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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
8
Turning
to
primitive
ideas
on
this
subject,
Mr.
Schoolcraft
mentions
an
Indian
tradition
of
a
hollow
tree,
from
the
recesses
of
which
there
issued
on
a
calm
day
a
sound
like
the
voice
of
a
spirit.
Hence
it
was
considered
to
be
the
residence
of
some
powerful
spirit,
and
was
accordingly
deemed
sacred.
Among
rude
tribes
trees
of
this
kind
are
held
sacred,
it
being
forbidden
to
cut
them.
Some
of
the
Siamese
in
the
same
way
offer
cakes
and
rice
to
the
trees
before
felling
them,
and
the
Talein
of
Burmah
will
pray
to
the
spirit
of
the
tree
before
they
begin
to
cut
the
tree
down[23].
Likewise
in
the
Australian
bush
demons
whistle
in
the
branches,
and
in
a
variety
of
other
eccentric
ways
make
their
presence
manifest--reminding
us
of
Ariel's
imprisonment:[24]
"Into
a
cloven
pine;
within
which
rift
Imprison'd,
thou
didst
painfully
remain,
A
dozen
years;
...
...
Where
thou
didst
vent
thy
groans,
As
fast
as
mill-wheels
strike."
Similarly
Miss
Emerson,
in
her
"Indian
Myths"
(1884,
p.
134),
quotes
the
story
of
"The
Two
Branches":
"One
day
there
was
a
great
noise
in
a
tree
under
which
Manabozho
was
taking
a
nap.
It
grew
louder,
and,
at
length
exasperated,
he
leaped
into
the
tree,
caught
the
two
branches
whose
war
was
the
occasion
of
the
din,
and
pulled
them
asunder.
But
with
a
spring
on
either
hand,
the
two
branches
caught
and
pinioned
Manabozho
between
them.
Three
days
the
god
remained
imprisoned,
during
which
his
outcries
and
lamentations
were
the
subject
of
derision
from
every
quarter--from
the
birds
of
the
air,
and
from
the
animals
of
the
woods
and
plains.
To
complete
his
sad
case,
the
wolves
ate
the
breakfast
he
had
left
beneath
the
tree.
At
length
a
good
bear
came
to
his
rescue
and
released
him,
when
the
god
disclosed
his
divine
intuitions,
for
he
returned
home,
and
without
delay
beat
his
two
wives."
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