B. K. Emerson

“ As the earth was created it did not fit under the arch of heaven. Where shall one put such a great disk? Just then the hedgehog came along and asked what the trouble was. "Verily the earth is done, but we can not get it under the arch of heaven and it would not do to break a piece off." ”

“ As now Satan saw the great broad earth, he hit upon the deceitful plan of putting God to sleep and then throwing him in the water; taking possession of the earth himself and claiming honor as creator of the earth. ”

“ God and his angels wandered through the world on their wonderful horses, and came on a great white stone. But the angels led God another way. Again they came on the stone and again the angels led God another way. "Some cheating is the cause," said God to the angels, "that we do not come upon this stone; otherwise we should have reached it already." The angels answered, "All right, we will bring you to the white stone, but we believe it will do you harm." They went to it and God broke the stone with his whip. Then the devil sprang out of it and grabbed God's horse. ”

“ The earth grew continuously. As it had reached a large compass God and Satanael descended from the clouds and began to dwell upon the earth. From this time on, they used the clouds only for long journeys and when they wished to rise to the heavens.
To increase the number of the living upon the earth, God took two stones and struck them together. On the first stroke the Archangel Michael came forth and on the second the Archangel Gavril. Satanael envied God and wanted also to create servants. So he took two stones and began to strike them together. With every blow there came forth a devil. ”

“ God remained alone, and the earth grew continuously, so that it could no longer be covered by the sun's light. Then God created out of his spirit angels and sent the war angel to ask Satanael what he should do to stop the earth's growing. ”

“ God would not live below Satanael and raised himself higher and made a third heaven. In this way, vying with each other, they created nine heavens, one above the other, and Satanael began to build a tenth heaven still higher. Then God lost his patience and commanded his angels that they throw Satanael and his devils down from heaven.
Satanael and his angels fell down upon the earth. Each took his name from the place where he fell. He who fell in the wood became a wood devil, he that fell upon the water became a water devil. ”

“ He then waked God up, saying, "Arise, God, let us bless the earth 1 Lo, how it is grown while we slept." God answered him, "As you have carried me in four directions, to throw me in the water, and thus with my body described a cross, I have blessed the earth already, that it grow and flourish." ”

“ THERE is perhaps more reserve than formerly in assuming the westward wandering of great hordes out of Asia, but, whether the peoples have or have not migrated, the myths certainly have, and all through western Asia and southern Europe the old biblical stories are strongly blended with dualistic traits that have all the ear marks of Iran. ”