Page 546 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY 327

was to take the Damsel to wife. "* This is interpreted by Prof.
Rhys to mean that " the Sun-god would recover his bride at
the beginning of summer after his antagonist had gained
possession of her at the beginning of winter. "t and he compares
the legend to the story of Persephone, daughter of Zeus carried
away by Pluto, who was, however, able to retain her at his side
only for six months in the year. We might also cite in this conn•
ection the legend of Demeter or Mother Earth, who is said to
rejoice for six months in the presence of Proserpine, the green
herb, her daughter, and for six months regret her absence in
dark abodes beneath the earth. The ancient Celtic year thus
seems to have been divided into two halves, one representing
the six summer months and the other, which commenced on
the eve of November, the six months of winter darkness. But
what is still more remarkable is that just as the lUg-Veda gives
us the exact date of the commencement of the battle between
Indra and Shambara, so Celtic myths record the exact date of
the first battle of Moytura and also of the fight between Labraid
of the Swift Hand on the Sword, king of an Irish Hades, whom
Cuchulainn goes to assist, and his enemies called the Men of
Fidga. They were fought on the eve of November, " when the
Celtic year began with the ascendency of the powers of dark-
ness. "§ Prof. Rhys further points out that the ancient Norse
year was similar in character. The great feast of the Norsemen
occupied three days called the Winter Nights and began on the
Saturday failling on or between the 11th and the 18th of Octo-
ber; and according to Dr. Vigfusson this feast marked the
beginning of the ancient year of the Norsemen. The old Norse
year thus appears to have been shorter by a few days than the
Celtic one; but Prof. Rhys accounts for this difference on the
ground " that winter, and therefore the year commences earlier
in Scandinavia than in the continetal centre from which the
Celts dispersed themselves. ":t
As regards the ancient Greek calendar, Prof. Rhys bas
shown that the old year ended with the festival of Apaturia and
new one began with the Chalceia, an ancient feast in honour
• Ihid, p. 562.
t I/tid, p. 460.
§ Rhys' Hibbert Lectures. p. 562,-
t Ibid, p. 676.