Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE HUNS. 233
"up her belly, and take out' her child, and lay
"it in a large trough, and they throw much water
"upon it, and they light a fire beneath the trough,
"and boil it until the flesh is entirely boiled away
"in the water; they next take some of the water
"and sprinkle it upon their beasts [p. 133] and
"upon their weapons of war. By reason of these Their hor.
"things if one man should fight with a hundred [*„,",.
"thousand he would slay them and overcome them,
"and this cometh to pass because this work is of
"the Devil, whom they serve; and when a woman
"conceiveth she perceiveth that she must draw
"nigh to her husband that the child in her
"womb may be an offering unto Satan .their father.^
"Now among all the nations [of the world] there
"are no folk more numerous than they, for they
"are like the sand of the sea [shore], and God
"Almighty chastiseth whatsoever nation He pleaseth They are the
11 11 r
scourge of
11 1
"by them, and there are no folk who are more God.
"numerous than they or more strong and mighty".^
And the Two-horned spake unto them, saying,
"Have they invaded this your country in your days?
"or have ye seen them and watched their [plan
"of] battle? or have they never come forth at
"all [in your days]?" The men said unto him,
"O mighty king,* thou upon whom [God] hath
' Read (D^Oif^'hP : ^ Read hOrlTao- :
i Compare the account of the Tartars in Marco Polo
(ed. Yule, vol. i. p. 244 ff.).
* Read h'i'bf*' •
GG
''"°'