OF GREAT EVENTS 185
"Lo there!" said the old steersman, " Zarathustra goeth unto hell!"
About the same time when these sailors landed at the fire-island, a rumour went about that Zarathustra had disappeared. And when his friends were asked they told how at night he had gone aboard a ship without saying whither he was going to voyage.
Thus some anxiety arose. But after three days the story of the sailors was added unto that anxiety and now every one said that the devil had taken Zara- thustra. Although his disciples laughed at that gossip find one of them even said : " I rather believe that Zarathustra hath taken the devil," at the bottom of their soul they were all full of sorrow and longing. Thus their joy was great when, on the fifth day, Zarathustra appeared among them.
And this is the story of Zarathustra's conversation with the fiery dog:
" Earth," said he, " hath a skin ; and that skin hath diseases. One of these diseases, for example, is called 'man.'
And another of these diseases is called 'fiery dog'; of it men have told and been told many lies.
To find out this secret I went beyond the sea. And I have seen truth naked, verily ! barefoot up to its neck.
Now I know the truth about that fiery dog ; and at the same time about all the devils of casting out and
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