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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
119
"For
though
the
camomile,
the
more
it
is
trodden
on,
the
faster
it
grows;
yet
youth,
the
more
it
is
wasted,
the
sooner
it
wears."
There
are
many
proverbs
associated
with
the
oak.
Referring
to
its
growth,
we
are
told
that
"The
willow
will
buy
a
horse
before
the
oak
will
pay
for
a
saddle,"
the
allusion
being,
of
course,
to
the
different
rates
at
which
trees
grow.
That
occasionally
some
trifling
event
may
have
the
most
momentous
issues
is
thus
exemplified:--
"The
smallest
axe
may
fell
the
largest
oak;"
Although,
on
the
other
hand,
it
is
said
that:--
"An
oak
is
not
felled
at
one
chop."
A
further
variation
of
the
same
idea
tells
us
how:--
"Little
strokes
fell
great
oaks,"
In
connection
with
which
may
be
quoted
the
words
of
Ovid
to
the
same
effect:--
"Quid
magis
est
durum
saxo?
Quid
mollius
unda?
Dura
taneu
molli
saxa
cavantur
aqua?"
Then,
again,
it
is
commonly
said
that:--
"Oaks
may
fall
when
seeds
brave
the
storm."
And
to
give
one
more
illustration:--
"The
greatest
oaks
have
been
little
acorns."
Similarly,
with
trees
in
general,
we
find
a
good
number
of
proverbs.
Thus
one
informs
us
that
"Wise
men
in
the
world
are
like
timber
trees
in
a
hedge,
here
and
there
one."
That
there
is
some
good
in
every
one
is
illustrated
by
this
saying--"There's
no
tree
but
bears
some
fruit."
The
familiar
proverb,
that
"The
tree
is
no
sooner
down
but
every
one
runs
for
his
hatchet,"
explains
itself,
whereas
"The
highest
tree
hath
the
greater
fall,"
which,
in
its
moral
application,
is
equally
true.
Again,
an
agricultural
precept
enjoins
the
farmer
to
"Set
trees
poor
and
they
will
grow
rich;
set
them
rich
and
they
will
grow
poor,"
that
is,
remove
them
out
of
a
more
barren
into
a
fatter
soil.
That
success
can
only
be
gained
by
toil
is
illustrated
in
this
proverb--"He
that
would
have
the
fruit
must
climb
the
tree,"
and
once
more
it
is
said
that
"He
who
plants
trees
loves
others
beside
himself."
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