proceduiH-. The rlaiis wrrc asscinlilcd npim ihc ai)])carancc of an 

 cclipsr. and all llir lillK' d(»i;s anmnL; llic li'ilic wcit l)i"(m,i;lit 

 lorlli and hcalcii nnincrn lnll\ <hnanL; il> rnlifc period. The 

 explanation given 1)\ llic li"o(|U(ii> lOr tln^ ronrsc was llial the 

 Big Dog who was i)ni'sninL; llu- Moon wDnld be- arrested 1)\ the 

 cries of liis nnliapp\' fellows and wonld desist from his chase, 

 the harder ihe\ were whip])ed and the louder they yelped, the 

 sooner would the eclipse ])ass. The ])urp()se has always been 

 accomplished, as we all know. 



It is not impossible that this nixth of the JV\g Dog was a 

 belief inijiorted from the Mongols many centuries ago. In the 

 ancient mythology of China the dragon was the emblem of the 

 moon, as may be seen illustrated on antifjue carved temple doors 

 and royal embroideries. Its darting posture symbolized the 

 ])rogress of the great luminary. The conventional shape of these 

 portrayals was probably a ])oetical illustration of the encircling 

 form of the penumbra at the time of an eclipse. 



Among the Chinese, tom-toms were — and are yet — beaten 

 incessantly, guns fired, and a variety of noises made with all 

 sorts of instruments to frighten away the Dragon that it might 

 not devour the Sun. 



Many American Indian tribes entertain the belief that when 

 an eclipse occurs a great dragon or snake is attempting to swal- 

 low the sun. This stiperstition is so general that one finds it 

 even in the Aztec literature of Mexico wdierein the woman — ser- 

 pent — symbol of the moon, is depicted as devouring the sun. 



This is not unlike the Egyptian myth of Typhon and Osiris 

 in which it is related that the body of Osiris was cut to pieces 

 by T3^phon. Plutarch gives us an explanation of this, a scholarly 

 deduction from mathematical and astronomical comparisons, 

 showing that Typhon was originally the orb of the sun and Osiris 

 that of the moon, "mother of our flesh" as it was called in Egypt, 

 and "mother of the world," as it was denoted in Mexico. 



Since with the advent of an eclipse one or the other of the 

 great astral bodies was consumed, with the direst results to man- 

 kind, the Toltees displayed the greatest and most genuine grief 

 on their recurrence. In hope of arresting the combat they gath- 

 ered in large numbers, discharged their arrows heavenward, and 

 sought to attract the attention of the conflicting luminaries by the 

 cries of animals and men. Since they were supposed to be espe- 

 cially concerned in the welfare of mankind, the Tarascans beat 

 their dogs and their servants that the planets might be diverted 

 from their struggle. 



All primitive peoples have held the belief that the Moon 

 w^as particularly the protector of dogs. If therefore these pro- 

 teges of hers were abused until they barked noisily, she would 

 come to their rescue and desist from her conflict with the sun. 

 That the moon never failed to show' pity for the dogs' cries was 



54 



