2 PRIMITIVE PATERNITY 



The attempts of savage and barbarous peoples to 

 explain the existence of the universe as they con- 

 ceive it, or of mankind, abound in tales of personages 

 in human form, though often monstrous in propor- 

 tions, who because they are the beginnings of the 

 race cannot be described as issuing from birth. Thus, 

 to give a familiar example, the giant Ymir, in the 

 Scandinavian mythology, was produced by the melt- 

 ing of the primaeval ice ; from his sweat other beings 

 were produced who became the progenitors of the 

 FVost-giants ; subsequently the first man and woman 

 were formed from two pieces of wood. Cosmogonical 

 myths of this kind are not within the scope of the 

 present inquiry. As little have we to do with heroes 

 who were the result of amours between women and 

 beings of supernatural order, whether in human form 

 or that of the lower animals. Such heroes were 

 indeed born. As the children of gods like Zeus or 

 Apollo they boasted a supernatural parentage. But 

 though their fathers were no ordinary mortals the 

 manner of their generation was regarded as taking 

 the normal course. 



Our concern is with children whose mothers gave 

 them birth without sexual intercourse, and as the 

 result of impregnation by means which we now know 

 to be impossible. It will not be necessary to treat the 

 stories at length. A summary sufficient to mark the 

 salient points will enable us to enter upon the inquiry 

 as to the ground of the belief which they embody. 

 Stories which include the incident of supernatural 

 birth may be divided into two kinds : Marchen, or 

 stories told for mere pleasure without any serious 

 credence being attached to them ; and sagas, or 



