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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
45
Speaking
of
the
oak,
it
may
be
noted,
that
as
sacred
to
Thor,
it
was
under
his
immediate
protection,
and
hence
it
was
considered
an
act
of
sacrilege
to
mutilate
it
in
ever
so
small
a
degree.
Indeed,
"it
was
a
law
of
the
Ostrogoths
that
anybody
might
hew
down
what
trees
he
pleased
in
the
common
wood,
except
oaks
and
hazels;
those
trees
had
peace,_
i.e._,
they
were
not
to
be
felled[9]."
That
profanity
of
this
kind
was
not
treated
with
immunity
was
formerly
fully
believed,
an
illustration
of
which
is
given
us
by
Aubrey,[10]
who
says
that,
"to
cut
oakwood
is
unfortunate.
There
was
at
Norwood
one
oak
that
had
mistletoe,
a
timber
tree,
which
was
felled
about
1657.
Some
persons
cut
this
mistletoe
for
some
apothecaries
in
London,
and
sold
them
a
quantity
for
ten
shillings
each
time,
and
left
only
one
branch
remaining
for
more
to
sprout
out.
One
fell
lame
shortly
after;
soon
after
each
of
the
others
lost
an
eye,
and
he
that
felled
the
tree,
though
warned
of
these
misfortunes
of
the
other
men,
would,
notwithstanding,
adventure
to
do
it,
and
shortly
afterwards
broke
his
leg;
as
if
the
Hamadryads
had
resolved
to
take
an
ample
revenge
for
the
injury
done
to
their
venerable
and
sacred
oak."
We
can
understand,
then,
how
the
custom
originated
of
planting
the
oak
on
the
boundaries
of
lands,
a
survival
of
which
still
remains
in
the
so-called
gospel
oaks
of
many
of
our
English
parishes.
With
Thor's
tree
thus
standing
our
forefathers
felt
a
sense
of
security
which
materially
added
to
the
peace
and
comfort
of
their
daily
life.
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