122 phenomenology of the spirit in fairytales roasting a pumpkin. After he has eaten, he takes the fire away again, which causes mankind to steal it from him.30 In a North American Indian tale, the old man is a witch-doctor who owns the fire.31 Spirit too has a fiery aspect, as we know from the language of the Old Testament and from the story of the Pentecostal miracle. 410 Apart from his cleverness, wisdom, and insight, the old man, as we have already mentioned, is also notable for his moral qualities; what is more, he even tests the moral qualities of others and makes his gifts dependent on this test. There is a particularly instructive example of this in the Estonian fairytale of the stepdaughter and the real daughter. The former is an orphan distinguished for her obedience and good behaviour. The story begins with her distaff falling into a well. She jumps in after it, but does not drown, and comes to a magic country where, continuing her quest, she meets a cow, a ram, and an appletree whose wishes she fulfils. She now comes to a wash-house where a dirty old man is sitting who wants her to wash him. The following dialogue develops: “Pretty maid, pretty maid, wash me, do, it is hard for me to be so dirty!” “What shall I heat the stove with?” “Collect wooden pegs and crows’ dung and make a fire with that.” But she fetches sticks, and asks, “Where shall I get the bath-water?” “Under the barn there stands a white mare. Get her to piss into the tub!” But she takes clean water, and asks, “Where shall I get a bath-switch?” “Cut off the white mare’s tail and make a bath-switch of that!” But she makes one out of birch-twigs, and asks, “Where shall I get soap?” “Take a pumicestone and scrub me with that!” But she fetches soap from the village and with that she washes the old man. 411 As a reward he gives her a bag full of gold and precious stones. 30
Indianermärchen aus Südamerika, p. 285 [“The End of the World and the Theft of Fire”—Bolivian]. 31 Indianermärchen aus Nordamerika, p. 74 [Tales of Manabos: “The Theft of Fire”].