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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
214
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
grass
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.
Hence
the
practice
in
Italy
of
decking
mangers
at
Christmas
time
with
moss,
sow-thistle,
cypress,
and
holly.
[12]
Near
the
city
of
On
there
was
shown
for
many
centuries
the
sacred
fig-tree,
under
which
the
Holy
Family
rested
during
their
"Flight
into
Egypt,"
and
a
Bavarian
tradition
makes
the
tree
under
which
they
found
shelter
a
hazel.
A
German
legend,
on
the
other
hand,
informs
us
that
as
they
took
their
flight
they
came
into
a
thickly-wooded
forest,
when,
on
their
approach,
all
the
trees,
with
the
exception
of
the
aspen,
paid
reverential
homage.
The
disrespectful
arrogance
of
the
aspen,
however,
did
not
escape
the
notice
of
the
Holy
Child,
who
thereupon
pronounced
a
curse
against
it,
whereupon
its
leaves
began
to
tremble,
and
have
done
so
ever
since:--
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
