The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-12-24

0& ginning. .SObOdy these days
bothers much about its or
lgin. for the Christmas tree is one Of
those things which, seems to explain
itself-Or not to need any explanation.
but why the mistletoe. that In SO
many homes-certainly no home where
there are young people is without ut
least one bunch advantageOusly hung
lis as much of the Christmas scheme
a. the tree itself? And why is 1t per-
fectiy proper-and quite the thing-to
Kiss under the mistletoe?
Why. the mistletoe Is dedicated to
Lore and kissing. of course, Is a sign
OF love among civilized nations. This
mist be SO. for there is a perfectly
satisfactory legend in Scandinavian
mythology that tells all about 1t.
Once upon time there was a god
named Baldur, who had charge Of the
sunshine and all the bright and beau
tiful things that sunshine helps to
make. His father and mother. Wooden
and Frigga. for whom Wednesday and
Friday are named. were very proud
Of their yellOw-haired boy; for he was
SO handsome and good natured that
everybody loved him. Everybody ?
Well. not quite. There was one dark
god named Loki. who had care Of fire
and all the terrible things it does. and
this Loki hated Baldur bitterly. For.
In the spring, you know. the people
all left the hearth fires that Loki look
ed after, and went out to rejoice be-
cause Baldur had brought back the
glorious sun. And for this Loki hated
Baldur more and more each year. and
longed to hurt him in some dreadful
way.
1t seemed. however. that Baldur
could never be injured or made miser-
able. When he grew up he married
Mamma, which means Blossom" in
English. and every day he looked hap
pier than before. But one morning
he awOke greatly troubled; he had
dreamed Of dying! What could it
mean-this dream Of death to the god
Of JOY? And the next night it came
again, and the next. and the next
His father and mother were so wor-
lied that they could not sleep. and at
length his father. Wooden, went far
down into the land Of night to talk
with the evil ones there and find out
what they intended to do to his boy.
And what do you suppose he found?
A table set for those who must come
10 the land of darkness. and one seat
was prepared for Baldur! Almost
wild with sorrow. Wooden hurried back
with the .sorrowful message to his
wife.
Meanwhile, however, Frigga had
been thinking and thinking. and lust
as Wooden entered she gave him the
joyful news that she had hit upon the
very plan to save their son. And the
pan? Well. it was this: they should
send out messengers all over the
world and ask everything-the trees.
the rocks, the mountains, the animals,
the waters, everything-to promise
lever to harm their Baldur.
Wooden was delighted with Friyga's
,,lan. So the messengers went our all
over the world and asked everything
to promise never to harm Baldur.
And all the world seemed to think II
was a fine plan. for everything gladly
gave the promise never never. never
to h the yellOw-haired god of sun.
shk
:es. everything in all the world
Isomised-except Just one thing. The
vIstletoe that hung on the great oak
outside Valhalla. the home of the gods.
vas feeling out of sorts when the mes
senger arrived. "Promise you will
never. never. never harm Baltlur, the
god Of sunshine" said the messenger.
"Why should ! make such a prom
ise?" asked the mistletOe.