The survival of the old heathen belief alongside the Christian is often seen, as, e.g., at Palermo, in Sicily, where "the mother, when she lifts the child out of the cradle, says aloud: _'Nuome di Dio_, In God's name,' but quickly adds sotto voce: _'Cu licenzi, signuri mui_, By your leave, Ladies.'" The reference is to the "three strange ladies," representing the three Fates, who preside over the destiny of human beings. Ploss has discussed at length the goddesses of child-birth and infancy, and exhibited their relations to the growing, fertilizing, regenerative powers of nature, especially the earth, sun, moon, etc.; the Hindu _Bhavani_ (moon-goddess); the Persian _Anahita_; the Assyrian _Belit_, the spouse of _Bel_; the Phoenician _Astarte_; the Egyptian _Isis_; the Etruscan _Mater matuta_; the Greek _Hera Eileithyia, Artemis_,; the Roman _Diana, Lucina, Juno_; the Phrygian _Cybele_; the Germanic _Freia, Holla, Gude, Harke_; the Slavonic _Siwa, Libussa, Zlata Baba_ ("the golden woman"); the ancient Mexican _Itzcuinam, Yohmaltcitl, Tezistecatl_; the Chibchan rainbow-goddess _Cuchavira_; the Japanese _Kojasi Kwanon_, and hundreds more. The number of gods and goddesses presiding over motherhood and childhood is legion; in every land divine beings hover about the infant human to protect it and assure the perpetuity of the race. In ancient Rome, besides the divinities who were connected with generation, the embryo, etc., we find, among others, the following tutelary deities of childhood:-- _Parca_ or _Partula_, the goddess of child-birth; _Diespiter_, the god who brings the infant to the light of day; _Opis_, the divinity who takes the infant from within the bosom of mother-earth; _Vaticanus_, the god who opens the child's mouth in crying; _Cunina_, the protectress of the cradle and its contents; _Rumina_, the goddess of the teat or breast; _Ossipaga_, the goddess who hardens and solidifies the bones of little children; _Carna_, the goddess who strengthens the flesh of little children; _Diva potina_, the goddess of the drink of children; _Diva edusa_, the goddess of the food of children; _Cuba_, the goddess of the sleep of the child; _Levana_, the goddess who lifts the child from the earth; _Statanus_, the god, and _Dea Statina_, the goddess, of the child's standing; _Fabulinus_, the god of the child's speech; _Abeona_ and _Adiona_, the protectresses of the child in its goings out and its comings in; _Deus catus pater_, the father-god who "sharpens" the wits of children; _Dea mens_, the goddess of the child's mind; _Minerva_, the goddess who is the giver of memory to the child; _Numeria_, the goddess who teaches the child to count; _Voleta_, the goddess, and _Volumnus_ the god, of will or wishing; _Venilia_, the goddess of hope, of "things to come"; _Deus conus_, the god of counsel, the counsel-giver; _Peragenor_ or _Agenona_, the deity of the child's action; _Camœna_, the goddess who teaches the child to sing, etc. (398.188).