The good and the bad gods disputed, —the bad gods wanting to be at the head of the government of this world, and the good gods likewise wanting to be at the head.
The husband said to the old man: ‘I come to ask whether you know anything of my little boy, who was placed in a box and set to float down the stream.’ The old man replied: ‘One day, my daughter found a box with a little boy in it.’
And from the window a lovely goddess popped out her head and said: ‘What has happened is in no way your fault. Your beauty has caused a wicked fox to fall in love with you.’
The only thing you can do to recover your proper shape is to climb to the top of this pine-tree, and fling yourself down. Then you may, perhaps, become a human being again.
Though it was a raven, it spoke thus, just like a human being: ‘I am very grateful for having been fed on fish by you. If you will come with me to my old father, he too will thank you.’
‘Your son and my daughter, being both of them enabled to eat fish, will possess the world.’ Thus spoke the tortoise.
Turesh screamed and struggled; and, when she was inside the hut, she turned into a wriggling, writhing dragon. The sky darkened, the thunder crashed, the dragon vanished, and the hut was consumed by lightning.
Formerly dogs could speak. Now they cannot. The reason is that a dog, belonging to a certain man a long time ago, inveigled his master into the forest under the pretext of showing him game.
But God stretched forth his hand and beat him down to earth, saying: ‘You are not wanted in the sky any more.’