“When Nyhellenia, whose real name was Min-erva, was well established, and the Krekalanders (Greeks) loved her as well as our own people did, there came some princes and priests to her citadel and asked Min-erva where her inheritance lay. Nyhellenia answered, I carry my inheritance in my own bosom. What I have inherited is the love of wisdom, justice, and freedom. If I lose these I shall become as the least of your slaves; now I give advice for nothing, but then I should sell it...
Another time they came with a whole troop of people, when the plague was in the country, and said: we are all making offerings to the gods that they may take away the plague. Will you not help to turn away their anger, or have you yourself brought the plague into the land with all your arts? No, said Min-erva; I know no gods that do evil; therefore I cannot ask them to do better. I only know one good spirit, that is Wr-alda's; and as he is good he never does evil.
Where, then, does evil come from? asked the priests. All the evil comes from you, and from the stupidity of the people who let themselves be deceived by you. If, then, your god is so exceedingly good, why does he not turn away the bad? asked the priests. Hellenia answered: Frya has placed us here, and the carrier, that is, Time, must do the rest. For all calamities there is counsel and remedy to be found, but Wr-alda wills that we should search it out ourselves, in order that we may become strong and wise. If we will not do that, he leaves us to our own devices, in order that we may experience the results of wise or foolish conduct.”
