[116] I have no doubt there is another element in all these stories, not inconsistent with but complementary to the first--namely, what I will call a _mystery_ element connected with a descent to the world of shades, such as formed the staple of the Eleusinian mysteries. Thus I think Pururavas is the hidden sun (the dark Osiris as it were). He might call himself Pururavas _under the earth_ as Prince Hatt is Prince Hatt _under the earth_. This would explain how the story got to be connected with Psyche (the Soul). It may be said, too, that there is often a _mystery_ element connected with such notions as the concealment of names, etc. [117] Connected with Lêthê, _concealment_ or _forgetfulness_, as with Lêto, the mother of Apollo. All signify the darkness. [118] See last chapter, p. 252. Endymion is found by Artemis sleeping in a cave of Latmos. [119] See Baring-Gould, _Curious Myths_, etc. [120] He is actually a reduplication of Thor; for his name means _thunder_, as does Thor’s. Thor is of course much more than a god of thunder only; but his hammer is undoubtedly the thunder-bolt. Thrym represents the same power associated with beings of frost and snow, the winter thunder, in fact. This stealing Thor’s hammer is merely a repetition of the idea implied by his name and character. [121] Which Freyja wore. [122] Giant does not really translate Thurs. Most of the Thursar were giants as opposed to the Dvargar, the dwarfs. But this Alvîs (all-wise) is spoken of as a dwarf. [123] There is a clear recollection of this in the end of Rumpelstiltskin. [124] This story, be it said, comes only from the younger Edda. No hint of it in the older. [125] ‘Beowulf,’ we have said, is thought to have been first composed in English at the end of the seventh century. There was probably an earlier and more simple version of the poem which has come down to us. I do not mean to say that either Beowulf or Sigurd are simply personifications of the sun; only that some of their belongings and adventures have descended to them from sun-heroes. [126] Valkyria, sing.; Valkyriur, pl. [127] _Kinder-u. Hausmärchen._ [128] _I.e._ the sky. See Grimm, _Deutsche Myth._, s.v. (Hackelberg); and also two very interesting articles by A. Kühn, _Zeitsch. für deutsch. Alterth._, v. 379, vi. 117, showing relationship of Hackelbärend and the Sârameyas. [129] These twelve nights occupy in the middle-age legends the place of a sort of battle-ground between the powers of light and darkness. One obvious reason of this is that they lie in midwinter, when the infernal powers are the strongest. Another reason, perhaps, is that they lie between the great Christian feast and the great heathen one, the feast of Yule. Each party might be expected to put forth its full power.