Some of the allies immediately rushed forth, as is the usage in all epic battles, to challenge the chiefs of the angels to single combat. But Jupiter and Odin, thinking that all these private contests can only jeopardize the success of the great battle, compelled them to obey orders. Thor, who had been one of the first to rush forth, was so much disappointed, that in his anger he let his heavy mace fall upon a little town that was on their route, and that might possibly have impeded the progress of the army. The mace {238}instantly returned to the hand of the owner, and then fell and returned again and again. [Illustration: 258] The barking of Cerberus, the three-headed dog, of his brother dog Garm, and the howlings of the Strygi, the Kikimoras, and the Polkrans. This was by no means all of the concert. Mars, Odin, Potrympos, and the other war-gods now drew their swords, which produced a fearful grating sound as they came out of their sheaths; next Jupiter sounds his thunder among the Romans, and after him thunder Perun among the Slaves, Ukko among the Finns, and Thor among the Scandinavians. The repeated crash of thunder. And thanks to this incident, the plain had been cleared and levelled at the same time, and the signal for the attack was given at once. The Corybantes beat their drums in muffled tones; the chants of the Bards and the Skalds responded from the right and the left wing, although their harps were soon drowned in the bleat of the trumpets, the furious {239}lightning mingles with the rumbling of the chariots of Tabiti, of Flintz, the skeleton god, and of Pocu-los and Stribog, the gods of waterspouts and of Northern tempests; the Egipans, the Cyclops, the blacksmiths of Ilmarinnen, begin to push immense masses of rock before them, brandishing entire oak trees as spears; while the Giants of the Frost with fearful clamor, which is taken up by the whole army of invaders, follow them, led by the equally gigantic Yaga-Baba, the terrible conductor of such an infernal concert, who marks the time by beating with his iron pestle upon his wooden mortar. [Illustration: 259] All these fearful noises, all these echoing explosions, seem to confound heaven and earth; the {240}horizon trembles and shakes, the mountains start and stagger. But the holy hill stands unmoved. The light which at first shone only at the base has gradually risen as high as the summit, and the little chapel now shines brightly like a brilliant constellation. Surprised at seeing no enemy appear, the army of the pagan gods makes a halt. Suddenly, O miracle! lifted up as if by a gust of wind from on high, the little chapel vanishes, and in its place is seen a simple altar surmounted by a cross. Before this altar stands a young maid, showing neither ornament nor weapon of defense,--a Virgin barefooted, with a child in her arms.