Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-12
HISTORY AND MEANING
OF M|STLETOE BOUGH
Do You Know Why 1t Is Hung Up
in House at Every Christ
maStime?
CUSTOM ALMOST WORLD OLD
1t Has Como Down to Us From
Time When Men Worshiped Trees.
Boughs Believed by Savages to Be
Visible Soul OF Forest Nonnrchs.


Visible Soul of Forest 8fonnrchs.
Have you ever asked how 1t Is that
we hang up mistletce in our house at
Christmas? Because the Druids used
to do so. you may tell me- but then we
come to the question why they did.
Perhaps you may tell me again that
their reason was that they believed
the bright god, Baldur, had been killed
by dart of nistletoc. do not think
that was the real reason. l think that
StoTy-and Il very pretty story it is
was made up TO explain the custom
when the true season had been forgtc-
ten.
1 believe that the custom of hanging
up bough of mistletoe is one OF the
very oldest customs in the world, and
has come down to us from the time
when men worshipcd trees. 1t seems
to You a very strange thing that men
should do that, but if you will think a.
little. you may see that it was not very
strange after all. Imagine Il savage
man and savage means n man WHO
lives In forest) who has little know
ledge of anything outside tho forest in
which he lives. He does not even see
much Of the sun. scarcely anything Of
the stars. He knows nothing of the
cause of the change OF seasons. Tho
thero are no fruits to gather, no nests
with eggs that Il man can find to eat
few roots to be dug UP. and the ground
is hard and the light is short, and tho
darkness long. and the cold is terrible.
How is it that the bad times comesp
The first sign almost that he sees Of It
is when the leaves begin to fade and
fall Then the day shortens. and there
is less and less warmth in the sun
shine.
When the trees arc leafless and seems
ingiy dead. then come frost and snow
The savage reasons from the facts
which he sees. and he notes that when
the trees begin to die. then the day
shortens and the wind blows cold and
Keen. That seems silly to you, quite
the wrong way of putting things, but
the savage thought that all was we'll
when the trees were alive. and that
their dying brought him misery.
Knowing no more than he did. it was
even sensible. And it seemed to him to
be proved every spring that the trees
caused his comfort and the gladness
Of the world. The first sign and prom
Use OF better days was when the trees
came into leaf and life again. That
happened long before the warm. bright
weather came. and what appeared first
in order of time would be taken by
him as the cause Of what followed.
fore the sunshine came, he fancied that
they were the cause Of the frightening
of the day and the growing warmth.
SO men, some men ut least. used to
think, for they worshiped trees as the
great lords Of lie. Traces of that
| worship are to be found to-day. There
are men who would not cut down GER
| tain Kinds of trees for any reward that
might be offered them, because they
believe that very bad luck" would
happen to them If they did.
You think I am long time In com.
ing to the nIstlctoe. Have patience
for half a minute Savages believe
that every living thing has soul. In
side a man thcre Is n little man: inside
beast is n little beast. the soul OF
each When n man dies, they think
that the little man has gone out OF
the man. And savages used to think
that inside every tree was little tree,
its soul.
Now imagine savage out in the
forest in the winter The trees are
leahess. all is bare and dreaSv. Rut
he sees n green something in the dis
lance. He hastens forward to know
what It Is. And It is =. little. living
tree on n dead one. What wonder Is
this? 4 tree high un above the ground,
not touching the soil at ALL 1t IS the
only living thing IN all the dead VIII
uerncsS. W nat Cdn II ne but lhc SUN
of tree-perhaps the soul of the lord
of all the trees of tire forest: He
trembles with awe. and kneeis down
| before 1t. praying it not 10 smite him
with death for coming into it's secret
and sacred place. Then he gees to
tho men of his tribe and tells them
that he has seen tree-soul alive and
beautiful in the loneliness of the forest
depths. And after talking it over,
they think 1t will picnse the tree
spirit If they bring 1t carefully to
their camp.
Somewhat so began the custom Of
hanging up the mistletoe in our homes
in the depth OF winter. and customs
| last longer than anything else in tho
| world. And it is by finding out what
they mean that we learn how our far.
off forefathers used to think and pray.
IT is we'll TO keep up the old custom.
for it may remind us that our fore
fathers. when they were savage and
ignorant. tried to find God. It may
remind us of how Jesus tod better
things or God than our poor forefath
crs ever dreamed. After your mirth
and laughter under the mistlGtoe
bough, you may do little thinking
| about the old meaning of it.--John A.
Hamilton, in The Wonderful River.
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