Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-01-26
MlsTLEToE TRADITIONS.
Time Honored Myths of the Famous Plant
Emblem of Love.

Time HonOred Myths of the Famous Plant.
Emblem OF Love.
The ancient British Druids attached
much importance TO the plar Is, trees and
vines which they employed ns Christmas
decorations for their temples The mistle-
toe especially they invested with a pecul-
iarly hallowed and mystic character.
They regarded II as in emblem Of love
and believed that IT typiled the beneaoent
feelings OF their gods toward mankind.
IL Ia doubtless % this old Druidieal asso-
citation OF the mistlotoe with love that the
English custom, which still obtains, Of
enforcing the forfeit Of n kiss from any
woman who is caught under branch OF
ID nt Christmas time 10 traoeable.
In the old Scandinavian mythology
there IL told a characteristic fable OF this
famous Christmas bOugh, tho mistletoe,
Balder, the god Of poetry aud eloquence
and the son Of Odin and Frign, one day
told his mother that dream had oonyino.
I'd him he should die by violence. 10
avert this destiny Friga invoked all the
powers of nature--earih, mir, fire, water,
nlnnts and Animals-And made them swear
tO h0T an oath that they would not harm
her son, who then fearlessiy lpok bis place
among the gods aud ln all thoir o0nbats
fought unhhnned amid shower Ut ar
rows. But he had bitter enemy la tho
person ~ a god called Ioki, who, cOnylno'
81 that Isalder's lifo was projected by some
charm, resolved W fathmn II, Disguislng
hiiB6elf ~ an old woman, he visited frlga
and in tho course ~ tllelr conversation
casually asked how " was that hcr SON
BaldeT Invariably came forth unsoathed
fraiu ail che neTorst battles ~ the Bpda
FriRa told him how sbo had ingoked tho
poseTs " natus Ia BaldeTb buhalf but
ADDED that she had neglected the miatlo'
o., which she regarded as TOO inslHnln'
can't ~ haFm llm Leaving hpr lsoki
stfaiRhtNay made from niailetoe houRh
au aTfON, Nth which baideF Was slaln
b. 9 bind god called heela
Thola u superstition eOnheeied Nlth
the uisfirf0u THAI u % uulucky ~ frll An
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% Magma nntaunisN dfs0ulHa EffHi
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