The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-11-29
SATEIy; AND FLOWERS.
DiaboEc Action of Certain Plants in
Mythology.

perSonitied power OF evil and gar
den is, Of course, familiar to all,
and the kindred Of evolved traditions
form one Of the most fascinating
studies Of comparative mythology
But it can scarcely be contended that
it is in any way due to this assocla-
tion that we find his Satanic majesty
figuring so frequently in the folk
nomenclature Of flowers and shrubs.
But such cases are by no means COM
mol: but far, the greater number OF
diabolic appellations refer to some
physical pecularity in the plant which
is either attributed 10 NJ. le DlaDie,
Or suggests its employment by OF et-
feet on that potentate. And when
we come to consider the names IN
question we realize. says the London
Globe, that it is by no means the
Miltonic devil that is referred to,
but rather the malevolent and some
times rather contemplate buffoon OF
the old miracle plays. And what IS
still more remarkable in some cases
we find plants the subjects, so to
speak, Of a joint or disputed owner
ship, one claimant to which is the de-
vii, while other is often a canonlzed
saint named in the christian calen-
dar. It is not easy for us Of the
present age to conceive the mental
phase which names. for example, a
Handicapped flower after a saint or
devil indifferently, as in the case
with one Of the orchid family, which
by some is styled "Mary'e ham" "
and by others "Satan's hand. "
There does not seem the same VOL
ence Of absurdity in the custom OF as
sociating flowers or plants with elves
or fairies az their originators or en-
ployers.
It would be impossible within rea-
sonable limits to give all tine instan-
ces Of the devil among the flowers,
but enough may be cited to show that,
as has been said, it is the grotesque,
mediaeval devil, rather than the awe
some fiend Of the ology or poetry.
The familiar scabious, owing to the
shape Of it's root, suggestive OF a
naouthful having been taken out OF
if, is called the devils bite. Ex-
plantations are by no means wanting.
The "bite" was taken in jealous
rage. because the root in question
was thought to be Of great medicinal
value, and the arch enemy naturally
begrudged mankind every fraction OF
it One of it's therapeutic uses is as
a soporife, and the atmosphere OF
his abode rendering sucn an agent
quite unnecessary the devil bit OFT
a piece in a dog-in-the-r1anger splr-
it.. Another tradition has it that
with this root the evil one was wont
to perform all sorts Of marvels till
our lady deprivedit of the power,
whereupon in impotent rage he bit IT,
Some of the devil titles doubtless
date from the time when, as Shake
speare tells us, to many plants with
a decoroue appellaticn, *liberal shep-
herds give a grosser name" and
these can be found in plenty IN old
fashioned herbals.
Some plants owe their d1aoolle
prefix to the same moral idea that
has been noticed in the case. OF the
"devil's apples'' Of the mandrake.
The berries Of the brony, Tor IN
stance, are the devils cherries, and
those of the deadly nightshade de-
vil's berries par excellence. But 1T IS
not quite easy to understand why
the pretty campioa should be the
devils bower, nor the ox-eyed daisy
his daisy; still more puzzing is 1t to
account for the garlic being ms
:'posy," when we scall to mind the
universal attribute to the garlic OF
hostility to the powers OF eT1l-es-
pecially when manifested in the vam-
pire form. But this apparent con-
tradiction is. noticeable also IL tire
case Of the mystic vervaln, which,
according to some, Is emlnently an
tivenetic, but which old gerarde tells
rs "the devil did reveal as a secret
and divine medicine. This assocla-
tion Of the vervain with dlaoollc ac-
ton reminds us that there are r'2m-
erous plants with which, S'thoush II
be not written down" in their names
tine devil is connected. The devil Is
said to exercise the stncte>t guar
"a