n the apocryphal gospel
_Protevangelion_.[178:5]

The ancient _Persians_ had a religious festival which they annually
celebrated, and which they called the "Salutation of Mithras." During
this festival, _forty days_ were set apart for thanksgiving and
sacrifice.[178:6]

The _forty days' fast_ was found in the New World.

Godfrey Higgins tells us that:

"The ancient _Mexicans_ had a _forty days' fast_, in memory of
one of their sacred persons (Quetzalcoatle) who was tempted
(and fasted) _forty days_ on a mountain."[178:7]

Lord Kingsborough says:

"The temptation of Quetzalcoatle, and _the fast of forty days,
. . . are very curious and mysterious_."[178:8]

The ancient Mexicans were also in the habit of making their prisoners
of war fast for a term of _forty days_ before they were put to
death.[179:1]

Mr. Bonwick says:

"The Spaniards were surprised to see the _Mexicans_ keep the
vernal _forty days' fast_. The Tammuz month of Syria was in
the spring. The _forty days_ were kept for Proserpine. Thus
does history repeat itself."[179:2]

The Spanish monks accounted for what Lord Kingsborough calls "very
curious and mysterious" circumstances, by the agency of the devil, and
burned all the books containing them, whenever it was in their power.

The forty days' fast was also found among some of the Indian tribes in
the New World. Dr. Daniel Brinton tells us that "the females of the
_Orinoco_ tribes _fasted forty days_ before marriage,"[179:3] and Prof.
Max Mueller informs us that it was customary for some of the females of
the South American tribes of Indians "to fast before and after the birth
of a child," and that, among the _Carib-Coudave_ tribe, in the West
Indies, "when a child is born the mother goes presently to work, but the
father begins to complain, and takes to his hammock, and there he is
visited as though he were sick. _He then fasts for forty days._"[179:4]

The females belonging to the tribes of the Upper Mississippi, were held
unclean for _forty days_ after childbirth.[179:5] The prince of the
Tezcuca tribes _fasted forty days_ when he wished an heir to his throne,
and the Mandanas supposed it required _forty days and forty nights_ to
wash clean the earth at the deluge.[179:6]

The number _forty_ is to be found in a great many instances in the Old
Testament; for instance, at the end of _forty days_ Noah sent out a
raven from the ark.[179:7] Isaac and