[Illustration: The Garden of Eden
_from John Parkinson’s “Paradisi in Sole Paradisus Terrestris.”
1656_]
PLANT LORE,
LEGENDS, and LYRICS.
_EMBRACING THE_
Myths, Traditions, Superstitions, and
Folk-Lore of the Plant Kingdom.
_BY_
RICHARD FOLKARD, JUN.
LONDON:
Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington,
Crown Buildings, 188, Fleet Street.
1884.
[_All Rights Reserved._]
PRINTED BY R. FOLKARD AND SON,
22, DEVONSHIRE STREET, QUEEN SQUARE, BLOOMSBURY,
LONDON, W.C.
PREFACE.
Having, some few years ago, been associated in the conduct of a
journal devoted to horticulture, I amassed for literary purposes
much of the material made use of in the present volume. Upon the
discontinuance of the journal, I resolved to classify and arrange the
plant lore thus accumulated, with a view to its subsequent publication,
and I have since been enabled to enrich the collection with much
Continental and Indian lore (which I believe is quite unknown to the
great majority of English readers) from the vast store to be found in
Signor De Gubernatis’ volumes on plant tradition, a French edition of
which appeared two years ago, under the title of _La Mythologie des
Plantes_. To render the present work comprehensive and at the same
time easy of reference, I have divided the volume into two sections,
the first of which is, in point of fact, a digest of the second; and
I have endeavoured to enhance its interest by introducing some few
reproductions of curious illustrations pertaining to the subjects
treated of. Whilst preferring no claim for anything beyond the exercise
of considerable industry, I would state that great care and attention
has been paid to the revision of the work, and that as I am both author
and printer of my book, I am debarred in that dual capacity from even
palliating my mistakes by describing them as “errors of the press.” In
tendering my acknowledgments to Prof. De Gubernatis and other authors
I have consulted on the various branches of my subject, I would draw
attention to the annexed list of the principal works to which reference
is made in these pages.
RICHARD FOLKARD, Jun.
Cricklewood, _August, 1884_.
Principal Works Referred to.
_Adams, H. C._ ‘Flowers; their Moral, Language, and Poetry.’
_Albertus Magnus._ _De Mirabilibus Mundi._
_Aldrovandus._ _Ornithologia._
_Bacon, Lord._ ‘_Sylva Sylvarum_,’ and ‘Essay on Gardens.’
_Bauhin, C._ _De plantis a divis sanctisve nomen habentibus_ (1591).
_Brand, J._ ‘Popular Antiquities.’
_Bright, H. A._ ‘A Year in a Lancashire Garden.’
_Campbell, J. F._ ‘Tales of the Western Highlands.’
‘Choice Notes from _Notes and Queries_.’
_Coles, W._ ‘Adam in Eden’ (1657); and ‘The Art of Simpling’ (1656).
‘The Compleat English Gardener’ (1683).
‘The Countryman’s Recreation’ (1640).
_Croker, T. C._ ‘Fairy Legends of the South of Ireland.’
_Culpeper, N._ ‘British Herbal.’
_Cutts, Rev. E._ ‘Decoration of Churches.’
_Darwin, E._ ‘The Botanic Garden’: a Poem.
_Dasent, Sir G. W._ ‘Popular Tales from the Norse.’
_Daubeny, C._ ‘Trees and Shrubs of the Ancients.’
_Day, Rev. Lal Behari._ ‘Folk-Tales of Bengal.’
_De Gubernatis, A._ _La Mythologie des Plantes; ou les Légendes du
Règne Végétal._
_Dixon, W. G._ ‘The Land of the Morning: Japan.’
‘The Dutch Gardener’ (1703).
_Dyer, Rev. T. F._ ‘English Folk-lore.’
_Ennemoser, J._ ‘History of Magic.’
_Evelyn, J._ ‘_Sylva_: a Discourse of Forest Trees’ (1662); ‘The French
Gardener’ (1658); and ‘_Kalendarium Hortense_’ (1664).
‘The Expert Gardener’ (1640).
‘The Fairy Family.’
_Farrer, J. A._ ‘The Names of Flowers’ (In ‘Cornhill Magazine,’ Vol.
XLV.).
_Fitzherbarde, Sir Anthony._ ‘Boke of Husbandry’ (1523).
_Fleetwood, Bishop._ ‘Curiosities of Nature and Art in Husbandry and
Gardening’ (1707).
‘Flower Lore’ (M’Caw & Co., Belfast).
_Gerarde, J._ ‘The Herbal; or, General Historie of Plantes.’ Edited by
Johnson (1633).
_Grimm, J._ ‘Teutonic Mythology’ (Translated by Stallybrass.)
_Henderson, W._ ‘Folk-lore of the Northern Counties.’
