Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-01-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
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legends Respecting Trees.

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legends Respecting Trees.
LIKE other natural objects of sig
nal importance to man, whether yielding
food, afording shelter, or simply con-
ferring loneliness on the landscape,
trees, in the early stages Of society,
have uniformly been the fertile subjects
Of poetical and neurological allusion.
Many Of the prettiest legends Of heath
antiquity,as well as OF our Christian
d2rogenitors, relate to trees; while poets
s all countries and ages, have borrowed
!om them their most brilliant imagery
and comparisons. Without inquiring
into the causes of these varied illusions
we intend to present the reader with a
few of the more remarkable legends. s
The WHITE POPLAR, according
to ancient mythology, was consecra-
ted to Hercules, because he destroyed
Cacus in cave of Mount Aventine,
which was covered with these trees;
and the moment ofhis triumph, bound
his brow with branch of one as to-
ken ofhis victory. When he descen-
ded into the Internal regions, he also
returned with a wreath of White popu-
lar round his head. 1t was this, says
the fable, that made the leaves Of the
color they are now. The perspiration
from the hero's brow made the inner
part ofthe leaf white, while the smoke of
the lowerregions turned the upperlsur-
face ofthe leaves almost black. Per-
sons sacrificing to Hercules were al
ways crowned with branches of this
tree; and all who had gloriously con-
quered their enemies in battle wore gar
lands of it, in imitation of Hercules.
1t is said that the ancients consecrated
the white popular to Time because the
leaves are'in continual agitation; and
being Of a blackish green on one side
with thick white cotton on the other,
these are supposed to indicate the alter
nation of day and night.
The BLACK Poplar is no less
celebrated in fable than its congener
above mentioned. According to Ovid Z,
when Phaethon borrowed the chariot
and horses ofthe sun, and by his heed
less driving, set half the world on FIRE,
he was hurled from the chariot by Ju-
piter into the Pc, where he was
drowned; and his sisters, the Heliades,
wandering on the banks Of the river,
were changed into trees-supposed by
most commentators. TO be poplars. =
The evidence in favor Of the poplar
consists in there being abundance Of
black poplars on the banks Of the Po;in
the poplar, in common with many
other aquatic trees, being so surcharg.
ed with moisture as to have it exuding
through the pores of the leaves, which
may thus literally be said to weep; and
there being notree on which the sun
shines more brightly than on the black
popular, thus still showing CLEANS Of
parental affection to the only memorial
left Of the unhappy son whom his own
fondnese had contributed to destroy.
The APpLEzTREE, SO singularly
connected with the first transgression
and fall of man, is distinguished alike
in the mythologies of the Greeks, Scan
J dinavians, and Druids. The golden
fruits of the Hesperides, which it was
one oftbe labors of Hercules to procure
in spite Of the sleepless dragon which
guarded them, were beliyed BY The pa
gans to be apples. Hercules was
worshipped by the Thebans under the
the name Of Melius: and apples were
offered at his affairs The origin oil
this custom was the circumstance OF
the river Asopus having on one occa-
sion oyeraowed its banks to such an
extent, as to render it impossible to bring
<saesheep across itvwhich- was to be
asacn6ced to Hercules when some
yonths, recollectingthat an apple bore
the same name as sheep in Greek,
-(meloa, offered an apple with four
little sticks stuck in it, to resem-
BILE legAeas substitute for Sheep; and
aiacrtthat period, the pagans always
cOnsidered the apples as especially de-
yVteds to Hercules. In thee Scandina-
:iviaS Eddaj I'VE are told that the god
! dGsB Iduna had the care Of apples
which had the power Of comforting i'm
snortality, and which were consequent
y reserved for the Gods, who ate Of
them when they began to feel they
were growing old. The evil spirit,
koke, took away Idana and her apple
& tree and hid them in a forest, where
they could notsbe found by their, gods.
IN consequence Of this malicious theft,
everything went wrong in the world.