Part 25 (1/2)
”Old Hindu mythologies, wherein The lotus, attribute of Ganga--embling The world's great reproductive power--was held In veneration.”
We may mention here that the lotus, known also as the sacred bean of Egypt, and the rose-lily of the Nile, as far back as four thousand years ago was held in high sanct.i.ty by the Egyptian priests, still retaining its sacred character in China, j.a.pan, and Asiatic Russia.
Another famous sacred plant is the soma or moon-plant of India, the _Asclepias acida_, a climbing plant with milky juice, which Windischmann has identified with the ”tree of life which grew in paradise.” Its milk juice was said to confer immortality, the plant itself never decaying; and in a hymn in the _Rig Veda_ the soma sacrifice is thus described:--
”We've quaffed the soma bright And are immortal grown, We've entered into light And all the G.o.ds have known.
What mortal can now harm, Or foeman vex us more?
Through thee beyond alarm, Immortal G.o.d! we soar.”
Then there is the peepul or bo-tree (_Ficus religiosa_), which is held in high veneration by the followers of Buddha, in the vicinity of whose temples it is generally planted. One of these trees in Ceylon is said to be of very great antiquity, and according to Sir J. E. Tennant, ”to it kings have even dedicated their dominions in testimony of their belief that it is a branch of the identical fig-tree under which Gotama Buddha reclined when he underwent his apotheosis.”
The peepul-tree is highly venerated in Java, and by the Buddhists of Thibet is known as the bridge of safety, over which mortals pa.s.s from the sh.o.r.es of this world to those of the unseen one beyond. Occasionally confounded with this peepul is the banyan (_Ficus indica_), which is another sacred tree of the Indians. Under its shade Vishnu is said to have been born; and by the Chinese, Buddha is represented as sitting beneath its leaves to receive the homage of the G.o.d Brahma. Another sacred tree is the deodar (_Cedrus deodara_), a species of cedar, being the Devadara, or tree-G.o.d of the Shastras, which in so many of the ancient Hindu hymns is depicted as the symbol of power and majesty. [3]
The aroka, or _Saraca indica_, is said to preserve chast.i.ty, and is dedicated to Kama, the Indian G.o.d of love, while with the negroes of Senegambia the baobab-tree is an object of wors.h.i.+p. In Borneo the nipa-palm is held in veneration, and the Mexican Indians have their moriche-palm (_Mauritia flexuosa_). The _Tamarindus Indica_ is in Ceylon dedicated to Siva, the G.o.d of destruction; and in Thibet, the jambu or rose-apple is believed to be the representative of the divine amarita-tree which bears ambrosia.
The pomegranate, with its mystic origin and early sacred a.s.sociations, was long reverenced by the Persians and Jews, an old tradition having identified it as the forbidden fruit given by Eve to Adam. Again, as a sacred plant the basil has from time immemorial been held in high repute by the Hindus, having been sacred to Vishnu. Indeed it is wors.h.i.+pped as a deity itself, and is invoked as the G.o.ddess Tulasi for the protection of the human frame. It is further said that ”the heart of Vishnu, the husband of the Tulasi, is agitated and tormented whenever the least sprig is broken of a plant of Tulasi, his wife.”
Among further flowers holding a sacred character may be mentioned the henna, the Egyptian privet (_Lawsonia alba_), the flower of paradise, which was p.r.o.nounced by Mahomet as ”chief of the flowers of this world and the next,” the wormwood having been dedicated to the G.o.ddess Iris.
By the aborigines of the Canary Islands, the dragon-tree (_Dracoena draco_) of Orotava was an object of sacred reverence; [4] and in Burmah at the present day the eugenia is held sacred. [5]
It has been remarked that the life of Christ may be said to fling its shadow over the whole vegetable world. [6] ”From this time the trees and the flowers which had been a.s.sociated with heathen rites and deities, began to be connected with holier names, and not unfrequently with the events of the crucifixion itself.”
