Cox, George - Aryan Mythology Vol 2.pdf

THE LIGHTNING.
it'—the wonderful taper by whose light alone the in- CHAP.
cantation can be read—the opening* of the secret places of .
the earth while the taper continues to burn—the crash with
which the gates close when the light is gone. All these
features are so skilfully fitted into the modem Alhambra
legend, as fairly to hide the origin of the story, until we
apply the right key to the lock. No sooner is this done
than the myth is as clearly revealed as the treasure of the
robbers' cave on pronouncing the word ' Sesame.' Of the
real meaning of the tale, Irving doubtless knew nothing ;
but he has preserved it as faithfully as the hymn-writer
adhered to the spirit of the myth of Hermes. ' The scroll
was produced' (the sassafras or sesame), 'the yellow waxen
taper lighted ' (the flash of the yellow lightning), 'the earth
trembled and the pavement opened with a thundering sound.'
While the taper burns, the Moor and the water-carrier load
the panniers of their ass with costly treasures ; but when
they have satisfied themselves, the costliest still remain
untouched, and the greedy Alcalde, having in vain prayed
them to bring up these also, descends with his griping
retainers still lower into the vault. 'No sooner did the
Moor behold them fairly earthed, than he extinguished the
yellow taper ' (the darkness closes in after the flash of light-
ning), 'the pavement closed with the usual crash, and the
three worthies remained buried in its womb.' Doubtless,
when reduced to their primitive elements, these tales may
seem poor and monotonous enough ; but the marvellous
powers of growth which these germs possess have seldom
been more clearly exhibited than in the folklore which has
yielded the legends of the Forty Thieves, the Peri Banou,
Allah-ud-deen, and the Legacy of the Moor, with the German
stories of Simeli Mountain and the Glass Coffin. 1
219
^—
Once more, the light flashing from the dim and dusky Mediaeval
storm-cloud becomes the Hand of Glory, which, formed of a
dead man's limbs, aids the mediaeval treasure- seeker in his
1 In this story the office of Sehamir lightning, i