The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-12-23
A CHRISTMAS TREE

Many countries have their popular
legends claiming for them the honor
of having given the Christmas tree
to the world, says writer in Curiosi
ties of Popular Customs. Though of
no historical value, these have their an
tiquarian interest.
A Scandinavian myth of great an
tiquity speaks Of a 'service tree
sprung from the blood drenched soil
where two lovers had been killed by
violence. At certain nights in the
Christmas season mysterious lights were
seen flaming in its branches, that no
wind could extinguish.
The French have their legend as well.
In a romance of the thirteenth cen
fury the hero finds gigantic tree
whose branches are covered with burn
+ ing candles, some standing erect, the
others upside down, and on the top the
vision of child with halo around
his curly head. The knight asked the
pope for an explanation, who declared
that the tree undoubtedly represented
mankind, the child the Savior and the
candles good and bad human beings.
| Wolfram Won Eschenbach, the ia.
nous minstrel, sings Of prevailing
custom of welcoming guests with
branches ornamented with burning
candles.
One tale bestows the honor upon
martin Luther. One Christmas eve,
travelling alone over the snow covered
country, the sky with its thousands of
glittering stars, made such deep i'm
"a
ARRIVING at home he tried to explain it
to his wife and children. Suddenly
an idea suggested itself to him. He
went into the garden, vut off little
fir tree, dragged it into the nursery, put
some candles on its branches and light
ed them.
One of the most popular Of German
Iengravings represents Martin Luther
lsitting in the bosom Of his family with
la lighted Christmas tree on the table
before him.
An older German legend makes St
Winfrid the inventor Of the idea. In
the midst of crowd Of converts he
hewed down a giant oak which had
formerly been the object of their Dru
Idle worship.
"Then the sole wonder of Winfrid i
life came to pass. For as the bright
blade circles above his head and the
} fakes Of wood flew from the deepening
cash in the body of the tree, a whirl
ing wind passed over the forest. II
gripped the oak from its foundations
Backward it fell like tower, groanine
; as it split asunder in four pieces. But
just behind it, and unframed by tn,
ruin, stood young fir tree, pointing ;
, green spire toward the stars. =
"Winfrid let the axe drop and turn
ed to speak to the people.
"This little tree, young child O.
the forest, shall be your holy tree to
night. 1t is the wood of peace, for you
houses are built of the fir. 1t is tn
sign of an endless life, for the leave
are ever green. See how it points up
. ward to heaven Let this be called tn
tree of the Christ-child; gather about
not in the wild wood, but in your owl
: homes; there it will shelter no deed
of blood, but loving gifts and rites O
, Kindness
: But, myths aside, the history of TIL
, Christmas tree is difficult to trace. l
may have some remote connection wit
! the great tree Yggdrasil of Nors
: mythology. 1t may be revival Of TIL
pine tree in the Roman Saturnalia
, which were decorated with images o
! Bacchus, as described by Virgil in tn
: Georges.