the golden bough-第230节

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ures　a　giant　whom　neither　fire　nor　water　nor　steel　can　harm。　He　tells　his　seventh　wife；　whom　he　has　just　married　after　murdering　all　her　predecessors；　I　am　immortal；　and　no　one　can　hurt　me　unless　he　crushes　on　my　breast　an　egg；　which　is　in　a　pigeon；　which　is　in　the　belly　of　a　hare；　this　hare　is　in　the　belly　of　a　wolf；　and　this　wolf　is　in　the　belly　of　my　brother；　who　dwells　a　thousand　leagues　from　here。　So　I　am　quite　easy　on　that　score。　A　soldier　contrived　to　obtain　the　egg　and　crush　it　on　the　breast　of　the　giant；　who　immediately　expired。　In　another　Breton　tale　the　life　of　a　giant　resides　in　an　old　box…tree　which　grows　in　his　castle　garden；　and　to　kill　him　it　is　necessary　to　sever　the　tap…root　of　the　tree　at　a　single　blow　of　an　axe　without　injuring　any　of　the　lesser　roots。　This　task　the　hero；　as　usual；　successfully　accomplishes；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　giant　drops　dead。

The　notion　of　an　external　soul　has　now　been　traced　in　folk…tales　told　by　Aryan　peoples　from　India　to　Ireland。　We　have　still　to　show　that　the　same　idea　occurs　commonly　in　the　popular　stories　of　peoples　who　do　not　belong　to　the　Aryan　stock。　In　the　ancient　Egyptian　tale　of　The　Two　Brothers；　which　was　written　down　in　the　reign　of　Rameses　II。；　about　1300　B。C。；　we　read　how　one　of　the　brothers　enchanted　his　heart　and　placed　it　in　the　flower　of　an　acacia　tree；　and　how；　when　the　flower　was　cut　at　the　instigation　of　his　wife；　he　immediately　fell　down　dead；　but　revived　when　his　brother　found　the　lost　heart　in　the　berry　of　the　acacia　and　threw　it　into　a　cup　of　fresh　water。

In　the　story　of　Seyf　el…Mulook　in　the　Arabian　Nights　the　jinnee　tells　the　captive　daughter　of　the　King　of　India；　When　I　was　born；　the　astrologers　declared　that　the　destruction　of　my　soul　would　be　effected　by　the　hand　of　one　of　the　sons　of　the　human　kings。　I　therefore　took　my　soul；　and　put　it　into　the　crop　of　a　sparrow；　and　I　imprisoned　the　sparrow　in　a　little　box；　and　put　this　into　another　small　box；　and　this　I　put　within　seven　other　small　boxes；　and　I　put　these　within　seven　chests；　and　the　chests　I　put　into　a　coffer　of　marble　within　the　verge　of　this　circumambient　ocean；　for　this　part　is　remote　from　the　countries　of　mankind；　and　none　of　mankind　can　gain　access　to　it。　But　Seyf　el…Mulook　got　possession　of　the　sparrow　and　strangled　it；　and　the　jinnee　fell　upon　the　ground　a　heap　of　black　ashes。　In　a　Kabyle　story　an　ogre　declares　that　his　fate　is　far　away　in　an　egg；　which　is　in　a　pigeon；　which　is　in　a　camel；　which　is　in　the　sea。　The　hero　procures　the　egg　and　crushes　it　between　his　hands；　and　the　ogre　dies。　In　a　Magyar　folk…tale；　an　old　witch　detains　a　young　prince　called　Ambrose　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　At　last　she　confided　to　him　that　she　kept　a　wild　boar　in　a　silken　meadow；　and　if　it　were　killed；　they　would　find　a　hare　inside；　and　inside　the　hare　a　pigeon；　and　inside　the　pigeon　a　small　box；　and　inside　the　box　one　black　and　one　shining　beetle：　the　shining　beetle　held　her　life；　and　the　black　one　held　her　power；　if　these　two　beetles　died；　then　her　life　would　come　to　an　end　also。　When　the　old　hag　went　out；　Ambrose　killed　the　wild　boar；　and　took　out　the　hare；　from　the　hare　he　took　the　pigeon；　from　the　pigeon　the　box；　and　from　the　box　the　two　beetles；　he　killed　the　black　beetle；　but　kept　the　shining　one　alive。　So　the　witch's　power　left　her　immediately；　and　when　she　came　home；　she　had　to　take　to　her　bed。　Having　learned　from　her　how　to　escape　from　his　prison　to　the　upper　air；　Ambrose　killed　the　shining　beetle；　and　the　old　hag's　spirit　left　her　at　once。　In　a　Kalmuck　tale　we　read　how　a　certain　khan　challenged　a　wise　man　to　show　his　skill　by　stealing　a　precious　stone　on　which　the　khan's　life　depended。　The　sage　contrived　to　purloin　the　talisman　while　the　khan　and　his　guards　slept；　but　not　content　with　this　he　gave　a　further　proof　of　his　dexterity　by　bonneting　the　slumbering　potentate　with　a　bladder。　This　was　too　much　for　the　khan。　Next　morning　he　informed　the　sage　that　he　could　overlook　everything　else；　but　that　the　indignity　of　being　bonneted　with　a　bladder　was　more　than　he　could　bear；　and　he　ordered　his　facetious　friend　to　instant　execution。　Pained　at　this　exhibition　of　royal　ingratitude；　the　sage　dashed　to　the　ground　the　talisman　which　he　still　held　in　his　hand；　and　at　the　same　instant　blood　flowed　from　the　nostrils　of　the　khan；　and　he　gave　up　the　ghost。