_Hunt, R._ ‘Popular Romances of the West of England.’
_Ingram, J._ ‘_Flora Symbolica_.’
_Jameson, Mrs._ ‘Sacred and Legendary Art’; ‘Legends of the Monastic
Orders’; and ‘Legends of the Madonna.’
_Karr, Alphonse._ ‘A Tour Round my Garden.’
_Kelly, W. K._ ‘Curiosities of Indo-European Tradition and Folk-lore.’
_Kent, Miss._ ‘_Flora Domestica_,’ and ‘Sylvan Sketches.’
_King, R. J._ ‘Sketches and Studies.’
_Kircherus._ _De Luce et Umbra, Ars Magnetica, &c._
‘The Language of Flowers’ (Saunders and Otley).
_Liger, Louis._ ‘The Retired Gardener’ (1717).
_Loudon, J. C._ ‘Encyclopædia of Gardening.’
_Loudon, Mrs._ ‘Companion to the Flower Garden.’
_Macer Floridus._ _De Viribus Herbarum_ (1527).
_Mallet, M._ ‘Northern Antiquities.’
_Mannhardt, Prof._ _Baumkultus der Germanen_; _Germanische Mythen_; and
_Wald- und Feld-Kulte_.
_Marmier, X._ _Légendes des Plantes._
_Marshall, S._ ‘Plant Symbolism’ (In ‘Natural History Notes,’ Vol. II.).
_Martyn, Thos._ ‘Miller’s Gardener’s and Botanist’s Dictionary.’
_Matthiolus._ _De Plantis_ (1585).
_Maundevile, Sir John._ ‘Voiage and Travaile’ (Edit. 1725).
_Mentzelius, C._ _Index Nominum Plantarum Multilinguis_ (1682).
_Moore, T._ ‘Lalla Rookh.’
_Müller, Max._ ‘Selected Essays.’
_Murray, E. C. G._ ‘Songs and Legends of Roumania.’
_Newton, W._ ‘Display of Heraldry.’
_Nork._ _Mythologie der Volkssagen._
_Oldenburg, Dr. H._ ‘Buddha: his Life, Doctrine, and Order.’
_Parkinson, J._ ‘_Paradisi in Sole: Paradisus Terrestris_’ (1656).
_Paxton, Sir Joseph._ ‘Botanical Dictionary.’
_Percival, Rev. P._ ‘The Land of the Veda.’
_Phillips, J._ ‘_Flora Historical._’
_Pirie, M._ ‘Flowers, Grasses, and Shrubs.’
_Plat, Sir Hugh, Knt._ ‘The Garden of Eden’ (1600).
_Pliny._ ‘Natural History.’
_Porta, J. B._ _Phytognomica_ (1588).
_Pratt, A._ ‘Flowering Plants and Ferns of Great Britain.’
_Prior, Dr._ ‘Popular Names of British Plants.’
_Ralston, W. R._ ‘Forest and Field Myths’ (In ‘Contemporary Review,’
Vol. XXXI.).
_Rapin, R._ _De Hortorum Cultura_ (Gardiner’s trans., 1665).
_Rawlinson, Rev. G._ ‘The Religions of the Ancient World.’
_Reade, W. W._ ‘The Veil of Isis; or, the Mysteries of the Druids.’
_Rea, J._ ‘Flora, Ceres, and Pomona’ (1665).
_Rimmel, E._ ‘The Book of Perfumes.’
The ‘Royal and Imperial Dream Book.’
_Sawyer, F. E._ ‘Sussex Folk-lore and Customs.’
_Shway Yoe._ ‘The Burman: his Life and Notions.’
_Thorpe, B._ ‘Yule-tide Stories.’
_Tighe, W._ ‘The Plants’: a Poem.
_Timbs, J._ ‘Popular Errors;’ ‘Curiosities of History;’ and ‘Things Not
Generally Known.’
_Turner, Robert._ ‘_Botanologia_: The Brittish Physician; or, the
Nature and Vertues of English Plants’ (1687).
_Turner, W._ ‘The Herball.’
_Tusser, Thomas._ ‘Five Hundred Points of Husbandry’ (1562).
_White, Rev. Gilbert._ ‘Natural History of Selborne.’
_Wilkinson, Sir G._ ‘The Ancient Egyptians.’
_Zahn, J._ _Speculæ Physico-Mathematico-Historicæ_ (1696).
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
_PART THE FIRST._
INTRODUCTION xiii.
CHAPTER I.
THE WORLD-TREES OF THE ANCIENTS. -- The Scandinavian Ash --
The Hindu World-Tree -- The World-Tree of the Buddhists -- The
Iranian World-Tree -- The Assyrian Sacred Tree -- The Mother Tree
of the Greeks, Romans, and Teutons 1