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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
166
Among
some
of
the
many
other
equally
wonderful
plants
may
be
mentioned
the
"stony
wood,"
which
is
thus
described
by
Gerarde:--"Being
at
Rugby,
about
such
time
as
our
fantastic
people
did
with
great
concourse
and
multitudes
repair
and
run
headlong
unto
the
sacred
wells
of
Newnam
Regis,
in
the
edge
of
Warwickshire,
as
unto
the
Waters
of
Life,
which
could
cure
all
diseases."
He
visited
these
healing-wells,
where
he,
"found
growing
over
the
same
a
fair
ash-tree,
whose
boughs
did
hang
over
the
spring
of
water,
whereof
some
that
were
seare
and
rotten,
and
some
that
of
purpose
were
broken
off,
fell
into
the
water
and
were
all
turned
into
stone.
Of
these,
boughs,
or
parts
of
the
tree,
I
brought
into
London,
which,
when
I
had
broken
into
pieces,
therein
might
be
seen
that
the
pith
and
all
the
rest
was
turned
into
stones,
still
remaining
the
same
shape
and
fashion
that
they
were
of
before
they
were
in
the
water."
Similarly,
Sir
John
Maundeville
notices
the
"Dead
Sea
fruit"--fruit
found
on
the
apple-trees
near
the
Dead
Sea.
To
quote
his
own
words:--
"There
be
full
fair
apples,
and
fair
of
colour
to
behold;
but
whoso
breaketh
them
or
cutteth
them
in
two,
he
shall
find
within
them
coals
and
cinders,
in
token
that
by
the
wrath
of
God,
the
city
and
the
land
were
burnt
and
sunken
into
hell."
Speaking
of
the
many
legendary
tales
connected
with
the
apple,
may
be
mentioned
the
golden
apples
which
Hera
received
at
her
marriage
with
Zeus,
and
placed
under
the
guardianship
of
the
dragon
Ladon,
in
the
garden
of
the
Hesperides.
The
northern
Iduna
kept
guarded
the
sacred
apples
which,
by
a
touch,
restored
the
aged
gods
to
youth;
and
according
to
Sir
J.
Maundeville,
the
apples
of
Pyban
fed
the
pigmies
with
their
smell
only.
This
reminds
us
of
the
singing
apple
in
the
fairy
romance,
which
would
persuade
by
its
smell
alone,
and
enable
the
possessor
to
write
poetry
or
prose,
and
to
display
the
most
accomplished
wit;
and
of
the
singing
tree
in
the
"Arabian
Nights,"
each
leaf
of
which
was
musical,
all
the
leaves
joining
together
in
a
delightful
harmony.
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