In　a　Tartar　poem　two　heroes　named　Ak　Molot　and　Bulat　engage　in　mortal　combat。　Ak　Molot　pierces　his　foe　through　and　through　with　an　arrow；　grapples　with　him；　and　dashes　him　to　the　ground；　but　all　in　vain；　Bulat　could　not　die。　At　last　when　the　combat　has　lasted　three　years；　a　friend　of　Ak　Molot　sees　a　golden　casket　hanging　by　a　white　thread　from　the　sky；　and　bethinks　him　that　perhaps　this　casket　contains　Bulat's　soul。　So　he　shot　through　the　white　thread　with　an　arrow；　and　down　fell　the　casket。　He　opened　it；　and　in　the　casket　sat　ten　white　birds；　and　one　of　the　birds　was　Bulat's　soul。　Bulat　wept　when　he　saw　that　his　soul　was　found　in　the　casket。　But　one　after　the　other　the　birds　were　killed；　and　then　Ak　Molot　easily　slew　his　foe。　In　another　Tartar　poem；　two　brothers　going　to　fight　two　other　brothers　take　out　their　souls　and　hide　them　in　the　form　of　a　white　herb　with　six　stalks　in　a　deep　pit。　But　one　of　their　foes　sees　them　doing　so　and　digs　up　their　souls；　which　he　puts　into　a　golden　ram's　horn；　and　then　sticks　the　ram's　horn　in　his　quiver。　The　two　warriors　whose　souls　have　thus　been　stolen　know　that　they　have　no　chance　of　victory；　and　accordingly　make　peace　with　their　enemies。　In　another　Tartar　poem　a　terrible　demon　sets　all　the　gods　and　heroes　at　defiance。　At　last　a　valiant　youth　fights　the　demon；　binds　him　hand　and　foot；　and　slices　him　with　his　sword。　But　still　the　demon　is　not　slain。　So　the　youth　asked　him；　Tell　me；　where　is　your　soul　hidden？　For　if　your　soul　had　been　hidden　in　your　body；　you　must　have　been　dead　long　ago。　The　demon　replied；　On　the　saddle　of　my　horse　is　a　bag。　In　the　bag　is　a　serpent　with　twelve　heads。　In　the　serpent　is　my　soul。　When　you　have　killed　the　serpent；　you　have　killed　me　also。　So　the　youth　took　the　saddle…bag　from　the　horse　and　killed　the　twelve…headed　serpent；　whereupon　the　demon　expired。　In　another　Tartar　poem　a　hero　called　K？k　Chan　deposits　with　a　maiden　a　golden　ring；　in　which　is　half　his　strength。　Afterwards　when　K？k　Chan　is　wrestling　long　with　a　hero　and　cannot　kill　him；　a　woman　drops　into　his　mouth　the　ring　which　contains　half　his　strength。　Thus　inspired　with　fresh　force　he　slays　his　enemy。

