ect of the indifferent meaning
there always stands the natural science content of the spirit's creation.
There is generally a certain relationship between the astronomical and the
alchemistic meanings. It is now well known that alchemy was influenced by
astrology, that the seven metals correspond to the seven planets, that, as
the sun is distinguished among the planets, so is gold among the metals;
and as in astrology combustion takes place in heaven, so it occurs also in
the alembic of the alchemists. And the fact that the sun maiden at the end
of the story releases her six planet brothers, sounds exactly as when the
tincturing power of gold at the end of six days perfects the six imperfect
metals and makes the ill, well.

In the second story I will emphasize to a somewhat greater degree the
opposition of the two contrasting interpretations (psychoanalytic and
anagogic), as I must return to it again. The story is suited to a detailed
treatment on account of its brevity. I will first present it.

There was once a king who had three sons, two of whom were clever and
shrewd, but the third did not talk much, was simple and was merely called
the Simpleton. When the king grew old and feeble and expected his end, he
did not know which one of his sons should inherit the kingdom after him.
So he said to them, "Go forth, and whoever brings me the finest carpet
shall be king after my death." And lest there be any disagreement among
them, he led them before his castle, blew three feathers into the air, and
said: "As they fly, so shall you go." One flew towards the east, the other
towards the west, the third, however, flew straight ahead, but flying only
a short distance soon fell to earth. Now one brother went to the right,
the other went to the left, and they laughed at Simpleton, who had to stay
with the third feather where it had fallen.

Simpleton sat down and was sad. Suddenly he noticed that near the feather
lay a trap door. He raised it, found a stairway, and went down. Then he
came before another door, knocked and listened, while inside a voice
called:

"Maiden green and small,
Shrunken old crone,
Old crone's little dog,
Crone here and there,
Let us see quickly who is out there."

The door opened and he saw a big fat toad and round about her a crowd of
little toads. The fat toad asked what his wish was. He answered, "I should
have liked the most beautiful and finest carpet." Then she called a