Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1915-04-02


bury. But sin finally appeared among
the flock and angels carried the Holy
Grail away.
In Palestine there grows a creeping
plant with long, hard thorns-the
Spina Christi-which may have fur
nished material for the crown of thorn
placed on the Savior's head. One OF
the legends says that the willow was
used for this purpose, ard that, in
sorrow for causing so much agony, it
dropped and wept, its sharp thorns
changing into soft leaves, that they
might never again cause any pain.
And ever since it has been known as
the weeping willow. other legends
relate that this change in the willow
came because its branches we're used
as a scourge upon the Savior's back.
In Germany, France and England. it
was generally believed that the crown
was made from hawthorn twigs. In
Italy the barberry, in the West Indies
the cashew tree, and elsewhere the
brier rose, a%canthus. wild hyssop and
acacia bear this stigma.
A great deal of bird lore is linked
with the stories Of the Passion. There
is a Danish legend that as Christ was
suffering on the cross three birds
came and alighted upon it. One cried,
"Styrik ham, styrik ham!" Strengthen
him, strengthen him!), and since that
time the stork has beer known as a
bird of strength and blessing. The
second, it was interpreted, cried "Sval
ham, sval hami" (Refresh him, re-
fresh him), and the swallow was like
wise thought to be a bird of blessing.
But the third cried, "Puen haml" (Tor-
ture him!), and so from that hour
the lap-wing has been accursed among
birds. The Swedish legend is the
same. with the addition of a fourth
bird, the turtle dove, which, flying
thither, cried, "Kyrie, Kyrie!" Lord.
LordD and it's voice has ever since
been limited to that single word OF
lament.
An owl, according to the Spanish,
was so dazzled by the sunlight 1t did
not perceive that it had alighted upon
the Cross. But as night came on 1t
saw, and, frightened, called, Cruz,
cruz!" (Cross, GROSSLY as 1t few away.
And from that moment the owl has
kept repeating this cry and has been
able to see only after darkness falls.
The crossbill, in an unsuccessful
effort to draw out one of the nails
which fastened the Savior to the
cross, twisted its beak and dyed its
plumage with the Martyrs blood.
Concerning the robin there is a sim.
liar tradition. expressed in verse, as
follows.
To the savior's throbblng head
She fondly strove. His blood, tbs said,
Dyed all her tender bosom red.
Since then no hand disturbs her nest,
No prowling beasts her young molest-
That sacred bird Of ruddy breast.
Some of the early Italian painters
have in the foreground of their cruel
fxlon scenes the white wood sorrel,
purple-stained, which is said to have
grown at the foot of the cross, and to
have been colored from the blood
which dropped upon it. The fact. as
Ruskin points out, that the leaf OF
this plant possessed the power OF
quenching thirst, may have been an
other reason for it's introduction into
the pictures.
One species of the orchid, which in
Cheshire Is called Gethsemane, and
whose petals are marked with dark
stains; the passion flower. symbolical
Of the crown, the scourge. the spear
and the nails; the arum, tiger lily and
scarlet anemone-all, it was believed
we're mute witnesses of the crucihx.
ion. And the white lily. emblem OF
purity. has always been connected
with the stories Of the Virgin and OF
Christ.