Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-04-10
LEGENDS OF TREES.
SUPERSTITIONS FROM ANCIENT
DAYS CONCERNING THEM.
The Oak, Holly, Mistletoe, Poplar,
Mulberry, Fig, Bay and Rose Are
Vegetable Growths that Are Rich in
Associations-old.T Time hyths.

Christmas is the only holiday identl-
fed with certain vegetable growths-
the holly, the mistletoe. and the Christ
mas tree. The veneratiOn in which these
are held goes back 10 a remote an
tiquity. There are, however, some
strange and curious legends attaching
TO other products OF the vegetable king
dom.
The oak tree is rich in associations.
having been held sacred alike by the
Hebrews. the Greeks and the Romans.
The oak under which IL is believed
Abraham stood when the angels came
announcing the birth Of Isaac was long
an object of yeneration. and was said
10 be still in existence in the time Vi
Constantine.
All the oaks In the grove of DOdOna.
IL EpirUs. We're said 10 be gifted with
prophecy. Some of The trees We're rdt
down and hewu into timber 10 bui.d
the snip Argo. one os the myths state,
that Jupiter derived his power from the
oak and he taugh, men to live upon
acorus. 30 they might become strong
and wise. and IA swear by the oak was
q most solemn and binding form.
When returning from the Internal re
gions Il i related that Hercules wore a
wreath composed Of poplar leaves. His
brow being damp with perspiration, tile
inner side of the leaves. coming i'll con-
tact with il. turned white, and the out
ersurface Of the leaves turned almost
black from smoke From this. 1t is
said. came the silver-leafed poplar.
From the Arabians comes story as
to the origin OF the yellow. for which
there appears to be some foundation in
the scriptures. David, after his mar
riage with Bathsheba, was one day
playing on his harp, when two angles
appeared and accused him of his great
sin. For forty days and nights David
shed tears Of repentance. From his
tears flowed two streams, which AN
from the chamber into the garden. and
1 from them sprang two trees, one OF
which was the willow which incessant-
ly weepS and mourns and the other the
franEincense tree, which sheds big
tears. each in remembrance of his re.
| pentanCe."
| The ancients had custom of making
presents of dried tigs and bay leaves OIL
the first of the year, for the bay tree
was considered good for the health.
There ara always TO be found some bay
leaves in the choicest packages of figs
which come from abroad.
| 1t was near a white mulberry tree
that the lovers Pyramus and Thisbe
met their tragic death; and the poor
mulberry tree, being, it is said, sprinkl-
ed with their blood, forever after bore
red fruit.
The holly is said to have come by its
red berries in a similar way. Some Of
the gods, it is said. We're diverting them
selves one day by shooting at BLADDER.
the god of mirth after placing him
against the holly. Loki. the god OF
envy, shot at him with an arrow tipped
with mistletOe. \ few drops of his
blood spurted over the holly, CON
[ sequently the berries are red, and the
grief of the mistletoe was so intense
/ tudl ever Slice utT DeTTieS nave DeeD
| like teardrops.
| Some traditions relate that the origin
al color OF the rose was white. says the
New York Times, but that one day
when the gods were feasting Cupid
with his wing upset a bowl of nectar,
which fell in a shower upon the earth.
dyeing all the roses red. Another story
tells that the goddess of flowers, upon
/ finding the dead body OF her favorite
nymph, implored the gods to assist in
changing her into a flower which
should be the queen of flowers.
I'm respnose to her request" says
this legend. "Bacchus bathed the flower
in nectar Aurora caused her dews to
fall thick upon it, refreshing its roots.
while Apollo's beams shone with invig-
Grating warmth. Flora crowned its
stem with diadem of bloom unsur-
passed for beauty. and Vertumnus
anointed 1t with perfumes from the
Vale Of Tempe"