(^74) A Wiccan Bible
Hindu/Near East—Prior to the Great Flood, a man named Manu was fishing when he
came upon a small fish with a talent unusual for most fish; this one could talk. And talk
it did, telling Manu that its name was Matsya and pleading that Manu not kill him, but
instead grant protection from the other fishermen until he could grow into an adult.
Manu granted the small fish his desire and placed him in a pot of water just to make
sure no one else would catch the poor little thing. When it grew, he put it into a bigger
pot and then a bigger pot until he had to place it in a lake and then the ocean itself.
Upon placing the huge fish in the ocean, it warned Manu of the impending flood and
instructed him to build an ark. Manu, realizing the fish was an incarnation of Vishnu,
did as the fish instructed. When the flood came, Matsya connected a rope to the ark
and pulled the ark to safety.
Central Asian—The Chinese god Gun is cited as being responsible for not preventing
the Great Flood.
The Story of the Flood Moves North
Greek account—Warned of the Great Flood by Prometheus, Deucalion built
a great ship, an ark, which carried him, his wife Pyrrha, and stores necessary
to repopulate the Earth. Deucalion’s name means ‘New-wine Sailor,’ which
might be a commentary on his replanting of the vineyards.
The survivors of the Great Flood moved into Europe. As they did, they,
too, left behind communities and pockets of humanity that eventually be-
came the great tribes of Europe. Many of those tribes later described their
exodus from the Middle East and entrance into Europe in the mythology
that followed.
Irish account—Warned of the impending flood by his father Noah (root of
the Christian story), Bith and his wife Birren traveled to the west most point
of the known world. With them, they brought their daughter Cesara, her
husband Fintaan, and a tribe of maybe 200 people. When the flood receded,
Bith and Birren became the first couple to enter Ireland, leading the way for
their tribe.
Welsh account—Dwyvan and his wife Dwyvach built a ship named the Nefyed
Nav Nevion, filled it with animals, survived the flood, and then seeded the
Welsh tribes.
Scandinavian account—This event is marked in the Scandinavian tale of the
first man and woman into Europe. In Norse lore, Odin created Ask and
Embla from the Ash and Elm tree (some say Ash and Vine), but only after
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