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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
161
Footnotes:
1.
Introduction,
p.
12.
2.
Folkard's
"Plant
Legends,"
p.
389.
3.
See
Judith
xv.
13.
4.
"Flower-lore,"
pp.
197-8.
5.
"Plant-lore
of
Shakespeare."
6.
"Flower-lore,"
p.
168.
CHAPTER
XV.
FABULOUS
PLANTS.
The
curious
traditions
of
imaginary
plants
found
amongst
most
nations
have
partly
a
purely
mythological
origin.
Frequently,
too,
they
may
be
attributed
to
the
exaggerated
accounts
given
by
old
travellers,
who,
"influenced
by
a
desire
to
make
themselves
famous,
have
gone
so
far
as
to
pretend
that
they
saw
these
fancied
objects."
Anyhow,
from
whatever
source
sprung,
these
productions
of
ignorance
and
superstition
have
from
a
very
early
period
been
firmly
credited.
But,
like
the
accounts
given
us
of
fabulous
animals,
they
have
long
ago
been
acknowledged
as
survivals
of
popular
errors,
which
owed
their
existence
to
the
absence
of
botanical
knowledge.
We
have
elsewhere
referred
to
the
great
world
tree,
and
of
the
primitive
idea
of
a
human
descent
from
trees.
Indeed,
according
to
the
early
and
uncultured
belief
of
certain
communities,
there
were
various
kinds
of
animal-producing
trees,
accounts
of
which
are
very
curious.
Among
these
may
be
mentioned
the
vegetable
lamb,
concerning
which
olden
writers
have
given
the
most
marvellous
description.
Thus
Sir
John
Maundeville,
who
in
his
"Voyage
and
Travel"
has
recorded
many
marvellous
sights
which
either
came
under
his
notice,
or
were
reported
to
him
during
his
travels,
has
not
omitted
to
speak
of
this
remarkable
tree.
Thus,
to
quote
his
words:--"There
groweth
a
manner
of
fruit
as
though
it
were
gourdes;
and
when
they
be
ripe
men
cut
them
in
two,
and
men
find
within
a
little
beast,
in
flesh,
in
bone,
and
blood--as
though
it
were
a
little
lamb
withouten
wolle--and
men
eat
both
the
fruit
and
the
beast,
and
that
is
a
great
marvel;
of
that
fruit
I
have
eaten
although
it
were
wonderful;
but
that
I
know
well
that
God
is
marvellous
in
His
works."
Various
accounts
have
been
given
of
this
wondrous
plant,
and
in
Parkinson's
"Paradisus"
it
is
represented
as
one
of
the
plants
which
grew
in
the
Garden
of
Eden.
Its
local
name
is
the
Scythian
or
Tartarian
Lamb;
and,
as
it
grows,
it
might
at
a
short
distance
be
taken
for
an
animal
rather
than
a
vegetable
production.
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