Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-02-03
GOLDEN MTSTLET0E.
THE WONDERFUL TREE IN A BEAU
TIFuL GROVE.

A<8HGN ANU AA1lH A4AAAAA a As= r s=-As
man and Greek Mythology.
Und grun dos I.ebens eoldner Baum.
Faust.
The sacred books Of the Baddhists
prove that in the early days Of thor
religion a question which deeply agi-
tated the minds Of the learned was
whether or not the trees he'd souls, says
writer ia the philadelphia Ledger
The controversy ragged strongly for the
belief was widespread that IN in1urng
or mutilating q tree proportionate pain
was inflicted on its spirit nature.
The same idea ereeps ont again and
again in Greek and Roman mythology,
and tho folklore of every country aud
people in Europe is full of it, and at
such Seasons as Christmas these primi-
tive customs are actually praotieed.
The numerous German and English
songs and offerings to the apple trees
are still heard and seen on every Christ
mas Ovid IN hia Metamorphoses' tells
the beautiful story Of Erisiothon's inn
pioGs attack on tho grove of Ceres and
how tho Greek dryads and hamadryads
had their lives linked to a tree, and as
this withers and dies they themselves
fall away and eease to ba. Any injury
to bough or twig Is felt as % wound, and
a wholesale hewing down puts an end
10 them at once. a cry Of anguish es-
oapes thom when The cruel OK comes
near
u was this established belief that
a--ffS ff4tos 80.
foud through tho ear REBOUNDS the woodrnan' .
When, ip a''a' voice breaiDa from tho grooming
Spare, epose ny life. trembling virgin sparoi
Oh, tieten 60 tnp lla{nadryad' q pfayeft
No longer lot thaS fearful ak rYe9und
Tsh a sax s pafiah from yoG ar bio%a nova
Accepting, then, this prevalent faith
ia The actual life and soul Of the trees
womnst pass ON to tho subjects ON hand
--fbe golden bough or mietle5oe--the
classic gloomy vale and its locaitty,
wherein the legend OF Bladder tho Beau
tifui and his death by tho mtstleboe
shaft are In toueh with the ancient doc
tripes Of tree worship.
Il Is often stated that Virgil gave this
narno Of tho golden bough 20 The mistle-
boe, whereae he only compares 10 with
the noistlesoe.
m slne sixth book az Che ''4A1neid1 he
Sel1B 81 how two doves. guiding Nneas
70 She sioosny vaIe, In whose depth grew
tho golden Dough, aflsheed upon tree
whence ahone g Pickering CLEAN OF
gu3d. As IN the woods Ia winter cold.
tho h1fss1etoe---sa passlS NOT native to its
taeo-ls green wtth fresh leaves and
tyg1res fts yellow berries abuns the
botes. Such goorsod upon the shady oak
she ieafy eoidy 60 ruabled IN tho gentle
b4eoxe tho aoatlsn teeG " Virgil does nos
rag a n she nsaeslntoe, and yet what
chef It's sdensfifnasfon ia perfect.
Tho poes tocatea tho gloomy vale In
taa nelshhurirJo6 a Lake Avernus, but
ftaiian Szegfisioa. a. recorded by Servi-
~. poi1fSs 10 Efro grove Of Nemi, Aricia.
Mosv tho storg Of this Arieian grove IA
embodied IN heoouiny's liness
sqgs5il glsg, ggg, isF e t taas aloep@
5Rosa tross fn whose dim shadow
Tho chastity prieg6 doth reign,
Egr4 bvte7s who slew tho slayer
lind khsn ht1nSoh be slain.
u days Of antiquity Ia this beautiful
gEoge grew wonderful tree, round
wasch eprowling figure, sword In hand.
seemed 70 be constantly expectan6 Of an
gtbaok from Some enemy. Yet be was
tho priesb OF the grove. and, by the Or
| 4eE of his Office, he would. some day be
killed by tho claimant who wished &c
succeed him. To gain his position he
bad slain bis predecessor, and, IN course
o1 time, must himeen be slain Such Ia
o brtef context OF 6traho's version. The
branches of the tree might not DO bro
ken, except by runaway slave. This
bough gave him the right TO challenge
the priess, and, II successful, to assume
tho tito Of king Of tho wood. Tra-
dttion tells Chat this was the bough
which AEneas plucked before he Jour
ueyed to tho lower world.
IN tho familiar story from Morse
mythology Of Balder tao Beautiful we
reonn The facts that no first dreamed
and had. great forebodine Of evil, yet he
belonged neither to earth nor heaven.
FIN fellow gods anxious to protect him,
took IN oath FROM fire, air. oarth and
water stones, trees and plants, sick
nesses and poison, birds. creeping things
and four footed BEASTS that they should
not intpre Bladder.
Being thus invulnerable, the gods
amused themselves by throwing stones
and logs ab him. Then Isoki, the mis-
chief maker, discovered that east Of
Walhalla grew tho mistletoe that
seemed too young and innocent to
Bwear, Pulling Il. he placed a branch
{ IA blind Hodur hands. who threw and
struck Balder dead Then his body was
placed On his great chip Ringhor. the
funeral pyre was lit, his faithful wife.
Eanna-whose tears had fallen on the
fatal brunch and been turned into
pt5tEFiy DeETIeE-ead his Warhorse were
burned with him as the ship drifted
away toward tho northern sky edge.
How, when we recall that the sacred
sacrifloiaI fires wero Aindled periodical
". wo can read plainly and clearly the
myth OF Balder. He was tho tree spirit
the beautiful sacred oak which could
not be injured or wounded by the axes
ca weapons Of mmtals. But the oak
zuugb be cut down for the sacred fire,
and only IN its heart life-the mistletoe
.-coaId 10 be wounded When it was
.plnoked. tho mighty tree tottered and
EeIl
Ho IA Coming.
Vaa Sc tJN Zinc Ia fr,Yofrz