The Fathers have long since discovered an image of the Church in Eve, drawn from the side of Adam to be a helpmeet for him, albeit a costing one in many ways. In some respects the Hindu legend of the same event is even more illustrative. It tells us that when the Creator had taxed a million contradictory elements of the universe for contributions which he blended into a new creature and presented to man, the man came to him in eight days and said: ‘My Lord, the creature you gave me poisons my existence. She chatters without rest, she takes all my time, she laments for nothing at all, and is always ill.’

And Twashtri received the woman again.

But eight days later the man came again to the god and said:–

‘My lord, my life is very solitary since I returned this creature.’

And Twashtri returned the woman to him.

Three days only passed, and Twashtri saw the man coming to him again.

‘My lord’, said he, ‘I do not understand exactly how, but I am sure the woman causes me more annoyance than pleasure. I beg of you to relieve me of her.’

But Twashtri cried: ‘Go your way and do your best.’

And the man cried: ‘I cannot live with her!’

‘Neither can you live without her’, replied Twashtri. […]