Book 4 (Part II)

89 Buddha said that if any man became an Arahat he must either take the vows of a Bhikkhu that very day, or die, and it is this saying of Buddha's that the unknown poet wished to commemorate. Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief; Taffy came to my house And stole a leg of beef. I went to Taffy's house; Taffy was in bed. I took a carving knife, And cut off Taffy's head. Taffy is merely short for Taphtatharath, the Spirit of Mercury and the God of Welshmen or thieves. " My house " is of course equivalent to " my magick circle." Note that Beth, the letter of Mercury and " The Magus," means "a house." The beef is the symbol of the Bull, Apis the Redeemer. This is therefore that which is written: " Oh my God, disguise thy glory I Come as a thief, and let us steal away the sacraments ! " In the following verse we find that Taffy is " in bed," owing to the operation of the sacrament. The great task of the Alchemist has been accomplished; the mercury is fixed. One can then take the Holy Dagger, and separate the Caput Mortuum from the Elixir. Some Alchemists believe that the beef represents that