Page:The Mythology of the Aryan Nations.djvu/572

540 BOOK has imparted a burlesque character to the trolls and fairies of Northern Europe.^ No sooner is the prayer granted than the dwarf, who is none other than the sun, measures the whole heaven with his three strides, and sends Bali to his fit abode in the dark Patala. But Bali himself is closely akin, or rather identical, with the giant Ravana, who steals away Sita, the bride of Rama, by whom he is himself slain, as Paris falls by the arrows of Philoktetes. This story is modified in the Vishnu P urana to suit the idea of the trans- migration of souls, and Ravana, we are here told, had been in a former birth Sisupala, the great enemy of Vishnu, whom he daily curses with all the force of relentless hatred. But these maledictions had, nevertheless, the effect of keeping the name of the god constantly before his mind; and thus, when he was slain by Vishnu, he beheld the deity in his true character, and became united with his divine adversar}'.^ But Vishnu, the discus-bearing god, has another enemy in Graha, in whom we see again only a new form of Ravana and Bali.^ Against this wise and powerful being, for the Panis are possessed of a hidden treasure which passes for the possession of knowledge, not even the discus of Vishnu nor a thousand thunder- bolts have the least effect. The darkness is at the least as difficult to subdue as is the dawn or the day.

The Trojan The three names, Pani, Vritra, and Ahi, which are specially used to denote the antagonist of Indra, reappear in the mythology of other tribes, sometimes under a strange disguise, w^hich has invested a being originally dark and sombre, with not a little of the beauty and glory of his conqueror. With these modified names appear others which virtually translate the Vedic epithets. That the Helen of the Iliad is etymologically the Sarama of the Vedic hymns, there is no ques- tion ; that the Pani who tempts, or who prevails over Sarama, is the Trojan Paris, is not less clear. Both alike are deceivers and seducers, and both bring down their owm doom by their offence. But when we have said that Paris, like the Panis and Vritra, steals away the fairest of women and her treasures (in which we see agam the cows of Sarama) from the western land, that he hides her away for ten long

' The Pari appears in the German him. The brothers and kinsfolk of story of the Feather Bird as a sorcerer, the bride now come to rescue her ; who went begging from house to house "they immediately closed up all the that he might steal little girls. He is, doors of the house, and then set fire to in short, Paris Gynaimanes, the Blue- it ; and the sorcerer and all his ac- beard of modern stories, who gives each complices were burnt to ashes ; " a burn- successive wife the keys of his house, ing which is manifestly the destruction charging her not to look into a certain of Ilion.

chamber. At last he is cheated by the * Muir, Sanskrit Tales, iSo, note. Helen whom he carries to his dwelling, • Jb, 159. und who dresses up a turnip to deceive Paris.