A piece under the bed is reputed to cure impotency. Carry a piece with you for good luck. Dissolve a little in the bath for a strong purification bath. Was said to have sprung from the tears of Helen which fell to the ground when Paris abducted her. Thought to induce longevity.
Second sight is imbued if the tree sap is applied to the eyelids.
Elder was cultivated around cottages as it afforded propection. The ability of the plant to repel flies is seen as magical. The flowers are somewhat narcotic and may therefore have been used in divination. It was believed the lightning never struck it, and therefore it afforded propection in a storm. Beating with an elder rod was thought to arrest the growth of boys who were becoming too lanky or 'weedy'.