The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-08-02
LEGENDS OF TREES.
WHAT Is SAID OF THEM IN NEUROLOGICAL
STORY.

WHAT Is SAID OF THEM IN ASTROLOGICAL
STORY.
The tree figures in the earliest cos
mogonies. In the Garden of Eden stool
the tree of life. whose fruit would have
bestowed perpetual youth upon the first
par, and near it was the tree of knowl-
edge, fatal to them and to the destiny of
man. According to a medieval legend,
the former was transplanted to Abra-
hams garden, thousand years after the
fail OF man, and an angel came down to
tell him that Rsdeemer would be sac.
rifced after having descended from it.
i Scotch tradition assigns to the apple
tree the honor of being the tree of knowl-
edge.
Ia Morse cosmogony, the tree plays
still more important part. 1t is here
the world tree-Yggd ggdrasil-whose fol.
lage is the clouds, the stars its fruit and
the sea its bed. At its foot bubbles the
fountain of life, and from its branches
fire was brought TO man. Under it sit
the three Nornes who weave the events
of mans life. It's roots extend into the
highest heaven and into the deepest he'll.
This tree was an ash, and another leg
end says Odin created Adam from the
ash, and Eve from the elm.
Like this is the famous soma tree.
which stands on an island in the middle
of lake, guarded by fish. From it is
distilled the soma or anita, the drink of
immortality. Near it stands another
tree, called the iuviolate, bearing the
seeds of all plants and flowers. In its
branches are perched the eagles.
When one rises a thousand branches
break Of, scattering the seed over the
earth.
Like the Morse world tree, the intelli-
gent oak of Dodona had its roots in
deepest he'll, and fountain at its foot
gave forth the oracuiar sayings of
Jupiter. This evergreen oak spoke its
thoughts, even when cut down, for OF
it was the intelligent Prov of the Argos
made.
"The tree of life" was not merely a
figure of speech in ancient belief.
Many Greek and Persian families claim.
ed descent from the trees. Cadmus
sprang from q tree, the Achamenipa
claimed similar descent, and even Mars
according to one legend, was the off
spring OF tree. Pliny says there
stood before the temple Of Quirinus,
at Rome, two myrtle trees-one the
patr1cian, the other the plebian-and
that, as these orders of society grew
or diminished in importance, It's tree
tiourished or pined.
Among savage tribes the tree Is often
god. The Ojibways thought certain
trees were deities, and made offerings
to them. The Daootahs worshiped
many trees, especially medicine wood.
Carolina Indians venerated the youpon,
or wild fig tree; the Mayas recognized
divinity in trees; the Tepanecs wor-
SHIPPED them and Darwin saw @ tribe
which yenerated tree, the home of a
deity called Wallechu. They poured
Hbations through & hole bored in it,
and around it wero the bones of horses
that had been sacrificed. Indian tribes
generally worshiped trees, and some
thought that they sprang from them.
Darien tribes descended from trees,
and some of the Aztecs claimed their
origin from two trees in wooded
gorge.
As the tree was the origin fife, it was
also thought the home of souls after
life was ended. Empedocles says souls
of the highest virtue passed into trees.
The classical tale of Philemon and
Baucis assigned them a final home N
trees as q reward for charity shown
to Zeus. Another tradition says the
penitent Myrrha became q tree, and the
drops vhich fall from the bark (myrrh)
are her tears. Dante traversed leahess
wood, in the bark of every tree of
which was imprisoned q suicide, and
he spoke to PietrodeIle Vigne. The
| Greek Dryads were tabled to have their
bodies in trees. Ojihway Indians
thought trees possessed souls, and
| never cut them, some fearing to pain
them. In many places in Germany
| trees are thought to be the first abodes
| of infants.
The tree Of knowledge also occurs in
| popular lore. Ia north Germany, when
the master dies, some one must go into
| the garden and staud under tree and
say: "Master is dead" for, if the tree
| is not informed, there will be another
death. An Cjibway tale represents {
tree as whispering tale of love to g
certain maiden who dedicates herself tc
it, dies, and is often seen wandering in
the forest, According to Maori myth
| heaven and earth were once joined in ar
embrace so close that their children had
no place, to dwell. But Tanemahuta
father of trees, pushed them asundet
with his branches. These ideas concern
ing the divinity of trees led to their wor
| ship in primitive times.
In the deepest groves abide the gods
! Primitive nations inhabited the forest
and the tree was their fret shelter. Tn,
center of the early Greek as we'll as of th,
| Ieutonic dwelling was a tree, aroun(
which spread the house. Groves were
the first temples, and the Gothic churci
is but grove turned into stone. In OLE
German dialects temple and grove art
the same word. Tree worship was tht
foundation of German:c Celtic religion
| Down to the introduction of christianity
in the north, the dieties were worshipe(
| in sacred groves, and on the b0ughs o
! the trees hung the heads of sacrificed
animals. AS late as the eleventh centur,
trees were worshiped in many places
The Druids, as is well known, worshipet
AID sacrificed in groves, aud the oak wa
a sacred tree to them.-F. T. Bassett il
! Globe I1am0prat