With his red pillar—radiant in his splendor—in our skilled task is born the son of Ilâ."[17]—Book III. xxix: 1-3.
Side by side with the unequivocal coitus symbolism we see that the Pramantha is also Agni, the created son. The Phallus is the son, or the son is the Phallus. Therefore, Agni in the Vedic mythology has the threefold character. With this we are once more connected with the above-mentioned Cabiric Father-Son-Cult. In the modern German language we have preserved echoes of the primitive symbols. A boy is designated as "bengel" (short, thick piece of wood). In Hessian as "stift" or "bolzen" (arrow,[18] wooden peg or stump). The Artemisia Abrotanum, which is called in German "Stabwurz" (stick root), is called in English "Boy's Love." (The vulgar designation of the penis as "boy" was remarked even by Grimm and others.) The ceremonial production of fire was retained in Europe as late as the nineteenth century as a superstitious custom. Kuhn mentions such a case even in the year 1828, which occurred in Germany. The solemn, magic ceremony was called the "Nodfyr"—"The fire of need"[19]—and the charm was chiefly used against cattle epidemics. Kuhn cites from the chronicle of Lanercost of the year 1268 an especially noteworthy case of the "Nodfyr,"[20] the ceremonies of which plainly reveal the fundamental phallic meaning:
"Pro fidei divinæ integritate servanda recolat lector, quod cum
hoc anno in Laodonia pestis grassaretur in pecudes armenti, quam
vocant usetati Lungessouht, quidam bestiales, habitu claustrales
non animo, docebant idiotas patriæ ignem confrictione de lignis
educere et simulacrum Priapi statuere, et per hæc bestiis succur-
