वेदों की प्राचीनता एवं काल-निर्णय / ओरायन (लोकमान्य बाल गंगाधर तिलक - खगोलीय वैदिक शोध)

398 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS.
between whom peace was made on the condition that they were
to fight for the damsel "on the Calends of May every year thence-
forth till the Day of Doom, and he who should prove victorious
on the Day of Doom was to take the Damsel to wife."* This is
interpreted by Prof. Rhys to mean that "the Sun-god would
recover his bride at the beginning of summer after his antagonist
had gained possession of her at the beginning of winter";† and
he compares the legend to the story of Persephone, daughter of
Zeus carried away by Pluto, who was, however, able to retain
her at his side only for six months in the year. We might also
cite in this connection the legend of Demeter or Mother Earth,
who is said to rejoice for six months in the presence of Pro-
serpine, the green herb, her daughter, and for six months
regret her absence in dark abodes beneath the earth. The
ancient Celtic year thus seems to have been divided into two
halves, one representing the six summer months, and the other,
which commenced on the eve of November, the six months of
winter darkness. But what is still more remarkable is that
just as the Ṛig-Veda gives us the exact date of the com-
mencement of the battle between Indra and Shambara,
so Celtic myths record the exact date of the first battle
of Moytura and also of the fight between Labraid of the
Swift Hand on the Sword, king of an Irish Hades, whom
Cuchulainn goes to assist, and his enemies called the Men of
Fidga. They were fought on the eve of November, "when
the Celtic year began with the ascendency of the powers of
darkness."* Prof. Rhys further points out that the ancient
Norse year was similar in character. The great feast of the
Norsemen occupied three days called the Winter Nights
and began on the Saturday falling on or between the 11th and
the 18th of October; and according to Dr. Vigfusson this feast
marked the beginning of the ancient year of the Norsemen.
The old Norse year thus appears to have been shorter by a few
*Rhys' Hibbert Lectures, p. 562.
†Ibid p. 460.