15

Chapter XV

  1. A. Maass, “Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im Malaiischen Archipel” (1924), in Tijdschrift lndische Taal-, Land-, en Volkenkunde 64, p. 388.

  2. M. W. Makemson (The Morning Star Rises: An Account of Polynesian Astronomy [1941], no. 160) suggests Sagittarius. For Samoa, see A. Kraemer, Die Samoa-Inseln (1902), vol. 1, p. 369. For Mangaia, see P. Bue, Mangaian Society (1934), p. 198; and R. W. Williamson, Religious and Cosmic Beliefs of Central Polynesia (1924), vol. 2, p. 251.

  3. C. E. Keeler, Secrets of the Cuna Earthmother (1960), pp. 67ff., 78f.

  4. HAOG, p. 156, n. 7 (“wo die Flut versiegte”).

  5. W. Stutterheim, Rama-Legenden und Rama-Reliefs in Indonesien (1925), p. 54.

  6. “Descent of Ishtar to the Nether World,” obv. 1. 27, ANAT, p. 107; see also W. F. Albright, “The Mouth of the Rivers,” AJSL 35 (1919), p. 184.

  7. Yasht 8.6 and 8.37 (H. Lommel, Die Yashts des Awesta [1927]).

  8. See for the feat of this unpronounceable archer (Rkhsha) the report given by Al-Biruni, who spells him simply Arish. (The Chronology of Ancient Nations, trans. E. Sachau [1879], p. 205). The background of the tale: Afrasiyab had promised to restore to Minôcihr a part of Erânshar (which had been conquered by him) as long and as broad as an arrow shot. Arish shot the arrow on the 13th day of the month Tîr-Mâh, after having announced: “I know that when I shoot with this bow and arrow I shall fall to pieces and my life will be gone.” Accordingly, when he shot, he “fell asunder into pieces. By order of God the wind bore the arrow away from the mountain of Rûyân and brought it to the utmost frontier of Khurâsân between Farghâna and Tabaristân; there it hit the trunk of a nut-tree that was so large that there had never been a tree like it in the world. The distance between the place where the arrow was shot and that where it fell was 1,000 Farsakh.” (See also S. H. Taqizadeh, Old Iranian Calendars [1938], p. 44,) Tir or Ira is the name for Mercury (see T. Hyde, Veterum Persarum et Parthorum Religionis historia [1760], p. 24: “Tir, i.e., Sagitta . . . quo etiam nomine appellatur Mercurius Planeta propter velociorem motum”), but it is also, along with Tishtriya, the name for Sirius (see A. Scherer, Gestirnnamen bei den indogermanischen Völkern [1953], pp. 113f.), and the 13th day of every month is dedicated to Sirius-Tishriya (see Lommel, p. 5). We must leave it at that: Sirius-the-arrow has made more mythical “noise” than any other star, and also its connection with the ominous number 13 appears to be no Iranian monopoly.

  9. 9.58. cf. Aristotle, Historia Animalium 8.15.599B-600.

  10. Trans. E. Herzfeld, Zoroaster and His World (1947), p. 587.

  11. There is strong circumstantial evidence of this bow and arrow in Mexico also: the bow of the Chichimeca, the Dog-people.

  12. K. Krohn, Magische Ursprungsrunen der Finnen (1924), pp. 115ff. See also F. Ohrt, The Spark in the Water (1926), pp. 3f.

  13. M. Haavio, Vainamoinen, Eternal Sage (1952), p. 196.

  14. W. H. Brett, The Indian Tribes of Guiana (1868), pp. 37-84; Sir Everard F. im Thurn, Among the Indians of Guiana (1883), pp. 379-81 (quoted in J. G. Frazer, Folklore in the Old Testament [1918], vol.1, p. 265). The italics are ours.

  15. V. Elwin, The Agaria (1942), pp. 96ff.

  16. G. M. Potanin, quoted by W. Lüdtke, “Die Verehrung Tschingis-Chans bei den Ordos-Mongolen,” ARW 25 (1927), p. 115.

  17. L. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews (1954), vol. 4, p. 96; cf. also vol. 1, p. 12; vol. 5, p. 14. We are indebted to Irvin N. Asher for the quotation, as well as for the ones from Jastrow that follow. Cf. V. J. Mansikka, “Der blaue Stein,” FUF 11 (1911), p. 2.

  18. The verb is shatan; the meanings are given in Jastrow’s dictionary.

  19. “Origin and Significance of the Mâgên Dâwîd, Archiv Orientalni 18 (1950), Pt. 3, pp. 344ff.

  20. In the ninth simile of the “Pastor of Hermas,” according to F. Kampers (Vom Werdegange der abendländischen Kaisermystik [1924], p. 53).

  21. Kingship, p. 179 (quoted by P. Mus, Barabudur [1935], p. 108, n. 1).

  22. Orphicorum Fragmenta (1963), frg. 139, p. 186, from Lactantius.

  23. M. Mayer, in Roscher s.v. Kronos, pp. 1458f.

  24. M. Sandman Holmberg, The God Ptah (1946), pp. 83, 85.

  25. G. Schlegel, L’Uranographie Chinoise (1875), p. 424.

  26. V. J. Mansikka, Über Russische Zauberformeln (1909), pp. 184-87, 189, 192.

  27. Krohn, Ursprungsrunen, pp. 106f.