The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-07-19
FOLKLORE OF TREES.
Plant and Tree Worship in EurOpea
Countries.

1
was a widespread belief ia the person
| atty of plants, and SuperstitiouS fear
of these spirit-haunted trees. The
| Objibways believed that the trees had
| souls, and even fancied they could hear
| their wailings when mutilated, and the
| same idea is often met with in the
| mythology of Greece and Rome. In an
| old Swedish legend we are told that a
| juniper tree said to the woodman
about to fell it: Friend, do not hew
me-" and when this command was dis
| Regarded, blood flowed from the wound
| made by the AK. According to Grimm
| modern folklore still tells us that
when the alder feels the woodman's
| AK it bleeds, weeps and dies"
In ancient Germany the elder tree
| was held in great esteem, as it was
| thought to be the home of the Mother
| of the Elves" A belief akin to this is
to be found in English folklore, where
| the oak was thought to be the home of
| wood spirits, and holes in the trees
| were the doors where they went in and
| out. 1t was considered an act of sacri.
| lege to mutilate or cut down one OF
| these trees. In India the people point
| out the holes in oak. trees as the spir
| it's pathway. The Westphalian peas
ants also believed in these tree spirits
and whenever any member of the fam,
| lily died We're accustomed to announce
! the death of the nearest oak. They
| have also a curious belief that When
the Wandering Jew shall find tive
oaks growing in the form of a cross he
| may rest.
| Traces of plant and tree worship may
| still be found in some parts of Europe
and many of the old beliefs have
| crossed the sea and come down to ou1
own times. An old woman once showed
me twig of mountain ash that She al.
ways carried in her pocket to keep off
| the witches" | did not then know
that our mountain ash is but another
name for the poets Rowan tree, nor
the popular belief that ''Witches have
no power where there is Rowan-tree
wood" There is an Aryan tradition
that this tree sprang from the light.
ming, and hence its mystic properties
In some parts of England this tree is
planted near dwellings to protect from
witches and the EVIL eye" For the
same reason an ash twig is used to
drive cattle, and in Scandinavia tho
branches are put over the stable door
to protect the cattle from the same
baleful influence.
| Among some sailors there is belief
| that if Rowan-tree wood is used about
ship it will surely sink unless the
| evil spell is counteracted by having
| juniper on board. On the other hand
there is an Icelandic superstition that
| if the two woods are in the same house
! it will burn down. The Rowan-tree is
not the only one feared by witches. In
some parts of England it is though:
| that branches of the plum tree nailed
above the doors will insure the safety
of the inmates, and in India an olive
branch which has been blessed is used
| for the same purpose.
Trees play an important part in the
! Biblical folklore of plants. and one
writer on this subject says; The cross
= of our blessed Lord may be said to
fling its shadow over the whole vege-
table world" 1t has long been dis
puted question as to what tree shall be
ascribed the doubtful honor of furnish
| ing wood for the cross. Sir j ohm Mande-
vile says it was made of cedar cypress,
palm and olive, while Bede gives us
pine and box in place of the two latter.
/ The gipsies think it was of ash, and
very general superstition is, that it was
made from the aspen, whose leaves
have since that time trembled with
shame and sorrow. Others say it was
made from the fig tree that the Saviour
cursed. There is also legend that
cedar was cut by solomon and buried
in the pool of Bethesda. This was
| found floating in the water and taken
| by the Jews to form the cross.
! Among Biblical folk tales we have
one that tells us that the elder was the
tree on which Judas in despair hanged
himself, and for this reason it is be-
lieved to have a special attraction for
suicides. In Swabia, Christ's crown is
said to have been made from black
thorn, and Swedish legend says that
the dwarf birch furnished the rod with
which he was scourged.
During the fight into Egypt the pine
protected the Holy Family from Herods
soldiers, a hazel from the lightning
and a juniper gave them shelter, Popu
lar belief makes the wild carob the tree
on which John the Baptist fed when
his meat was locusts and wild honey"
| The pomegranate was long reverenced
among the Persians and Jews as the
tree bearing the forbidden fruit given
| by Eve to Adam, and there is also ira
dition that after the expulsion from
Egypt they clothed themselves in the
leaves of the banyan tree. One might
study these legends indefinitely, for in
the whole vegetable kingdom there is
scarce tree that has not some super
stition attached thereto. journal of
| Education.
On the smoker.
Although she had evidently tried hard
to conceal the fact, she was really Il
woman. From the tip of her square
| toed boot to the brim of her sailor hat
she was about as mannish in point of
dress as the law allows. Her costume
was certainly close to the line where
propriety stops and disguise begins.
| When the car sw ung around the corner
| she got in the smoker. She didn't
mind smoke not much-besides it was