The vast preparations for this great war being completed, and the end of the second age now coming, Ahriman was urged by one of his Daevas to begin the conflict.  He counted his host; but as he found nothing therein to oppose to the Fravashis of good men, he sank back in dejection.  Finally the second age expired, and Ahriman now sprang aloft without fear, for he knew that his time was come.  His host followed him, but he alone succeeded in reaching the heavens; his troops remained behind.  A shudder ran over him, and he sprang from heaven upon the earth in the form of a serpent, penetrated to its centre, and entered into everything which he found upon it.  He passed into the primal Bull, and even into fire, the visible symbol of Ormazd, defiling it with smoke and vapor.  Then he assailed the heavens, and a part of the stars were already in his power, and veiled in smoke and mist, when he was attacked by Ormazd, aided by the Fravashis of holy men; and after ninety days and ninety nights he was completely defeated, and driven back with his troops into the abyss of Duzahk.

But he did not remain there, for through the middle of the earth he built a way for himself and his companions, and is now living on the earth together with Ormazd,—­according to the decree of the Infinite.

The destruction which he produced in the world was terrible.  Nevertheless, the more evil he tried to do, the more he ignorantly fulfilled the counsels of the Infinite, and hastened the development of good.  Thus he entered the Bull, the original animal, and injured him so that he died.  But when he died, Kaiomarts, the first man, came out of his right shoulder, and from his left Goshurun, the soul of the Bull, who now became the guardian spirit of the animal race.  Also the whole realm of clean animals and plants came from the Bull’s body.  Full of rage, Ahriman now created the unclean animals,—­for every clean beast an unclean.  Thus Ormazd created the dog, Ahriman the wolf; Ormazd all useful animals, Ahriman all noxious ones; and so of plants.

But to Kaiomarts, the original man, Ahriman had nothing to oppose, and so he determined to kill him.  Kaiomarts was both man and woman, but through his death there came from him the first human pair; a tree grew from his body, and bore ten pair of men and women.  Meschia and Meschiane were the first.  They were originally innocent and made for heaven, and worshipped Ormazd as their creator.  But Ahriman tempted them.  They drank milk from a goat and so injured themselves.  Then Ahriman brought them fruit, they ate it, and lost a hundred parts of their happiness, so that only one remained.  The woman was the first to sacrifice to the Daevas.  After fifty years they had two children, Siamak and Veschak, and died a hundred years old.  For their sins they remain in hell until the resurrection.