36 AVES. 



sylvan spirits whose care is to preside over the seasons of 

 flowers and fruit, and were formerly allowed to mix and asso- 

 ciate with mankind, leading them through jungles when be- 

 nighted, and teaching them also the art of husbandry, which 

 they too practised themselves, sowing over ground already 

 sown, and reaping and carrying away their own produce before 

 the padi was ripe, leaving behind for the fortunate cultivator 

 to whose clearing they took a fancy, a more than usually plen- 

 tiful crop. But the great Mahomet came, and all the angels 

 of heaven, except the rebel Eblis, followed and protected the 

 spread of his faith : now Eblis and his wicked ones saw in 

 heaven none whom they could call to their assistance to crush 

 the Holy and Mighty Prophet, so he went to the simple 

 spirits of the groves, and said to them, ' Behold, the great 

 Allah is unjust to you, Orang Ka-benar-an; are ye not spirits, 

 even as the angels, who fly upon the winds ? ye must not re- 

 main among the silent woods any longer; behold, I have 

 defeated the Lord Allah, and now ye shall be angels like the 

 rest.' And the foolish spirits believed the words of the 

 tempter, and they fell down before him and called him the 

 great and mighty King Eblis. But as their hearts became 

 great there came an angel called Zaliel, from whom Eblis fled 

 away afraid, and he said unto them, ' Oh, foolish spirits, you 

 have made a prayer unto that evil Jin Eblis, and the Lord 

 Allah has sent me to punish you ; and this is your sentence ; 

 behold the beasts and the birds, and the men whom you love, 

 shall see you no more, and your houses and your fields shall 

 become invisible for ever, and ye shall never go again among 

 the houses of men.*" And when they wept bitterly at this 

 punishment the angel relented, and he said, ' Choose, then, 

 one bird which may see you and live in your houses, and bring 

 up its young among your children.' So they considered, and 

 one wished to choose the Eagle, because, said he, ' He soars 

 high and sees far, he will bring us much information:' but 

 another said, ' No, he is a pirate-bird, and destroys others 

 whom we also love ; let us choose the great Pigeon, for he sits 

 on high bare branches in people's gardens, and he will bring us 

 news of all their doings :' but another said, ' No, for he eats 

 and destroys the fruit which we love, before it is ripe ; let us 



