THE ASS-FESTIVAL
��At this point of the litany Zarathustra could no longer master himself. He himself cried Hee-haw still louder than the ass and leaped into the midst of his guests who had gone mad. " What do ye here, ye children of men ? " he called, tearing up from the ground the praying ones. " Alas, if anybody else should look at you save Zarathustra!
Every one would judge that, with your new belief, ye were the worst blasphemers or the most foolish of all little old women !
And thou thyself, thou old pope, how agreeth it with thee thus to adore an ass as God ? "
"O Zarathustra," answered the pope, "forgive me! But in matters of God I am more enlightened than thou. And it is right it should be thus.
Rather adore God in this shape than in no shape ! Meditate over this saying, my lofty friend ! Thou find- est out quickly : there is wisdom in such a saying.
He who said : ' God is a spirit,' hath hitherto made the greatest step and leap unto unbelief on earth. It
458
�� �
