The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1920-01-02

4 ginning Nobody these days
bothers much about its or
igin, 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 w1'hout at
least one bunch advantageously hung
is as much of the Christmas scheme
as the tree itself? And why is it per-
fectly proper-and quite the thing-to
kiss under the mistletOe?
Why, the mistletoe is dedicated TO
love and kissing, of course, is sign
of love among civilized nations. This
must be so, for there is perfectly
satisfactory legend in Scandinavian
mythology that tells all about 1t.
Once upon a time there was 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 ramed, 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, ana
This Loki hated Baldur bitterly. For,
in the spring, you know, the people
9Th fTOSS look
ed after, and went out to rejoice be-
cause Baldur had brought back the
glorious sun. And for this Loki hated
Raldur more and more each year, ana
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
nier than before But one morning
he awole greatly troubled; he had
dreamed of dying! What could 1t
mean-this dream of death to the god
of ioy? And the next night it came
again, and the next and the next
His father and mother were so Wor-
ried 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
tn 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 hac
been thinking and thinking, and just
as Wooden entered she gave him the
ioyfuI news that she had hit upon the
very plan to save their son. And the
nlan? 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
never to harm their Baldur
Wooden was delighted with Frigga':
rlan. So the messengers went out al
over the world and asked everything
70 promise never to harm Baldur
And ali the world seemed to think i
was fine plan, for everything gladl!
gave the promise never, never, I'evel
to hurt the ~elIOw-haired god of sun
shine.
YaS everything in all the worlC
promfsed-except just one thing. Tit
mistletoe that hung on the great Oal
outside Valhalla, the home of the gods
was feeling out of sorts when the mes
senger arrived. promise you viii
mover. never. never harm Baldur, tn
god of sunshine" said the messenger
"Why should I make such a prom
isef" asked the mistletoe.