The Washington times., 1894-12-23

lMCiM less demons
IG forget many of
the good old
customs of our forefathers times. Numbers OF
the mnow are only TO be met with in tales of
the eld, or fitting through the rhymes of the
poets. OF all seasons, Christmas is the only
one that is celebrated in these prosaic times
with anything like the glee and merriment
among the English-speaking people that was
considered its right and due in "ye olden
time" and of all old England's ancient
Christmas customs, that one which appears
the least likely to be forgotten is that very
popular one of kissing under the mstletoe
bough. Long may it last with all its jollity!
The myths and legends that cluster around
this curious little parasite, with its pretty
white berry are altogether numberless and
extend in their primeval antiquity almost
back to the creation itself, and are as various
as the people that have inhabited Asia and
Europe. We all know that it was held sacred
by the Druids from time immemorial. but
perhaps there may be some who do not know
that tradition tells US its virtues were first
made known in supernatural manner TO one
of the Druids some 1000 years before Christ
was born.
The story is that Ram, an ancient Druid,
lived Mt that early period in Central Asia;
that he was opposed to human sacrifice aud
was called tha ''Inspirer Of Peace" At a tine
when a severe plague was committing terrible
ravages among his people, and he saw bis ma
ton perishinS before the scourge while he
opposed the sacrifice of human life to appease
the wrath OF The Deity, he sought yainly a
means of cure. II is told us he had habit
OF meditating under large oak tree within
the depths of the forest. One evening. dis
consulate and sad, he wandered into the
sacred forest and seaied himself beneath bis.
favorite tree. pondering Tor long time upon
the misfortune5 of his race. he at last fell last
asleep
During his sleep it seemed 20 him that
powerful voice called him by his name, he
awoke and saw before him being OF Tall and
ma estic statare. clothed III the dress of the
Druids and carrying in his hand /; wand
around which a living serpent was coi:ed.
Astonished at the appearance OF this strange
, icing Ram demanded OF the stranger the
pnrpose of his visit The latter. taking him by
the hand. and raising him up. showed him
upon the same tree. at the loot of winch re
had rested, large and beautiful ubEanehTof
mistletoe. saying TO him: "0h Ram the rem
edy which thou seekest. thererit is!-h And
taking from his breast a small pruning knife
OF gold, he cut the branch and gave tito the
Druid. and finally, after explaining the method
OF preparing the mistletoe and administering
it, he departed.
Ram reyerently enveloped the mistletoe in
piece of silk which had served him as a
sash. and carried il to his cell. After re-,
! ligiously preparing 1t according to the direc-
tions which had been Indicated to him, he ap-
! preached a sufferer from the desperate lnalady
I Il
divine remedy. and saw with unspeakahle
! JOY that the lie about to be extinGuishei was
! terminated. and that death was forced to
abandon his prey and was yanquished.
All the experiments he tried met with the
| came success. IL short the fame OF his mar
yeous cure spread far and wide. People
rushed to him from all parts; the name of
! Ram was in all mouths. accompanied with
| thousands of benedictions. Iis disciples
| travelled throughout all Scythia with the
! branches of mistletoe, and were considered
| divine messengers and their master as demi-
! god.
DEDICATED TO LOVE.
| It is well worth while TO glance at what the
antiquaries have to tell US OF this mystic
plant. and ii will not be very startling to any
one who beholds the innocent looking bush
enticinglv hanging from a high chandelier
! over the center oi the room to be informed
! that even in the ancient days the little plant
was sacred 10 the goddess OF love, but per-
haps it may not lie so generally known that
| death is also very closely associated with the
/ mirth inspiring parasite.
| One of the most beautiful myths is tn At of
the Scandinavians, VINO dedicated the miste-
! toe to Freya. their goddess OF beauty and
! love- Freya united in herself the attributes
/ OF Venus and Proserpine. who was the queen
| of the dead. and ii is very curious how the
mistietoe has been ineXtricably mixed up with
! both love and death in all the stories re ating
| TO it. The story of Baldur, thesbeautful. the
| son of Freya. furnishes a striking illustration
of this
Baldur, the sun-god, as the legend goes,
| dreamed that his lie was in danger, and tins
dream was the cause of great anxiety TO his
mother, who to make sure of fate, exacted a
| promise of earth, air, fire and water, and all
things springing from them, that they would
not harm her son. This done. The Scaudina-
Wan gods met in their hall, and, placing
| Baldur in their midst, amused themselves by
casting stones. darts, lances and swords at
him as be stood. True to their oaths they
| fell from him. leaving him unhurt. Loki.
the spirit OF evil, filed with wonder and envy
at the sight, resolved to learn the secret of
Baldur's invulnerability.
He therefore changed himself into an old
woman and went to Freya, and with many
words of praise aud admiration told her how
her son bore unScathed the assaults OF all the
| deities. With his fiattery he soon worked
himself into her confidence aud she was led
| to disclose to him the secret of her sons in
vulnerabilty. To Loki's inquiry if all things
| had made the promise to refuse to in jure
Baldur. the goddess repl ed that all things
had taken the oath, save the mistletoe, which
was too feeble to hurt even il it would Loki
then hurried away from Freya. resumed his
own shape and plucking up the mistletoe by
its roots, for it then grew upon the ground
fashioned 1t into an arrow as he fastened to
the hall of the gods On re. e.oining the as
sembly he found the gods still at their sport
but looking around he spied blind Holder (the
god of fate) standing silently apart from al
amusement he could not share. Loki en-.
treated him to do honor to Freya's offspring
placed the arrow in his hand and guided his
arm. 1t flew with fatal accuracy, and strik-
Ing the unhappy Baldur in the eye stretched
him dead before the startled multitude
ALI nature mourned so bitterly the death
OF the sun-god that Hela agreed to restore
him to life if it was shown that everything g
lamented. Then every creature wept, and
the trees even dropped their leaves in token
OF their grief. Loki alone stood fearless. II
holy rage the assembled gods rushed upon
the cause of the worlds sorrow, bore him to
to the bottomless pit and chained him fast
At this unexpected resu It of bis wicked worl
Loki shed tears copiously, and Relas copdi
tions being thus fulfilled, Baldur returned Il
life.
FAMOUS IN POETRY.
This myth, of course, represents th'
tragedy of the solar year in those far Northern
countries where the sun is overwhelmed BY