They told him this to cheer their own
hearts when the grey hairs came, and he has told us the tale," said the
Bull, below his breath.
"Their Gods came, and we changed them. I took the Woman and made her
twelve-armed. So shall we twist all their Gods," said Hanuman.
"Their Gods! This is no question of their Gods--one or three--man or
woman. The matter is with the people. I move, and not the Gods of the
bridge-builders," said Krishna.
"So be it. I have made a man worship the fire-carriage as it stood still
breathing smoke, and he knew not that he worshipped me," said Hanuman
the Ape. "They will only change a little the names of their Gods.
I shall lead the builders of the bridges as of old; Shiv shall be
worshipped in the schools by such as doubt and despise their fellows;
Ganesh shall have his mahajuns, and Bhairon the donkey-drivers, the
pilgrims, and the sellers of toys. Beloved, they will do no more than
change the names, and that we have seen a thousand times."
"Surely they will do no more than change the names," echoed Ganesh; but
there was an uneasy movement among the Gods.
"They will change more than the names. Me alone they cannot kill, so
long as a maiden and a man meet together or the spring follows the
winter rains.
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