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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
47
Professor
Gubernatis,
referring
to
the
symbolical
nature
of
this
tradition,
remarks
that,
"this
herb
may
be
the
moon
itself,
which
opens
the
hiding-place
of
the
night,
or
the
thunderbolt,
which
opens
the
hiding-places
of
the
cloud."
According
to
the
Swiss
version
of
the
story
it
is
the
hoopoe
that
brings
the
spring-wort,
a
bird
also
endowed
with
mystic
virtues,[12]
while
in
Iceland,
Normandy,
and
ancient
Greece
it
is
an
eagle,
a
swallow,
or
an
ostrich.
Analogous
to
the
talismanic
properties
of
the
springwort
are
those
of
the
famous
luck
or
key-flower
of
German
folk-lore,
by
the
discovery
of
which
the
fortunate
possessor
effects
an
entrance
into
otherwise
inaccessible
fairy
haunts,
where
unlimited
treasures
are
offered
for
his
acceptance.
There
then,
again,
the
luck-flower
is
no
doubt
intended
to
denote
the
lightning,
which
reveals
strange
treasures,
giving
water
to
the
parched
and
thirsty
land,
and,
as
Mr.
Fiske
remarks,
"making
plain
what
is
doing
under
cover
of
darkness."[13]
The
lightning-flash,
too,
which
now
and
then,
as
a
lesson
of
warning,
instantly
strikes
dead
those
who
either
rashly
or
presumptuously
essay
to
enter
its
awe-inspiring
portals,
is
exemplified
in
another
version
of
the
same
legend.
A
shepherd,
while
leading
his
flock
over
the
Ilsentein,
pauses
to
rest,
but
immediately
the
mountain
opens
by
reason
of
the
springwort
or
luck-flower
in
the
staff
on
which
he
leans.
Within
the
cavern
a
white
lady
appears,
who
invites
him
to
accept
as
much
of
her
wealth
as
he
choses.
Thereupon
he
fills
his
pockets,
and
hastening
to
quit
her
mysterious
domains,
he
heeds
not
her
enigmatical
warning,
"Forget
not
the
best,"
the
result
being
that
as
he
passes
through
the
door
he
is
severed
in
twain
amidst
the
crashing
of
thunder.
Stories
of
this
kind,
however,
are
the
exception,
legendary
lore
generally
regarding
the
lightning
as
a
benefactor
rather
than
a
destroyer.
"The
lightning-flash,"
to
quote
Mr.
Baring-Gould's
words,
"reaches
the
barren,
dead,
and
thirsty
land;
forth
gush
the
waters
of
heaven,
and
the
parched
vegetation
bursts
once
more
into
the
vigour
of
life
restored
after
suspended
animation."
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