Opening the text

Error's chains : $b How forged and broken : A comparative history of the national, social and religious errors that mankind has fallen into and practised from the creation down to the present time.Dobbins, Frank S. (Frank Stockton)

Religion

Error's chains : $b How forged and broken : A comparative history of the national, social and religious errors that mankind has fallen into and practised from the creation down to the present time.

Name: Error's chains : $b How forged and broken : A comparative history of the national, social and religious errors that mankind has fallen into and practised from the creation down to the present time.
Author: Dobbins, Frank S. (Frank Stockton)

Dobbins, Frank S. (Frank Stockton)

Idols and images -- Worship; Mythology; Religions

Tonga-ita sullenly allowed his share, the lower half, to remain a
day or two on the ground. Seeing the brightness of Vátea’s half, he
resolved to imitate his example by compressing his share into a ball,
and tossing it into the dark sky during the absence of the sun in
Avaiki, or nether-world. Thus originated the moon, whose paleness is
attributed to the blood having all drained out of the body as it lay so
long on the ground and to decomposition having commenced.

They believed that men could become gods. Māni, by his mighty prowess,
entered the rank of the gods, and his example could be followed by
others.


          TRADITION OF MĀNI’S SECURING THE FIRE-GOD’s SECRET.

One of the most peculiar traditions of Oceanica is this: To Ru and
Buataranga was born a famous son, Māni. At an early age, Māni was
appointed one of the guardians of this upper world where mortals live.
Like the rest of the inhabitants of the world, he subsisted on uncooked
food. The mother, Buataranga, occasionally visited her son, but always
ate her food apart, out of a basket brought with her from nether-land.
One day, when she was asleep, Māni peeped into her basket, and
discovered cooked food. Upon tasting it, he was decidedly of opinion
that it was a great improvement upon the raw diet to which he was
accustomed. This food came from nether-world; it was evident that the
secret of fire was there. To nether-world, the home of his parents, he
would descend to gain this knowledge, so that ever after he might enjoy
the luxury of cooked food.

  [Illustration: GREAT IDOL OF OCEANICA,

  Six feet in Height.]

On the following day Buataranga was about to descend to Avaiki
(nether-world), when Māni followed her through the bush without her
knowing it. This was no difficult task, as she always came and returned
by the same road. Peering through the tall reeds, he saw his mother
standing within easy hearing distance of him and directly opposite a
black rock, which she addressed as follows:

    “Buataranga, descend thou boldly through this chasm,
    The rainbow-like must be obeyed;
    As two dark clouds parting at dawn,
    Open, open up my road to nether-world, ye fierce ones.”

  [Illustration: HAWAIIAN IDOL, KNOWN AS THE POISON GOD.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Religion

Error's chains : $b How forged and broken : A comparative history of the national, social and religious errors that mankind has fallen into and practised from the creation down to the present time.

Dobbins, Frank S. (Frank Stockton)

Idols and images -- Worship; Mythology; Religions

Tonga-ita sullenly allowed his share, the lower half, to remain a
day or two on the ground. Seeing the brightness of Vátea’s half, he
resolved to imitate his example by compressing his share into a ball,
and tossing it into the dark sky during the absence of the sun in
Avaiki, or nether-world. Thus originated the moon, whose paleness is
attributed to the blood having all drained out of the body as it lay so
long on the ground and to decomposition having commenced.

They believed that men could become gods. Māni, by his mighty prowess,
entered the rank of the gods, and his example could be followed by
others.


          TRADITION OF MĀNI’S SECURING THE FIRE-GOD’s SECRET.

One of the most peculiar traditions of Oceanica is this: To Ru and
Buataranga was born a famous son, Māni. At an early age, Māni was
appointed one of the guardians of this upper world where mortals live.
Like the rest of the inhabitants of the world, he subsisted on uncooked
food. The mother, Buataranga, occasionally visited her son, but always
ate her food apart, out of a basket brought with her from nether-land.
One day, when she was asleep, Māni peeped into her basket, and
discovered cooked food. Upon tasting it, he was decidedly of opinion
that it was a great improvement upon the raw diet to which he was
accustomed. This food came from nether-world; it was evident that the
secret of fire was there. To nether-world, the home of his parents, he
would descend to gain this knowledge, so that ever after he might enjoy
the luxury of cooked food.

  [Illustration: GREAT IDOL OF OCEANICA,

  Six feet in Height.]

On the following day Buataranga was about to descend to Avaiki
(nether-world), when Māni followed her through the bush without her
knowing it. This was no difficult task, as she always came and returned
by the same road. Peering through the tall reeds, he saw his mother
standing within easy hearing distance of him and directly opposite a
black rock, which she addressed as follows:

    “Buataranga, descend thou boldly through this chasm,
    The rainbow-like must be obeyed;
    As two dark clouds parting at dawn,
    Open, open up my road to nether-world, ye fierce ones.”

  [Illustration: HAWAIIAN IDOL, KNOWN AS THE POISON GOD.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Error's chains : $b How forged and broken : A comparative history of the national, social and religious errors that mankind has fallen into and practised from the creation down to the present time.

Error's chains : $b How forged and broken : A comparative history of the national, social and religious errors that mankind has fallen into and practised from the creation down to the present time.

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