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ures a giant whom neither fire nor water nor steel can harm。 He tells his seventh wife； whom he has just married after murdering all her predecessors； I am immortal； and no one can hurt me unless he crushes on my breast an egg； which is in a pigeon； which is in the belly of a hare； this hare is in the belly of a wolf； and this wolf is in the belly of my brother； who dwells a thousand leagues from here。 So I am quite easy on that score。 A soldier contrived to obtain the egg and crush it on the breast of the giant； who immediately expired。 In another Breton tale the life of a giant resides in an old box…tree which grows in his castle garden； and to kill him it is necessary to sever the tap…root of the tree at a single blow of an axe without injuring any of the lesser roots。 This task the hero； as usual； successfully accomplishes； and at the same moment the giant drops dead。
The notion of an external soul has now been traced in folk…tales told by Aryan peoples from India to Ireland。 We have still to show that the same idea occurs commonly in the popular stories of peoples who do not belong to the Aryan stock。 In the ancient Egyptian tale of The Two Brothers； which was written down in the reign of Rameses II。； about 1300 B。C。； we read how one of the brothers enchanted his heart and placed it in the flower of an acacia tree； and how； when the flower was cut at the instigation of his wife； he immediately fell down dead； but revived when his brother found the lost heart in the berry of the acacia and threw it into a cup of fresh water。
In the story of Seyf el…Mulook in the Arabian Nights the jinnee tells the captive daughter of the King of India； When I was born； the astrologers declared that the destruction of my soul would be effected by the hand of one of the sons of the human kings。 I therefore took my soul； and put it into the crop of a sparrow； and I imprisoned the sparrow in a little box； and put this into another small box； and this I put within seven other small boxes； and I put these within seven chests； and the chests I put into a coffer of marble within the verge of this circumambient ocean； for this part is remote from the countries of mankind； and none of mankind can gain access to it。 But Seyf el…Mulook got possession of the sparrow and strangled it； and the jinnee fell upon the ground a heap of black ashes。 In a Kabyle story an ogre declares that his fate is far away in an egg； which is in a pigeon； which is in a camel； which is in the sea。 The hero procures the egg and crushes it between his hands； and the ogre dies。 In a Magyar folk…tale； an old witch detains a young prince called Ambrose in the bowels of the earth。 At last she confided to him that she kept a wild boar in a silken meadow； and if it were killed； they would find a hare inside； and inside the hare a pigeon； and inside the pigeon a small box； and inside the box one black and one shining beetle： the shining beetle held her life； and the black one held her power； if these two beetles died； then her life would come to an end also。 When the old hag went out； Ambrose killed the wild boar； and took out the hare； from the hare he took the pigeon； from the pigeon the box； and from the box the two beetles； he killed the black beetle； but kept the shining one alive。 So the witch's power left her immediately； and when she came home； she had to take to her bed。 Having learned from her how to escape from his prison to the upper air； Ambrose killed the shining beetle； and the old hag's spirit left her at once。 In a Kalmuck tale we read how a certain khan challenged a wise man to show his skill by stealing a precious stone on which the khan's life depended。 The sage contrived to purloin the talisman while the khan and his guards slept； but not content with this he gave a further proof of his dexterity by bonneting the slumbering potentate with a bladder。 This was too much for the khan。 Next morning he informed the sage that he could overlook everything else； but that the indignity of being bonneted with a bladder was more than he could bear； and he ordered his facetious friend to instant execution。 Pained at this exhibition of royal ingratitude； the sage dashed to the ground the talisman which he still held in his hand； and at the same instant blood flowed from the nostrils of the khan； and he gave up the ghost。
