Bertha.—The white lady who guards good German children, but is the terror of the bad, who fear her iron nose and big feet. Corresponds to the Italian La Befana.
Bheem.—One of the five brotherhoods of Indian demigods, famous for strength.
Bifrost.—In Norse mythology, a bridge between earth and heaven, over which none but the gods could travel. It leads to the palace of the Fates.
Bilskirnir.—A wonderful palace built by Thor for the use of peasants after death.
Bona Dea (bon´a de´a), or Fauna, or Fatua.—A Roman goddess, sister, wife or daughter of Faunus. She was the goddess of chastity and prophecy, and revealed her oracles to females only. During her annual festival on the first of May, in the house of the consul or prætor, no male person was allowed to be present.
Boreas (bor´e-as).—The north wind; was the son of Astræus and Aurora, and brother of the other three winds, Notus, Zephyrus and Hesperus. He was worshiped at Athens, where a festival was celebrated in his honor.
Bosphorus, or Bosporus.—The Straits of Constantinople, so called from Io, who, in the form of a heifer, swam across it (Bosphorus = Ox-ford). See “[Io].”
Brahma.—The supreme god of the Hindus, represented with four heads and four arms. He is regarded as the creator of the universe, and forms, with Vishnu the preserver, and Síva the destroyer, the divine triad.
Briareus (brī-ār´e-us).—A hundred-armed giant, also called [Ægæon] (q.v.). Pope thus expresses his admiration for Handel:—
“Strong in new arms the giant Handel stands,
Like bold Briareus with a hundred hands.”