Chapter 4 - Indian Literature in the Philippines

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ing something is common in Indian folkliterature.
4.8. Goddess or Heavenly Nymph
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Mortal Man Union.
This union is best illustrated by the story of Urvasi and
Pururavas, 77 which would be used as a locus classicus. Ür-
vasi, an apsaras or a heavenly nymph, obtains the mortal
Purūravas as a bridegroom, upon the condition that she
should never see him naked. But an infraction of this con-
dition was committed, because of the jealousy of her celes-
tial companions. Her heavenly companions surreptitiously
enticed him from bed one dark night and then revealed his
nudity to his wife by a flash of lightning.
Tales possessing this genre are also found in various
literatures of India, but only one tale which is found in
one of the most well-known literature of the sub-continent
77 The earliest work referring to this tale is in RV
(Eggeling Transl. in Sacred Books of the East, xliv, p. 68-
74), X, 95. Also in Sat. Brah. (ibid.), V, 1; Tawney, ii,
V, 12
App. I, p. 245-259; and Kalidasa, Vikramorvasiva.
Cf. Frederich Wells Williams, "Chinese Folklore and
Some Western Analogies", Ann. Rep. of the Board of Regents
of the Smithsonian Institution...year ending June 30, 1900.
Disembodied spirits, in Chinese folklore, are endowed with
strange powers when they return to earth, thereby becoming
at once angels in a state of supreme beatitude. One of
these in the guise of a beautiful girl meets and engages
the affections of a young man. In the course of their ac-
quaintance, she warns him against the machinations of a
sister spirit, who is murderous, and trying to entrap him,
and ensures his safety by giving him a charm.