48 The Religion of the Veda

Urvagi. Now the reason why this story is preserved is that the Brahmana text is engaged in dc-scribing this very fire-offering; the story proves tlu: mrigic of this sacrifice which is, aye, powerful cnougli to turn a. mortal into a dcmi-god.

Here are a couple of short legends, crisp illld clear cut as czuncos. They shmv that, justzts the early gods of India are nature-g;'od.~:, so the uarly lcgci1Lls;ii'c en- grossed with problcms of uziturc and the world. The first of these snatches‘ may be entitled

A Lcgtml of 271: Firrt ]’m'r.

“ Yuma and Yami (‘ the twins ’) are the first man and woman. Yuma died. The gods sought to console Yami for the death of Yuma. When they asked her she said, ‘To-day he hath died.’ They said! ‘In this way she will never forget him. Let us create night I’ Day only'at that time existed, not night. The gods created night. Then marrow came into being. Then she forgot him. Hence, they say, ‘Days and nights make men forget sorrow.”

The second legend ’ may be entitled T/te Moz¢ntaz'nr as WY/tgtzl .Bird:.

“The mountains are the eldest children of Pmjapati (the Creator). They were winged (birds). They kept flying forth and settling wherever they liked. At that

‘ Main-Eyani Srmhitfi. r. 5. r2.

’Mnitray:\ni Sanhitfi. I. I0. 13. :f. Pischel, Vrdirrfit Studim, i., 174 I'-

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