a ll the pious ho rrors which identi fy M a teri a lis m

with wickedness It nestle s in the mind which im a gines
.

a pers on a l deity O ppo s ed by a ny p a rt of n a ture It coils .

a round every he a rt which a dores a bsolute sovereign Will ,

however a potheos i s ed .

A ll of the s e n otions most of a ll belie f in a s u preme a rbi

t
,

ra ry Will a re mode rn disguise s of Fa te ; a n d be lie f in

,

Fa te is the one thi n g fa t a l to hum a n cultu re a n d energy

Th e notion of Fa te (f a t u m the word spoken c a rrie s i n it
.

) ,

the conception of a rbit ra riness in the unive rs e of powe r

delibera tely exerted without neces sa ry re ference to t
,

he
n a ture of things ; a n d it is precisely opposed to th a t ide a
4 28 M E TAP H YSI CS .

of Buddhi s t a nd V ed a ntist philo sophy h ave come by

every conceiva ble route to their fund a menta l u n ity of
belie f in God Sou l a nd M a tter ; in a pessimist vi s ible
,
'

n a ture a n ide a l invi s ible n a ture a nd a hum a n soul held

, ,

in m a tter like a frog in a sn a ke s mouth but a ble by cer ’

t a in mysteriou s mo st
,

ly met a physica l or verba l t a ctics

, , ,

to g a in relea s e a n d p a s s into a correspon ding sit u a tion in

,

the deity .

‘
A s a king whose son h a d stra yed a wa y from him a nd
,

lived in igno ra nce of his fa ther a mong the V edd ahs (wild
me n) will on di scove ring his s on excl a im C ome to me
, , , , ,

my d a rling son I a n d m a ke him a p articip a tor of the

’

h a ppines s he him s el f enjoys even so will the S upreme ,

God present h imself be fore the soul when in distre s s— the

soul e n me shed in the net of t h e five V edd a hs (s enses ) ,

a n d severing th a t soul from P fi s a m(M a tte r) a ssimil a te it

to him s el f a n d bless it a t
, ,

h is holy feet
’
.
,

It is too l a te for ma n to be interested in a n omni ‘

potent Pers ona lity whose po w er is mysteriously limited

’

at
,

the preci s e point when it is n eeded a n d whose mo ra l

government is a nother n a me for m a n s own con t
,

rol of ’

n ature N eve rthele s s thi s O rienta l pess imi s m is the Pa ul

.
,

ine theory of M a tter a nd it is the specul a tive protopla s m

ou t in m a ny sh a pes tha t
,

of w hich h a s been evolved

perso n ifica tion w hich rem a ins for our co sider tion t
, ,

n a — he
D evil .

E N D O F VO L I . .

P RI N E
T D BY B A LL A N T YN B , HA N SO N A N D C O .

E DI N BU RG H A N D LO N DO N