Thus, upon the Virgin Mary a wealth of flowers was lavished, all white ones, having been ”considered typical of her purity and holiness, and consecrated to her festivals.” [7] Indeed, not only, ”were the finer flowers wrested from the cla.s.sic Juno and Diana, and from the Freyja and Bertha of northern lands given to her, but lovely buds of every hue were laid upon her shrines.” [8] One species, for instance, of the maiden-hair fern, known also as ”Our Lady's hair,” is designated in Iceland ”Freyja's hair,” and the rose, often styled ”Frau rose,” or ”Mother rose,” the favourite flower of Hulda, was transferred to the Virgin. On the other hand, many plants bearing the name of Our Lady, were, writes Mr. Folkard, in Puritan times, ”replaced by the name of Venus, thus recurring to the ancient nomenclature; 'Our Lady's comb'
becoming 'Venus's comb.'” But the two flowers which were specially connected with the Virgin were the lily and the rose. Accordingly, in Italian art, a vase of lilies stands by the Virgin's side, with three flowers crowning three green stems. The flower is generally the large white lily of our gardens, ”the pure white petals signifying her spotless body, and the golden anthers within typifying her soul sparkling with divine light.” [9]
The rose, both red and white, appears at an early period as an emblem of the Virgin, ”and was specially so recognised by St. Dominic when he inst.i.tuted the devotion of the rosary, with direct reference to her.” [10] Among other flowers connected with the Virgin Mary may be mentioned the flowering-rod, according to which Joseph was chosen for her husband, because his rod budded into flower, and a dove settled upon the top of it. In Tuscany a similar legend is attached to the oleander, and elsewhere the white campanula has been known as the ”little staff of St. Joseph,” while a German name for the white double daffodill is ”Joseph's staff.”
Then there is ”Our Lady's bed-straw,” which filled the manger on which the infant Jesus was laid; while of the plant said to have formed the Virgin's bed may be mentioned the thyme, woodroof, and groundsel. The white-spotted green leaves of ”Our Lady's thistle” were caused by some drops of her milk falling upon them, and in Ches.h.i.+re we find the same idea connected with the pulmonaria or ”lady's milk sile,” the word ”sile” being a provincialism for ”soil,” or ”stain.” A German tradition makes the common fern (_Polypodium vulgare_) to have sprung from the Virgin's milk.
Numerous flowers have been identified with her dress, such as the marigold, termed by Shakespeare ”Mary-bud,” which she wore in her bosom.
The cuckoo-flower of our meadows is ”Our Lady's smock,” which Shakespeare refers to in those charming lines in ”Love's Labour's Lost,” where:--
”When daisies pied and violets blue, And lady's smocks all silver white, And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue Do paint the meadows with delight, The cuckoo then on every tree Mocks married men, for thus sings he, Cuckoo.”
And one of the finest of our orchids is ”Our Lady's slipper.” The ribbon gra.s.s is ”Our Lady's garters,” and the dodder supplies her ”laces.” In the same way many flowers have been a.s.sociated with the Virgin herself.
Thus, there is ”Our Lady's tresses,” and a popular name for the maiden-hair fern and quaking-gra.s.s is ”Virgin's hair.” The lilies of the valley are her tears, and a German nickname for the lungwort is ”Our Lady's milk-wort.” The _Anthlyllis vulneraria_ is ”Our Lady's fingers,”
and the kidney-wort has been designated ”lady's navel.” Certain orchids, from the peculiar form of their hand-shaped roots, have been popularly termed ”Our Lady's hands,” a name given in France to the dead-nettle.
Of the many other plants dedicated to the Virgin may be mentioned the snowdrop, popularly known as the ”fair maid of February,” opening its floweret at the time of Candlemas. According to an old monkish tradition it blooms at this time, in memory of the Virgin having taken the child Jesus to the temple, and there presented her offering. A further reason for the snowdrop's a.s.sociation with the Virgin originated in the custom of removing her image from the altar on the day of the Purification, and strewing over the vacant place with these emblems of purity. The bleeding nun (_Cyclamen europoeum_) was consecrated to the Virgin, and in France the spearmint is termed ”Our Lady's mint.” In Germany the costmary (_Costaminta vulgaris_) is ”Our Lady's balsam,” the white-flowered wormwood the ”smock of our Lady,” and in olden days the iris or fleur-de-lis was held peculiarly sacred.
