The Loves Of The Thunder-gods
: TALES ACCOUNTING FOR THE ORIGIN OF PHENOMENA.: Aino Folktales
Two young thunder-gods, sons of the chief thunder-god, fell violently in
love with the same Aino woman. Said one of them to the other, in a
joking way: "I will become a flea, so as to be able to hop into her
bosom." Said the other: "I will become a louse, so as to be able to stay
always in her bosom."
"Are those your wishes?" cried their father, the chief thunder-god. "You
shall be taken at your word"; and forthwith the one of them who had said
he would become a flea was turned into a flea, while he who said he
would become a louse was turned into a louse. Hence all the fleas and
lice that exist at the present day.
This accounts for the fact that, whenever there is a thunder-storm,
fleas jump out of all sorts of places where there were none to be seen
before.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 27th November,
1886.)
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