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a ene " , eee ay Page 12 The Haileyburian Many Legends Told About Mistletoe By Arthur Nettleton In some parts of Europe, mistle- toe' is still regarded as a plant with curative properties. Country epidemics ne Bee folks believe that protection from is to be obtained by wearing a mistletoe wreath around the neck, and that mistletoe berries are the best emetic in cases of poisoning. In bygone days it was believed that powdered mistletoe leaves : were a protection against witch- : craft, provided they were placed in a pocket or pouch on the left side of the body. WAS y ME UEP EUR MR MEE RE ENE ER PUR PU UU OR EU PR PRE OE EERE RCTS UE UR RS NEI ood wishes We're hoping you have a holiday season PEVEEYEYE NEVE EVEN VE VEER VAI, SBE BeBe eae, Pr) brimming with life's joy. R >a Piomeer z BN Consultants +; pee LIMITED a ¥OS 2-3030 Haileybury i . =x: a MARA AAA: | Thursday, December 25, 1958 There's a mystery about mistle- toe. -Why has it changed its habits since the days of the Druids? Pictures of Drudical ceremonies show the plant growing on oak trees, yet, today, there are few | mistletoe oaks in Britain, and for }some obscure reason these are chiefly in Herefordshire. Nowadays, the plant grows on many other 'species of tree, partic- ularly fruit trees and wild thorn. But it can be made to grow on al- most any large forest tree as well. Sacred and Profane The cultivation of mistletoe on oak trees by the Druids is thought to have arisen from their practice of using oak wood for their sacred fires. The oak was regarded as a storehouse of fire, and in conse- quence the parasitic mistletoe was thought to contain fire in its ber- ries. The Druids considered it the most sacred plant. Mistletoe, the favorite plant of the pagan Druids, is one of the evergreens not used in Church De- coration. It has been banned for centuries. One reason is the belief that its wood formed the Cross of Christ, and the same reason is given for its-parasitic habits. Legend says that it was original- ly a fine forest tree, but that was degraded in the world of nature after its use at the Crucifixion. When Christmas Day falls on a Friday, mistletoe is considered in Scandinavia to have particularly strong magical powers, for this day of the week takes its name from Freya, who figures in an old Norse legend of the plant. ~ Freya sought to save her son Baldur from death by getting a promise from all created things that they would not harm him, but she overlooked the mistletoe plant, thinking it was too insigni- ficant to harm the youth. The Spirit of Darkness discovered Freya's oversight, and fashioned an arrow from mistletoe wood. With this he slew Baldur. Kissing under the mistletoe to- day is a link with the same legend, Freya being the Norse Goddess_of Love. Its Bird Ally fromthe: mistletoe, the bird bemg TPPRIRIA ERNE NENEHEIRIIRIEIG ISIE VELEN NEUE IEE EEE EE EE EEE ee EEE eet int TAN Q pyplrad ' Pere te ete et Otte CL eid Ce Ce LS LAS Se LSS SSS SS SSS wee Gh =o ores 2 Tee', e, Ove very best * wishes to all ~ our friends for 'a happy Holiday. HOTEL HAILEYBURY The Home of Hospitality BLENDS BAAR. eo AAA AAD eH Ea a A A NE II DI I ie aa a SE STN MBN DMA BMAD Bi Mi = largely responsible for propagation of the plant. These large thrushes feed on the berries, but dislike the seeds. To get rid of them they rub their beaks on the bark of trees, thus depositing the seeds there. Once the seed has thrust suckers or. roots through the bark, the mistletoe plant is able to take su- stenance from the sap, without 'inserting roots in the ground at all. Botanists support the legend that mistletoe has not always been a parasite, though they are unable to account with certainty for the changes Altogether there' are more than 500 plants related to mistletoe, and only about six grow from the ground. A study of these may eventually disclose the 'stages through which mistletoe has pass- ed to reach its present parastic status. iBect Symbol of Love and Peace Mistletoe was long regarded as a symbol. of peace, as well as a token of love. In distant times, enemies who met casually under a forest tree bearing the plant would not harm each other. Meeting in such circumstances was tantamount to arranging an armistice, and a truce was declar- ed for the rest of the day. The Druids were not the only people who looked upon mistletoe as sacred. The ancient Greeks in- troduced it into most of their re- ligious ceremonies, and in many countries of Northern Europe it was venerated as an adjunct of pagan rites. And Red Berries Few people know that there are red as well as white mistletoe ber- ries, because the white are the only kind seen in Britain. But red are common in Southern Spain, Morocco, and Palestine. This red- berried variety is suppressed whenever it is found in the Holy Land -- not for religious reasons, but becauee it makes its home on olive trees. -The crops of olives is severely affected, and in consequence com- mercial olive growers. detest mistletoe. Vigorous steps are tak- en to eradicate it wherever it is found in the olive. groves. The healing properties attributed to mistletoe in bygone days in- cluded a beneficial -effect on sick beasts. It was -Said that cattle would thrive throughout the cam- ing year if the first calf born after New Year's Day was given a mis- tletoe branch. The Fatal Bride A lady of middle age, who was ignored by a male friend when she stood underneath the mistletoe at a Christmas party, once took as a reflection on her character and charms. She was so -greatly in- censed that she sued him for dam- ages, claiming that his affront had made her look ridiculous before the other guests. But the jury who tried the case were unsympathetic, and they' turned down her claim for substantial cash compensation. The legend of- the Mistletoe Bough, telling of a young bride who was suffocated when she hid in an old chest during a Christmas game = P -- < Bt . oo of hide-and-seek, is associated with nearly a dozen ancestral seats in England. In Hampshire alone 'the story is told about four mansions. ~ Historians are unable to: determine whether the tale is based on fact or whether it was a pure invention of the author of the ballad, Haynes Bayly. Christmas Game Snapdragon was a_ favourite Christmas game in England more than 200 years ago, it is still play- ed in modified form in England and America. The original game called for a quantity of raisins to be deposited in a large bowl or dish. Brandy or © some spirit was poured over the fruit and ignited. The bystanders then endeavored to grasp a raisin, by plunging their hands through the flames. A carol, called "The Song of Snapdragon," accompanied the game. LIE UR IR IE ENE IE IEE NEE IIE ROE YER VUE OE UE TE EUR UE LE ERE REYNE VERE UR UE UE ME MEN EME LE VE UE VE VE DEVE VEE EYE UE UE EYE ME NEUE ERE EE UE UE UE OE ME EME EN NE UR UE NEE UE To you and yours, we extend warmest wishes for a holiday season that finds you all wreathed in happy smiles. RENAUD'S GROCERY NN No ! RHAAHAAAA ADI aaa aA 121 Georgina OS 2-3737 Nesp Be Be Dee eee Be Bee eee SIN 4 Rg oo = = = = --_% The missel-thrush gets its name +S pip isan i BRENNER PURVES EISEN 4 NEU UR HERE te tele tere te ee Ur ee TIEN TE TEC AUR III IIE IRIE EEE ANE ENTERIC IRIE PRISER HEIR IE MELE RENE NE UE NEUES UE URIS YEE UE UE UE UE UR HR MMR MES) eP customers... good wishes by the sleigh full, plus hearty thanks for your patronage throughout the year. May you ' all enjoy a Holiday rich in love, warm with friendship and _ abounding in good health, good cheer and good fellowship. Tullock and Buffam ae Funeral Directors Phone OS 2-3122 | a iviawiVia aia ieee Se En eer ne Ee en enn orien Rn rer rrr rir hr Pere ee eases rr rrr ere Pere PrP Err errr PP Pie Pee erie bbe eer eee rer Haileybury at 2