In a Tartar poem two heroes named Ak Molot and Bulat engage in mortal combat。 Ak Molot pierces his foe through and through with an arrow； grapples with him； and dashes him to the ground； but all in vain； Bulat could not die。 At last when the combat has lasted three years； a friend of Ak Molot sees a golden casket hanging by a white thread from the sky； and bethinks him that perhaps this casket contains Bulat's soul。 So he shot through the white thread with an arrow； and down fell the casket。 He opened it； and in the casket sat ten white birds； and one of the birds was Bulat's soul。 Bulat wept when he saw that his soul was found in the casket。 But one after the other the birds were killed； and then Ak Molot easily slew his foe。 In another Tartar poem； two brothers going to fight two other brothers take out their souls and hide them in the form of a white herb with six stalks in a deep pit。 But one of their foes sees them doing so and digs up their souls； which he puts into a golden ram's horn； and then sticks the ram's horn in his quiver。 The two warriors whose souls have thus been stolen know that they have no chance of victory； and accordingly make peace with their enemies。 In another Tartar poem a terrible demon sets all the gods and heroes at defiance。 At last a valiant youth fights the demon； binds him hand and foot； and slices him with his sword。 But still the demon is not slain。 So the youth asked him； Tell me； where is your soul hidden？ For if your soul had been hidden in your body； you must have been dead long ago。 The demon replied； On the saddle of my horse is a bag。 In the bag is a serpent with twelve heads。 In the serpent is my soul。 When you have killed the serpent； you have killed me also。 So the youth took the saddle…bag from the horse and killed the twelve…headed serpent； whereupon the demon expired。 In another Tartar poem a hero called K？k Chan deposits with a maiden a golden ring； in which is half his strength。 Afterwards when K？k Chan is wrestling long with a hero and cannot kill him； a woman drops into his mouth the ring which contains half his strength。 Thus inspired with fresh force he slays his enemy。
In a Mongolian story the hero Joro gets the better of his enemy the lama Tschoridong in the following way。 The lama； who is an enchanter； sends out his soul in the form of a wasp to sting Joro's eyes。 But Joro catches the wasp in his hand； and by alternately shutting and opening his hand he causes the lama alternately to lose and recover consciousness。 In a Tartar poem two youths cut open the body of an old witch and tear out her bowels； but all to no purpose； she still lives。 On being asked where her soul is； she answers that it is in the middle of her shoe…sole in the form of a seven…headed speckled snake。 So one of the youths slices her shoe…sole with his sword； takes out the speckled snake； and cuts off its seven heads。 Then the witch dies。 Another Tartar poem describes how the hero Kartaga grappled with the Swan…woman。 Long they wrestled。 Moons waxed and waned and still they wrestled； years came and went； and still the struggle went on。 But the piebald horse and the black horse knew that the Swan…woman's soul was not in her。 Under the black earth flow nine seas； where the seas meet and form one； the sea comes to the surface of the earth。 At the mouth of the nine seas rises a rock of copper； it rises to the surface of the ground； it rises up between heaven and earth； this rock of copper。 At the foot of the copper rock is a black chest； in the black chest is a golden casket； and in the golden casket is the soul of the Swan…woman。 Seven little birds are the soul of the Swan…woman； if the birds are killed the Swan…woman will die straightway。 So the horses ran to the foot of the copper rock； opened the black chest； and brought back the golden casket。 Then the piebald horse turned himself into a bald…headed man； opened the golden casket； and cut off the heads of the seven birds。 So the Swan…woman died。 In another Tartar poem the hero； pursuing his sister who has driven away his cattle； is warned to desist from the pursuit because his sister has carried away his soul
in a golden sword and a golden arrow； and if he pursues her she will kill him by throwing the golden sword or shooting the golden arrow at him。
A Malay poem relates how once upon a time in the city of Indrapoora there was a certain merchant who was rich and prosperous； but he had no children。 One day as he walked with his wife by the river they found a baby girl； fair as an angel。 So they adopted the child and called her Bidasari。 The merchant caused a golden fish to be made； and into this fish he transferred the soul of his adopted daughter。 Then he put the golden fish in a golden box full of water； and hid it in a pond in the midst of his garden。 In time the girl grew to be a lovely woman。 Now the King of Indrapoora had a fair young queen； who lived in fear that the king