Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/490

324 bitterly because the golden apple has fallen from the tree (a myth of sunset), but "God" will make her another of gold, brass, or silver.$41$ She is herself an apple, sleeping in an apple- garden, and decked with apple-blossoms (the fleecy clouds of dawn).$42$ Disregarding the counsel of Perkúnas, she betroths her daughter to Morning Star, though first she gives the maiden to the moon, who takes the young girl to his home, i. e. at twilight the moon is the first to become visible, thus pre- ceding the morning star, which bears away the dawn.$43$ She strikes the moon with a silver stone; in other words, her rising orb obliterates the moon, this being the cause of three days' battle with "God."$44$ She dwells on a mountain (the vault of heaven), and standing in mid-sky, she reproves her daughters because one had not swept the floor, while the other had failed to wash the table.$45$

She, "God's daughter" (Dė&#x303;vo dukrýtė), watches over all things, as is set forth in a charming little dainà.$46$

In comparison with the sun the moon is a very minor figure,$47$ and his chief importance is his connexion with the sun. When his spouse reproaches him for his pale colour, he replies that