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 CHAPTER Vlf:.— Snake mythology. 



In nearly every part of the world there exist legends show- 

 ing the wonder, fear, and veneration inspired by snakes. In 

 many instances the ophidian nature of the legend is hidden 

 by changes and overgrowths, but it can generally be traced 

 to the form it possessed in other times or countries. Most 

 of these legends are of distinctly Asiatic origin, evidently 

 carried by Aryan or Turanian emigrants to the countries 

 they peopled ; and nowhere can they be better studied than 

 in India where the habits of these races have changed com- 

 paratively but little. The Amravati sculptures show Tura- 

 nian (Dravidian) people worshipping the many-headed 

 naga, and Mr. Ferguson in his work on Tree and Serpent- 

 worship considers that this form of religion is essentially 

 Turanian and was abhorrent to the Aryan race. This, how- 

 ever, is more than doubtful. All that can be said with 

 certainty is that whilst the aboriginal and the Dravidian 

 races of India are strongly disposed to serpent- worship pure 

 and simple, the veneration of the Aryan races for the serpent 

 is largely caused by its having become a phallic symbol 

 with them. In the early ages of man, serpents naturally 

 became endowed with supernatural attributes and shared 

 with the heavens and meteorological phenomena the awe of 

 the superstitious. The mysterious death caused by the 

 venomous kinds, their silent gliding motion, and the curious 

 periodical casting of the skin inspired probably the first feel- 

 ings of idolatrous worship and, exploited as these have been 

 by the priest-craft of all ages, uncivilized man stiU looks on 

 snakes with awe. whilst civilized man, often not less igno- 

 rant, regards them with fear and hatred. 



Whether in consequence of occurrences similar to that 

 recorded in the story of Tiresias or simply from priestly 



