much did it hurt him.

Meanwhile, the ancestor of men came in, and asked saying: "How about me?
When shall I copulate?" To which God, being still angry, replied:
"Whenever you like!" For this reason, that race of creatures which is
called man copulate at all times.--(Translated literally. Told by
Ishanashte, 12th July, 1886).

viii.--_The Owl and the Tortoise._

The tortoise[-god] in the sea and the owl[-god] on land were very
intimate. The tortoise spoke thus: "Your child is a boy. My child is a
girl. So it will be good for us to unite them in marriage. If I send
into the river the fish that there are in the sea your son and my
daughter, being both of them enabled to eat fish, will possess the
world." Thus spoke the tortoise. The owl was greatly obliged. For this
reason, the child of the tortoise and the child of the owl became
husband and wife. For this reason, the owl, without the least
hesitation, eats every fish that comes into the river.--(Translated
literally. Told by Penri, 15th July, 1886.)

ix.--_How a Man got the better of two Foxes._

A man went into the mountains to get bark to make rope with, and found a
hole. To this hole there came a fox, who spoke as follows, though he was
a fox, in human language: "I know of something from which great profit
may be derived. Let us go to the place to-morrow!" To which the fox
inside the hole replied as follows: "What profitable thing do you
allude to? After hearing about it, I will go with you if it sounds
likely to be profitable; and if not, not." The fox outside spoke thus:
"The profitable thing to be done is this. I will come here to-morrow
about the time of the mid-day meal. You must be waiting for me then, and
we will go off together. If you take the shape of a horse, and we go off
together, I taking the shape of a man and riding on your back, we can go
down to the shore, where dwell human beings possessed of plenty of food
and all sorts of other things. As there is sure to be among the people
some one who wants a horse, I will sell you to him who thus wants a
horse. I can then buy a quantity of precious things and of food. Then I
shall run away; and you, having the appearance of a horse, will be led
out to eat grass, and be tied up somewhere on the hillside. Then, if I
come and help you to escape, and we divide the food and the precious
things equally between us, it will be profitable for both of us." Thus
spoke the fox outside the hole; and the fox insid