Chapter XVIII: (pp. 240-251)

The scriptural allegory of the “Fall of Man,” involving, as it does, the history of Cain, has an intimate bearing upon the ancestry of the _Tuath-de-danaans_. Cain had a son, Enoch, whose name connotes as usual a twofold meaning, signifying first, _Initiation in sacred rites_; secondly, _an assembly of congregated multitudes_. The son of Enoch was named _Irad_, i.e. _consecrated to God_ (_Budh_); hence the region where he dwelt was called _Iran_, meaning _the land of those so consecrated_; from which it is argued that in that precise region the Budhists first established the insignia of their empire. Now, the _Dabistan_ records declare that although _Kaimours_ was generally regarded as the first king of Persia (Iran), he had many predecessors; and that long before the time of Zoroaster the Persians venerated a prophet called _Mahabad_ or _Maghabad_ (the Great, or Good, _Abad_), whom they considered as “the Father of men,” and who had thirteen successors of his own family, all styled _Abad_. This _Abad_, or _Maghabadean_, dynasty eventually became so corrupt that it was banished to _the woods and mountains_, when _Kaimours_ was called to the throne. For various reasons the author is persuaded that the Maghabadeans were the direct descendants of Cain. Their name had the usual twofold signification: first, The unity of the Godhead; secondly, a sacerdotal institution; and _Tuath-de-danaan_ is simply a translation or ampliative rendering of the latter--_Tuath_ being a modification of _Budh_, and also signifying _magic_; _De_, the vernacular term for the Deity; and _Danaan_ signifying Almoners--the whole thus meaning _Magician-god-almoners_, or the Almoner-magicians of the Deity.