Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 9, 1898.djvu/208

184 that in the early ritual of India the altar for the reception of the Soma was to be constructed in the form of a woman (the mother of all living ?).

The feminine element has also been perpetuated in the prehistoric stones and sculptured idols of Europe. Two very rude such figures have been found in the island of Guernsey ; one of these was discovered a few years ago beneath the flooring of the Câtel Church when it was being relaid. Near St. Renan, in North Brittany, is a monolith about 40 feet in height, which is unmistakably intended to represent a female figure. Certain mysterious rites are known to be performed around it by women at the present day. In another part of Brittany is the so-called Venus de Quinipilly, an undraped female statue of good proportions, and belonging to an advanced style of art. Scattered over the steppes of Southern Russia are a large number of stone statues, all of the female sex, and draped to a certain extent. These are known to have been worshipped in former times ; they now serve as landmarks for those who have to traverse that region. It is a problem yet to be solved whence came the stone of which they are made, since there is no stone in the whole district ; consequently there are no metalled roads. Who were the artificers of these statues is unknown also. This subject will be treated more at length in my forthcoming book, The Symbolism of the East and West. The following legend is an illustration of the power of volition sometimes attributed to an Indian god. Belonging to Sultanpur, the capital of the Kulu state, is a tiny brass image, Raghunâth by name, which is said to have been stolen from Oudh more than two hundred years ago. The tale runs thus : The ruler of this small Himalayan state sent to demand money from a wealthy Brahman, who refused to comply with the demand, and on a second messenger being sent to him, the Brahman set fire to his house, whereby he and all his family were burnt to death. On this, the Raja suddenly found himself attacked with leprosy, but was informed in a dream that if he could only procure the idol Raghunath he would be cured. He at once dispatched some trusty servants to Oudh, with the intention of carrying it off by fair means or foul ; they stole the god, were pursued and overtaken, but Raghunâth showed such a decided wish to go to Kulu, that in the end they were allowed to take the god away, and as