The little pink is ”lady's cus.h.i.+on,” and the campanula is her looking-gla.s.s. Then there is ”Our Lady's comb,” with its long, fragile seed-vessels resembling the teeth of a comb, while the cowslip is ”Our Lady's bunch of keys.” In France, the digitalis supplies her with gloves, and in days gone by the _Convallaria polygonatum_ was the ”Lady's seal.” According to some old writers, the black briony went by this name, and Hare gives this explanation:--”'Our Lady's seal'
(_Sigillum marioe_) is among the names of the black briony, owing to the great efficacy of its roots when spread in a plaster and applied as it were to heal up a scar or bruise.” Formerly a species of primula was known as ”lady's candlestick,” and a Wilts.h.i.+re nickname for the common convolvulus is ”lady's nightcap,” Canterbury bells in some places supplying this need. The harebell is ”lady's thimble,” and the plant which affords her a mantle is the _Alchemilla vulgaris_, with its grey-green leaf covered with a soft silky hair. This is the Maria Stakker of Iceland, which when placed under the pillow produces sleep.
Once more, the strawberry is one of the fruits that has been dedicated to her; and a species of nut, popularly known as the molluka bean, is in many parts called the ”Virgin Mary's nut.” The cherry-tree, too, has long been consecrated to the Virgin from the following tradition:-- Being desirous one day of refres.h.i.+ng herself with some cherries which she saw hanging upon a tree, she requested Joseph to gather some for her. But he hesitated, and mockingly said, ”Let the father of thy child present them to you.” But these words had been no sooner uttered than the branch of the cherry-tree inclined itself of its own accord to the Virgin's hand. There are many other plants a.s.sociated in one way or another with the Virgin, but the instances already given are representative of this wide subject. In connection, too, with her various festivals, we find numerous plants; and as the author of ”Flower-lore” remarks, ”to the Madonna were a.s.signed the white iris, blossoming almond-tree, narcissus, and white lily, all appropriate to the Annunciation.” The flowers appropriate to the ”Visitation of Our Lady” were, in addition to the lily, roses red and white, while to the ”Feast of a.s.sumption” is a.s.signed the ”Virgin's bower,” ”worthy to be so called,” writes Gerarde, ”by reason of the goodly shadow which the branches make with their thick bus.h.i.+ng and climbing, as also for the beauty of the flowers, and the pleasant scent and savour of the same.”
Many plants have been a.s.sociated with St. John the Baptist, from his having been the forerunner of Christ. Thus, the common plant which bears his name, St. John's wort, is marked with blood-like spots, known as the ”blood of St. John,” making their appearance on the day he was beheaded.
The scarlet lychnis, popularly nicknamed the ”great candlestick,” was commonly said to be lighted up for his day. The carob tree has been designated ”St. John's bread,” from a tradition that it supplied him with food in the wilderness; and currants, from beginning to ripen at this time, have been nicknamed ”berries of St. John.” The artemisia was in Germany ”St. John's girdle,” and in Sicily was applied to his beard.
In connection with Christ's birth it may be noted that the early painters represent the Angel Gabriel with either a sceptre or spray of the olive tree, while in the later period of Italian art he has in his hand a branch of white lilies.[11] The star which pointed out the place of His birth has long been immortalised by the _Ornithogalum umbellatum_, or Star of Bethlehem, which has been thought to resemble the pictures descriptive of it; in France there is a pretty legend of the rose-coloured sainfoin. When the infant Jesus was lying in the manger the plant was found among the gra.s.s and herbs which composed his bed. But suddenly it opened its pretty blossom, that it might form a wreath around His head. On this account it has been held in high repute.