The Sacred Beetle: the Release 



with the white of the celebrant's alb, a 

 raiment that harmonizes with the insect's 

 hieratic character, is but temporary and turns 

 darker by degrees, to make way for a 

 uniform of ebon black. About a month is 

 needed for the horny armour to acquire a 

 firm consistency and a definite hue. 



At last the Beetle is fully matured. 

 Awakening within him is the delicious rest- 

 lessness born of coming freedom. He, 

 hitherto a son of the darkness, foresees the 

 gladness of the light. Great is his longing 

 to burst the shell so that he may emerge from 

 his underground prison and come into the 

 sun; but the difficulty of liberating himself 

 is no small one. Will he or will he not 

 escape from the natal cradle, which has now 

 become a hateful dungeon? It depends. 



Generally in August the Sacred Beetle Is 

 ripe for release : in August, save for rare 

 exceptions the most torrid, dry and scorching 

 month of the year. If therefore no shower 

 come from time to time to give some slight 

 relief to the panting earth, then the cell to 

 be burst and the wall to be breached defy 

 the strength and patience of the insect, which 

 Is helpless against all that hardness. Owing 

 to prolonged desiccation, the soft original 

 matter has become an insuperable rampart; 



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