The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26


been hallowed to bear such fruit. and the birth
OF her son are attended by miraculous incl
dents. such as legend has associated with the
birth and youthful years Of Buddha. In
the Avesta all nature ]reioices at To-
r~oaster's birth; the very trees and rivers
share in the universal thrill OF glad
ness that shoots through the world: while
Ahriman. the chief deity OF evil. aud the terror
stricken demons take flight into the depths OF
the earth. His birth is In answer to his fathers
! pious prayer. and his fitness for the prophetic
mission which he 10 to undertake IL divinely
recognized. SO much for the Avesta's testi-
mony. The Pahlavi writings tell how n divine
/ light shore round the house. and recount tho
loud laughter which burst from the child MS he
came into tho world. The tradition that 10
foastcr laughed instead OF CRYING ut his birth
is as old. at least. as Pliny. and 1t Ia current In
Eastern writer's. Pliny adds that tho child's
brain throbbed 40 violently that it repealed tho
hand laid upon his head. Demons and wizards
foresaw the defeat which threatened them
IN Zoroaster's ascendancy. aud sought. con-
scquently. TO compass the child's death. Only
the Intervention of a divine providence saved
| Zoroaster. while an infant in the cradle. from
having his head crushed in or twisted on, and
warded of from him n poiRnard stroke. In
spite Of his mothers watchful alertnoss. four
separate attempts were made to destroy the
babe. There was, for Xampl an effort. at
which his father seems to have connived. to
burn the infant in a huge fire: its life was saved
by a miracle. Subsequently. sorcerers tried to
have the babe trampled to death by a herd Of
oxen the leading OK stood over the tiny prodi-
gy and prevented 1t from perishing beneath
the feet OF the herd. Thu same experiment
was repeated with horses. but the babe was
similarly rescued. Even wolves whose young
had been killed refused to harm a hair of the
child's head In their very lair. he was sucked
by n sheep.
1t the age OF 10, Zoroaster was confirmed in
religious vows. by assuming the kusti." or
sacred thread. and. after he attained this age.
the wiles of his fendish enemies were practi-
cally brought to nought. From his fifteenth
year to the age of 80 his time seemed to have
been spent in meditation and preparation for
the role OF religious reformer. 1t ia to this
period OF his life that the scholiast OF the
Platonic- Alcibiades apparently alludes when
he relates that Zoroaster kept silent for
seven years: the same period is referred to
by Pliny in the statement that, for twenty
years. Zoroaster lived in desert places. Ac-
cording to Porphyrius and bio Chrysostom,
he PASSED this part of his life upon a
mountain in n natural cave. which he
had symbolically adorned in n manner to
represent tho earth and the heavenly bodies.
" iNiA ~ ~ W WIS hNA'N's -
in details. An incident, however. is adduced to
show Zoroaster's compassionate nature and
sympathy for the aged. and another is cited TO
illustrate his generous disposition by his deal
ing out fodder in n time of famine from his
fathers supply to the beasts Of burden Of
others. A starving bitch that had five puppies
was seen by him. an he FASTENED otake some
bread to her. but the creature was dead before
he reached her. A tradition relates that. when
he wished to marry. and his father sought a
wife for him. he requested that the bride
should show her face before being taken in
marriage. Our author suggests that the incl
dent points to n reform in social customs that
is characteristic of the modern Parsis.
The revelation that came to Xoroaster at the
age Of 30. and the first ten years OF his
ministry. are described in the fourth chapter
OF this book. 1t was not until seven visions
had been witnessed that the revelation was
had to withstand temptations and assaults on
the part of the powers of evil. after which he
won his first disciple. This augury OF success
was followed by a At uf depression and de
srondency. We nre told that he came back to
the conference with Ahura Mazda and spoke
thus: I'm ten years only one man has been
attracted by me-" Ahura Mazda answered
paradoxically. but the reply seems to have
been inspiring, for the efforts OF the next two
conversion Of King Vishtaspa and the conse-
quent triumph Of the faith. This is recounted
in the fifth CHAPTER.