Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/77

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OF THE MORDVINS.
69

Shaitan went a second time, but in his pride could not bring himself to pronounce the name of Cham Pas. Again the flames burnt him on all sides. Again he returned to the surface and appeared before Cham Pas without any sand.

"How did matters go, comrade, hast thou brought any sand?"

"No, brother, the flames burnt me again worse than before."

"Didst thou mention my name, comrade?" As there was no help for it Shaitan acknowledged that he had not mentioned the name of Cham Pas.

"What name didst thou mention, comrade?"

"My own, brother," replied Shaitan.

"Listen, comrade," said Cham Pas, "go a third time to the bottom of the sea and take some sand, making mention of my name. But mind, comrade, if thou mention not my name the flames will burn thee up completely, and nothing will be left of thee."

Shaitan started a third time, mentioned in his alarm the name of Cham Pas, and took wihout hindrance a mouthful of sand. On returning to the surface he gave some to Cham Pas, but retained a portion in his cheek. He thought to himself, "Let my brother create his earth, I shall create mine as well."

Cham Pas began throwing here and there upon the sea the sand, which grew till it became the dry land. But in the same ratio as the grains of sand on the sea grew larger, so did those in Shaitan's cheek. His head swelled up in consequence till it became like a great mountain. From the intolerable pain produced he howled out in a fearful voice.

"Why dost thou shout, comrade?" asked Cham Pas.

There was nothing for it but for Shaitan to confess

"I did not spit out all the sand from my mouth, brother, so an earth is growing inside my head and causes me unbearable agony."

Cham Pas struck him on the head with his sceptre and said:

"Spit out the sand, comrade, and be cured of thine agony."

Shaitan began spitting out the sand, but with such violence that the still unconsolidated earth quaked. From this shaking originated deep places, ravines, and valleys, but from the sand lie spat out were