the golden bough-第259章

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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　might　take　to　himself　a　second　wife。　So；　hearing　of　the　charms　of　Bidasari；　the　queen　resolved　to　put　her　out　of　the　way。　She　lured　the　girl　to　the　palace　and　tortured　her　cruelly；　but　Bidasari　could　not　die；　because　her　soul　was　not　in　her。　At　last　she　could　stand　the　torture　no　longer　and　said　to　the　queen；　If　you　wish　me　to　die；　you　must　bring　the　box　which　is　in　the　pond　in　my　father's　garden。　So　the　box　was　brought　and　opened；　and　there　was　the　golden　fish　in　the　water。　The　girl　said；　My　soul　is　in　that　fish。　In　the　morning　you　must　take　the　fish　out　of　the　water；　and　in　the　evening　you　must　put　it　back　into　the　water。　Do　not　let　the　fish　lie　about；　but　bind　it　round　your　neck。　If　you　do　this；　I　shall　soon　die。　So　the　queen　took　the　fish　out　of　the　box　and　fastened　it　round　her　neck；　and　no　sooner　had　she　done　so　than　Bidasari　fell　into　a　swoon。　But　in　the　evening；　when　the　fish　was　put　back　into　the　water；　Bidasari　came　to　herself　again。　Seeing　that　she　thus　had　the　girl　in　her　power；　the　queen　sent　her　home　to　her　adopted　parents。　To　save　her　from　further　persecution　her　parents　resolved　to　remove　their　daughter　from　the　city。　So　in　a　lonely　and　desolate　spot　they　built　a　house　and　brought　Bidasari　thither。　There　she　dwelt　alone；　undergoing　vicissitudes　that　corresponded　with　the　vicissitudes　of　the　golden　fish　in　which　was　her　soul。　All　day　long；　while　the　fish　was　out　of　the　water；　she　remained　unconscious；　but　in　the　evening；　when　the　fish　was　put　into　the　water；　she　revived。　One　day　the　king　was　out　hunting；　and　coming　to　the　house　where　Bidasari　lay　unconscious；　was　smitten　with　her　beauty。　He　tried　to　waken　her；　but　in　vain。　Next　day；　towards　evening；　he　repeated　his　visit；　but　still　found　her　unconscious。　However；　when　darkness　fell；　she　came　to　herself　and　told　the　king　the　secret　of　her　life。　So　the　king　returned　to　the　palace；　took　the　fish　from　the　queen；　and　put　it　in　water。　Immediately　Bidasari　revived；　and　the　king　took　her　to　wife。

Another　story　of　an　external　soul　comes　from　Nias；　an　isl