named Garanus. Evidently a native Italic myth featuring this Garanus was
assimilated into the Greek saga of Heracles. But who was he? Can he perhaps
be related to the widely attested Celtic god Grannus, a god of water and
watering places? In Propertius’ version of the Cacus story Hercules, on
recovering his cows, is assailed by parching thirst and finds the land waterless.
Some distance away he finds the secluded sacred grove of the Bona Dea, with
a temple and a stream, but it is closed to men. The priestess refuses him
access. He breaks in nevertheless and slakes his thirst.
Tr i s ́iras, Ullikummi, HrungnirIn post-Rigvedic myth Vis ́varu ̄ pa appears under the name Tris ́iras, ‘Three-
head’. His father Tvas
̇
t
̇r
̇created him out of resentment towards Indra. He
grew so great that Indra was afraid he would ingest the whole universe. In an
attempt to undo him Indra told the Nymphs (Apsarases) to dance before
him, display their charms, and try to seduce him. But he proved too austere to
be moved by the exhibition. So Indra hurled his fiery bolt and struck him
dead. He fell like a mountaintop, but still blazed with ardour. Indra then
persuaded a woodcutter to cut off his heads with his axe. When this was done,
heathcocks, partridges, and sparrows flew out from the different heads.^78
The Hittite Song of Ullikummi relates a story with noteworthy similarities
to this. Kumarbi, the father of the gods, has hostile designs towards the
Storm-god. He copulates with a cliff, which gives birth to a stone child,
Ullikummi. Ullikummi grows rapidly to a prodigious size, threatening the
gods. The Storm-god is downcast. The goddess of love and sex arrays herself
seductively, goes before Ullikummi, and makes music and sings, but he is
blind and deaf to her charms. The Storm-god then attacks him with lightning
and tempest. But these too are ineffective. Ullikummi is bigger than ever, nine
thousand leagues high and the same in width, blocking communications
among the gods. Finally his feet are cut through with the saw that once
separated heaven and earth. The Storm-god renews the battle and (we must
suppose; the end is lost) brings the colossus crashing down.
This narrative is agreed to be translated or adapted from a Hurrian
original.^79 Its Indo-European status is therefore doubtful. Certain motifs in
it –– the insemination of a rock that gives birth to a formidable god or hero,
and his eventual undercutting from below –– recur in Caucasian legend,
(^78) TS 2. 5. 1; S ́B 1. 6. 3. 1; MBh. 5. 9. 3–38; Br
̇
haddevata ̄ 6. 149–51. The motif of the creatures
springing forth from the severed heads has an indirect link with Geryon: his father Chrysaor
and the winged horse Pegasus leapt out when Perseus decapitated Medusa (Hes. Th. 280 f.).
(^79) Cf. West (1997), 102–5.
262 6. Storm and Stream