in
Greece, and in Germany. The same story, or nearly the same, is told of
gods, of heroes, and of men. The divine myth became an heroic legend,
and the heroic legend fades away into a nursery tale. Our nursery tales
have well been called the modern _patois_ of the ancient mythology of
the Aryan race."[563:1]

In the words of this learned author, "we never lose, we always gain,
when we discover the most ancient intention of sacred traditions,
instead of being satisfied with their later aspect, and their modern
misinterpretations."

FOOTNOTES:

[553:1] This picture would give us the story of Hercules, who strangled
the serpent in his cradle, and who, in after years, in the form of a
giant, ran his course.

[553:2] This would give us St. George killing the Dragon.

[553:3] This would give us the story of the monster who attempted to
devour the Sun, and whom the "untutored savage" tried to frighten away
by making loud cries.

[553:4] This would give us the story of Samson, whose strength was
renewed at the end of his career, and who slew the Philistines--who had
dimmed his brilliance--and bathed his path with blood.

[553:5] This would give us the story of Oannes or Dagon, who, beneath
the clouds of the evening sky, plunged into the sea.

[553:6] This would give us the story of Hercules and his bride Iole, or
that of Christ Jesus and his mother Mary, who were at their side at the
end of their career.

[553:7] This would give us the story of the labors of Hercules.

[553:8] This is the Sun as _Seva_.

[553:9] Here again we have the Sun as Siva the _Destroyer_.

[553:10] Here we have Apollo, Achilleus, Bellerophon and Odysseus.

[553:11] This would give us the story of Samson, who was "the friend of
the children of men, and the remorseless foe of those powers of
darkness" (the Philistines), who had stolen away his bride. (See Judges,
ch. xv.)

[554:1] This would give us the stories of _Thor_, the mighty warrior,
the terror of his enemies, and those of Cadmus, Romulus or Odin, the
wise chieftains, who founded nations, and taught their people knowledge.

[554:2] This would give us the story of Christ Jesus, and other
Angel-Messiahs; Saviours of men.

[554:3] This would give us the stories of spellbound maidens, who sleep
for years.

[554:4] This is Hercules and his counterparts.

[554:5] This again is Hercules.

[554:6] This would depend upon whether his light was obscured by clouds,
or not.

[554