The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-13
This life is most jolly

Tho hanging VI, OF tho mistletoc isIons
Of the most ancient Of all Gus toms. With Il
the Druids the oak was a sacred tree,
and It's mist 3to> was doubly so. At tina
period OF the winter solstIce a great fes-f
tival Was celebrated. and the mystic par
asite gathered with pomp and ceremonial,
The ancient blltons CALLED forth. accom-.
panied by their priests, the Druids. This
Arch Druid, roled In white, climbed tho
sacred tree. and With q golden knife cut '
the misuctoe. which fell, untouched. into :
the folds Of the white robes OF the at
tendnnt prieGts. Each household received
a spray OF the cacred plant to hang over
the entrance OF the dwellings,, whereby all
evil spirits were exercised. and no III
luck could enter the home thus protected.
The evergreen custom OF kissing un-
der the mistlctoe owes Its origin to a
legend Of Scandinavian mythology Bal
dur. or Blades. the white GOD. was the
purest Of tho sons Of Odin, the mighty
god OF the Scandinavian forcfathers. and.
was In consequence. much beloved by
men, Els face shone and his pure brow
was all that was gentle and good so
great was her virtue that she was granted
intercourse viii. both worlds. Baldur had
a twin brother who was born blind. Phys
iically this Is suggestive that light and
darkness are inseparably allied and mor-
ally that evil lie the pervcrsion Of all
good; hence the saying, "All evil is born
blind"
AS much IS Baldur was beloved by the
AesIr, or twelve gods, Holder. who was
ever causing dissention. was hated,
Now Baldur had sworn foe, Lok the
evil genius Of Valhalla, who resolved to
kill him. But Baldur was tnvulnerable
to everything that springs from air,
earth, fire and water" II had been pre-
5dctcd at his rrth that he would die
BY, q mortal, unless all created objects y
should solcmnly swear not to injure him..
Tho faithful and devoted Mamma, by her
beauty and goodness, persuaded all trees
and flowers, stones and metals, earth and
water, fire anl air." to give the required
pledge. But tho ,evll-mlnded Lokf, dis
gused as a while crow, sat on tho branch
OF an oak and hid the mistletoe plant.
which, being parasite. was not Included
In the oath Of the oak tree. AS a pun,
3Ishment ever since the crow has been
black. I.oki made an arrow Of tho mis-
tletoe. which glowing OH the oak, could
four clements then. Disgusting himself
as an old woman, Ee presented It to
Mama, Now the gods frequently In
Obliged In g sport, during the progress Of
which each shot at the supposedly invul-
holly tree. FTode1 saw his chance. He
craftlly secured the mistletoe arrow. and
aimed it at his brothers heart. Odins
war bird, the cock, flew to intercept 1t.
but In vain. Haldur the beautiful and
tho beloved, was slain The drops of
blood from his wounds falling upon the
holly leaves became the red berries,
which add SO much to the beauty Of the
plant, Great, indeed, was the lamenta-
tlon when IIGla, the goddess Of tho
under world, came to claim Bnldur; but
the devoted Mama, by her eloquent
pleading, secured a promise from, Hela
that II all created things would mourn
for the death Of Bnldur then Mamma
could keep his body, Again the faith-
full wife made her journey, and rested
not until she had exacted from hearts
of men, ANIMALS, treos, stones, Seas,
streams, hills, meadows, metals, flowers
tho promise to weep for Baldur. From
the mstletue che gathered their pearly
are the little white berries
YOU SEQ, Th.reupon odln mercifully de,
freed that Ba'dul should dwell half the
year In Hela's domains, and half the year
In Valhalln, Ihe cock, because OF his
effort to save Baldurs llfo, was appointed
his attendant; no heralds his approach
and awakens the keepers Of the four
gates OF the universe, The fatal mlstlc,
toe was aft,r this. conAded to the keep7
Ing OF the goddess OF love, and whoever
passes Beneath 1t receives kiss from
her lips, to shcw that the plant Is no
longer the empleH OF death, but OF love
The fatal arrow? Perhaps that was
into Cup!d's Dart.