tood between us
and gave his blessing. He spoke, saying: 'In time past Pir-napishtim
was a man. Henceforth Pir-napishtim and his wife will be like unto
deities, even us. Let them dwell apart beyond the river mouths.'

"Thereafter Bel carried me hither beyond the mouths of rivers."

* * * * *

Flood myths are found in many mythologies both in the Old World and
the New.

The violent and deceitful men of the mythical Bronze Age of Greece
were destroyed by a flood. It is related that Zeus said on one
occasion to Hermes: "I will send a great rain, such as hath not been
since the making of the world, and the whole race of men shall perish.
I am weary of their iniquity."

For receiving with hospitable warmth these two gods in human guise,
Deucalion, an old man, and his wife Pyrrha were spared, however. Zeus
instructed his host to build an ark of oak, and store it well with
food. When this was done, the couple entered the vessel and shut the
door. Then Zeus "broke up all the fountains of the deep, and opened
the well springs of heaven, and it rained for forty days and forty
nights continually". The Bronze folk perished: not even those who fled
to the hilltops could escape. The ark rested on Parnassus, and when
the waters ebbed the old couple descended the mountain and took up
their abode in a cave.[226]

In Indian mythology the world is destroyed by a flood at the end of
each Age of the Universe. There are four ages: the Krita or Perfect
Age, the Treta Age, the Dwapara Age, and the Kali or Wicked Age. These
correspond closely to the Greek and Celtic ages.[227] There are also
references in Sanskrit literature to the destruction of the world
because too many human beings lived upon it. "When the increase of
population had been so frightful," a sage related, "the Earth,
oppressed with the excessive burden, sank down for a hundred Yojanas.
Suffering pain in all her limbs, and being deprived of her senses by
excessive pressure, the Earth in distress sought the protection of
Narayana, the foremost of the gods."[228]

Manu's account of the flood has been already referred to (Chapter II).
The god in fish shape informed him: "The time is ripe for purging the
world.... Build a strong and massive ark, and furnish it with a long
rope...." When the waters rose the horned fish towed the ark over the
roaring sea, until it grounded on the highest peak of the Himavat,
which is still called Naubandha (the