Myths of the Origin of Fire

vii, 238 pp. "According to an ancient Greek legend, Prometheus stole fire from Olympus and gave it to humankind, incurring the wrath of the great god Zeus and providing the world with its greatest treasure. Fanciful though this story may seem, it contains within it an element of cosmic truth; for among human inventions, fire is truly one of the most phenomenal and may well have seemed almost divine in origin. This volume examines the Prometheus myth, as well as other stories about the discovery of fire from various ages and from all parts of the world. Examining these narratives, we can see three successive phases of culture: the time when we were ignorant of the use of fire; when we used fire, but did not understand how to kindle it; and when at last we learned how to produce fire and bend it to our needs. A rich and intriguing collection of fantastic tales that sheds light on the dark corners of human consciousness."