blackens with its smoke." And the conflict grew ever keener over the
world and over man, of whom the evil one was jealous, and whom he sought
to humiliate.

[Illustration: 022.jpg ONE OF THE BAD GENII, SUBJECT TO ANGRÔ-MAINYUS]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph taken from the
original bas-relief in glazed tiles in the Louvre.

[Illustration: 023.jpg THE KING STRUGGLING AGAINST AN EVIL GENIUS]

Drawn by Boudier, from the photograph in Marcel Dieulafoy.

The children of Angrô-mainyus disguised themselves under those monstrous
forms in which the imagination of the Chaldæans had clothed the allies
of Mummu-Tiamât, such as lions with bulls' heads, and the wings and
claws of eagles, which the Achæmenian king combats on behalf of his
subjects, boldly thrusting them through with his short sword. Aêshma of
the blood-stained lance, terrible in wrath, is the most trusted leader
of these dread bands,* the chief of twenty other Daêvas of repulsive
aspect--Astô-vîdhôtu, the demon of death, who would devote to
destruction the estimable Fravashis;** Apaosha, the enemy of Tishtrya
the wicked black horse, the bringer of drought, who interferes with the
distribution of the fertilising waters; and Bûiti, who essayed to kill
Zoroaster at his birth.***

* The name Aêshma means _anger_. He is the Asmodeus, Aêshmo-
daevô, of Rabbinic legends.

** The name of this demon signifies _He who separates the