In　a　Mongolian　story　the　hero　Joro　gets　the　better　of　his　enemy　the　lama　Tschoridong　in　the　following　way。　The　lama；　who　is　an　enchanter；　sends　out　his　soul　in　the　form　of　a　wasp　to　sting　Joro's　eyes。　But　Joro　catches　the　wasp　in　his　hand；　and　by　alternately　shutting　and　opening　his　hand　he　causes　the　lama　alternately　to　lose　and　recover　consciousness。　In　a　Tartar　poem　two　youths　cut　open　the　body　of　an　old　witch　and　tear　out　her　bowels；　but　all　to　no　purpose；　she　still　lives。　On　being　asked　where　her　soul　is；　she　answers　that　it　is　in　the　middle　of　her　shoe…sole　in　the　form　of　a　seven…headed　speckled　snake。　So　one　of　the　youths　slices　her　shoe…sole　with　his　sword；　takes　out　the　speckled　snake；　and　cuts　off　its　seven　heads。　Then　the　witch　dies。　Another　Tartar　poem　describes　how　the　hero　Kartaga　grappled　with　the　Swan…woman。　Long　they　wrestled。　Moons　waxed　and　waned　and　still　they　wrestled；　years　came　and　went；　and　still　the　struggle　went　on。　But　the　piebald　horse　and　the　black　horse　knew　that　the　Swan…woman's　soul　was　not　in　her。　Under　the　black　earth　flow　nine　seas；　where　the　seas　meet　and　form　one；　the　sea　comes　to　the　surface　of　the　earth。　At　the　mouth　of　the　nine　seas　rises　a　rock　of　copper；　it　rises　to　the　surface　of　the　ground；　it　rises　up　between　heaven　and　earth；　this　rock　of　copper。　At　the　foot　of　the　copper　rock　is　a　black　chest；　in　the　black　chest　is　a　golden　casket；　and　in　the　golden　casket　is　the　soul　of　the　Swan…woman。　Seven　little　birds　are　the　soul　of　the　Swan…woman；　if　the　birds　are　killed　the　Swan…woman　will　die　straightway。　So　the　horses　ran　to　the　foot　of　the　copper　rock；　opened　the　black　chest；　and　brought　back　the　golden　casket。　Then　the　piebald　horse　turned　himself　into　a　bald…headed　man；　opened　the　golden　casket；　and　cut　off　the　heads　of　the　seven　birds。　So　the　Swan…woman　died。　In　another　Tartar　poem　the　hero；　pursuing　his　sister　who　has　driven　away　his　cattle；　is　warned　to　desist　from　the　pursuit　because　his　sister　has　carried　away　his　soul

in　a　golden　sword　and　a　golden　arrow；　and　if　he　pursues　her　she　will　kill　him　by　throwing　the　golden　sword　or　shooting　the　golden　arrow　at　him。

A　Malay　poem　relates　how　once　upon　a　time　in　the　city　of　Indrapoora　there　was　a　certain　merchant　who　was　rich　and　prosperous；　but　he　had　no　children。　One　day　as　he　walked　with　his　wife　by　the　river　they　found　a　baby　girl；　fair　as　an　angel。　So　they　adopted　the　child　and　called　her　Bidasari。　The　merchant　caused　a　golden　fish　to　be　made；　and　into　this　fish　he　transferred　the　soul　of　his　adopted　daughter。　Then　he　put　the　golden　fish　in　a　golden　box　full　of　water；　and　hid　it　in　a　pond　in　the　midst　of　his　garden。　In　time　the　girl　grew　to　be　a　lovely　woman。　Now　the　King　of　Indrapoora　had　a　fair　young　queen；　who　lived　in　fear　that　the　king