Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-19
SUPERsTrTIONS or TREES.
Seine odd Facts and Legends About Theoiozi'

SUPERS TITIONS or TREES.
Seine odd Facts and Legends About 4 heolozi-
cal Trees.
IBosiou lfcraldl
II Is not the purpose 10 speak in this
article Ct that part Of the Pagan theology
which transforms every bush and tree into
some god, goddess. pymph, faun. sstyr, or
hansdrygd. nor 10 refer 10 the symbolic or
sscrcd character which the Greeks and Ro-
mans attributed TO certain trees shat their
priesthood bad consecra.ed TO the deihS-
the myrtle. for instance. to Venus. the olive
10 Mercury, the laurel to Apollo. It is the
infen, to simply mention the worship
offered to trees by certain nations and
trihe- on account Of their resi- or imagi-
uAry properties. "The ancient people OF
India" says Quntus Cur.ius, had pro
found yGDcrGtion for certain .rces, before
which they were IN the habit 81 knee!iBg
in tie attitude a. devotion, and the most
terrible punishment awaited the sacreli-
Cious transgrcssor who Cared iniure one Of
thCm.r There are two kinds of trees in
Persia that are wOrshipped 10 this day.
The one is the diUdkeb fuse!, or tree thss
surIasses the rest. the other the dtr-ddr,
or The tree OF the genli. The true believers
decorate these trees with strips OK Precious
stLils. The ancient perSians had particu-
lsr ycneraiiOn for tina bdrrO'n, gigantic
treo over which the sun. - they believed,
kept watch IN an sspecia manner.
The Oriontais have always had an ex:
scptional respect for the cypress. When
AerHes bedcc6od plsno-tree with orna-
mcnts IS he passed it on his march. is was
not. ~ has been related, through An lnSen-
safe passion for the tree, but through reli
sious feeling.
Tbs OUigourS. = people q Northern
Guinea, wOrsbpped the cypress and the
birch. The ceremonies % tbs rite had
their origin in a legend relating u the
establishment Of their Kingdom. one day.
according To the legend, there ,uddeBly
arose ont II The ground. at he conlu-
eEee Of The two principal rivers,
two marvellous trees HAT gave forth
mcIodious sound, aS they rose iato
the air. when they had grown
large and we've covered with leaves
thty opened from bop 10 bottom. and there
stepped forth from them five children. one
Of whom became the King OF the Ouisour,.
when these children lad grown up they
approached the trees with great respect,
=
good advice and wished them long lie
sid great rcnovn. Thencciorih the OGi-
"0UTs, seeing in the cyprce. and thc birch
She cradles 81 their dr'. king snd law
g.yor,, rendered 10 these tree. The homl.yc
We Her ID the real Hod.
Beside tho.e trees, which superstition
has elevated ~ dignity, may be placed cer-
tam other production, u tho vegetable
realm. winch i,nUransa and prejudice
have, al diiereu. periOis, made the oblcc.
ii wonder or The awe OF races - men. o.
iIe number Is thc upe'-jrcr THAI grows GA
The island - Java. Travellers relate that
this tIcs cXhales \ poison SO yiruIeni shat
s,i other Ncg'tation rear Is destroyed. Not
bush nor blade OF grass Is to Dc sound
IN the valley whoie the upas grows. The
surrounding mOGntaiu, are sterile rocks,
and the place has neither birds. quad
rupedS, nor reptiles. d.. IiOrshhel1 states
that the upaS. which is found in hsosSsaf
u, well - Jay,. il0Urishcs in q G9aso for
est, but sl,O states that arrows dipped in
,be sap 81 the upas inllict deadly wounds.
4 siory was told ~ one time concerning
Tbs Sic,iisn m2nDa-tree, which WAS that
rpOn 4 certain occasion, when the King Of
Nrpi.s Wos about 10 wall in tho gardens Of
GnOtria- hicl produce tbe best MAMMA
oi .C4lsbris-snd sublcc, the product 10
taxation, tee uasnnA suddenly dried up,
and did not appear sSaln until she tax wa.
abandoned. Tho breai-trce hiss also given
rsc to singular stories. Humpbu5. the
DUtch traveller. once affirmed that tho Va
ri,ty Known 3, the JsqUler helesOphilis
yields NUT 80 largo thEt man cannot
LIT one ol ths products. The fruit 10
really about twice the size Of q
mans Isl. IL grows for eight months (;
then it Is In condition % pluck. 10
il cut In sliess and broiled on hoi
Goals, or baked IN IN oven. When it COM
ucnoss 10 biscken with the heat the burned
part Is scraped CT. aud beneath il Il found
{ white neatly pulp, ~ tender "a toe erumo
oi fresh bread, and greatly resembling in
GsYor good wlea.en loaf. The Gauls en-
tertsIned p.elhsF yenerasion for she Dils-
tletoe. Ia The Gsllis language Eui, or mis-
tetoe, si-u,ied plant, and in the symbols
phrase0iOgy, with which tie Druids only
were familiar. the word chin, meaning OAK,
or the tire Of all Others, stood for force,
power, and authority. The oak mistlStos
was gathered every year in the month OF
Dee, mbsr by the high priest OF he
DruidS e. ~ the queen Of ths ~
male Dirids with golden sickle. and WAS
received In the ssirts Of white tunic. In
Germany is was also believed tbas no one
who had sprlg OF Lli.tletos about his per.
son could 10 wounded, bat he vaS cersain
~ strike those at whom lie almed Bis own
arrows. However, tao Germans never rem
dertd worship to she oak al the Druids did
| i'm their mysterious forests. william 10
! Vaudeville. = traveller Of th0 thirteenth
rontHry. giyes description of the dry
}. f...- fn.4L4 ~.
lot fsr from the grave Of Lot, and has
been there since the beginning OF tho
world, sud Until IA. death Of Christ was
covered with green leaves. The moment
! Jesus frtatled His Lass all is leaves fell
and is trunk aud brsuche. yithered with
out the tree Itself dying.
De Vaudeville states Shat some piophe-
sies s.ys prince OF the Uod shall win The
| land OF promise by The aid OF 1he Cnrs,
| tians, and thers will Dc mass performed
urdcr the dry t;es. and then ihe lres will
| become green again and bear leaves. by
this miracle many Jews aud many Ssracens
will ~ converted to the CHRISTIAN faith.
Por Til. reason ths tre0 is held in greas
yerora.ion and carefully and aesstionatsly
tended. III. people OF tbs middls sges
| believed is only necessary 70 have piece
| der 10 be saved nom all .hs maIadiss that
| aff1ct the human race.
But even ,mong Christians and enlight-
eued psopls Of The modern day there are
some tres. and plants that AWAKEN emo
| tions Of reverence. Who, for instance,
can gaze unsoved upon the lonely cetsrs
OF Lebanon, tbs sol. remaining witnesses
| OF biblical dave and Incidents! OF shsss
but thirty were lsii in she year 1850
lweniy-four IL 1880, .weniy-ivo in 1850,
sixteen in l10O, aud only seven 10
1900. The weeping.villov and som
| bsr yow are ineradicably associated with
the scenery Of The shursa-yard, ana quite
10 naturally, although through habit mere
ly. do We conuest the lsurel snd tbs vine
! wreath with Thoughts OF triumph and les
! hviiy. Religion in all ages and all cIlnes,
has found powerful a1illariss and exqul'
sits symbols in the garden and the grove.
"A Partisan humorist says the latest fasaion "a
trousers 8 to melt dude and pour him 10 hot"