Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-19
THE MISTLETOE BOUGH
History aud Meaning OF One of the
Oldest Customs In the
wnrlu


Have YOU ever asked how il is tina,
We hang up mistletoc in our house at
Christmas? Because the Druids used
to do so, you ma! tell me. but tircr We
come to the uuctsion why they aid.
Perhaps YOU ma! tell me again that
their reason was tina, they believed the
BRIGHT god. Baldur. had been KILLED IT,
II dart OF mistlctoc do not thinl
that was the real cason. thiuk iha,
story very pretty story It is
WAS made up 10 cXulan Ia" custom
WREN the true reason had been FORGOT
ton
believe that the custom 81 ham::iu=
up boush OF mistlctoc is one Of ia"
very Oldest customs in the world. and
has come down to us from thu time
when men worshiped trees /, seems
I" YOU very strange thing that men
should do that. hut II YOU will think (,
little. YOU may sec that il was not very
strange after all. Imagine a savage
man 'and savage means a man who
lives in forcsO, who has littlc know
ledge OF anNthinr outside tho forest in
which hc lives. He does not even scc
inuch OF tho sun. scarcely anything or
the stars. lie knows nothing OF the
cause Of tho change OF seasons Tn.
winter is a. bad time for him. for then
there are nc fruits 20 gather. no nests
with eggs that man can find TO cat.
few roots TO he dug up. and tnc ground
* hard and The lrh, is short. and tho
darkness long. ana the cold IL terrible
| sioN is II that tho bad times COR IS"
, rhe first sign almost that lie sees ot il
= Then the leaves begin TO fade and
'al. Then tho day shortcns. ana there
IS loss and less warmth in tho sun
shire.
When the trees arc lctncss and seem
inciy dead then como fros, ana snow
The savage reasons from the facts
which he s"cs. and he notes that when
/ the trees begin 10 die. then the day
shortcns and tho wind blows Geld and
keen. That seems silly to YOU. quite
. the wrong way OF putting things hut
| 'hc savage thought that all was ,rcll
when tho trees were alive. and that
/ their dying brought him misery Know
ing no more than he did. II was even
sensible, And IL seemed 10 him to he
proved every spring that the trees
! caused his comfor; and the Sadness
OF the world. The FIRST sign and prom
/ is" Of better days was when the trees
came into leaf and life again That
happened long before tho warm bright
weather came and what appcarcd first
in order OF time would he taken b.
him as tho cause Of what followed
Since tho trees began 20 live acai,
before tho sunshine came he faucicd
that they were tho caus. Of the length
cniuc Of tho day and tho growing
warmth. SO mon. some men. at least
used 10 think, for thcy worshipcd trees
as tho great lords Of life Traces OF
that worship are to he found to-day.
There are men who would not cut
down certain kinds Of trees for any
reward that might he offered them
because they believe that worry bad
luck would happen to them II they
did
You think am long time in com
tuG 10 tho mistlctoc. Have patience
for half minute. SavaEcs believe that
every living thing has soul. Inside
q man there is little man. inside u
beast is a little beast. the soul OF
each When Il man dies. they think
that the little man has gone out OF
tn" man Ana savaCcs used 10 think
that inside every tree was little tree
its soul
Now imagine savae" out in rho
forest in the winter. Tho trees arc
lcaneas, all Is bare and drcary Eut
he secs a green something in tho dis
tanCc. lie hastens forward to know
what il is. And IL is g little living
tree on dead one. What wonder is
not touching the soil al all. II is the