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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
99
Certain
plants
produce
dreams
on
particular
occasions.
The
mugwort
and
plantain
have
long
been
associated
with
Midsummer;
and,
according
to
Thomas
Hill
in
his
"Natural
and
Artificial
Conclusions,"
a
rare
coal
is
to
be
found
under
these
plants
but
one
hour
in
the
day,
and
one
day
in
the
year.
When
Aubrey
happened
to
be
walking
behind
Montague
House
at
twelve
o'clock
on
Midsummer
day,
he
relates
how
he
saw
about
twenty-two
young
women,
most
of
them
well
dressed,
and
apparently
all
very
busy
weeding.
On
making
inquiries,
he
was
informed
that
they
were
looking
for
a
coal
under
the
root
of
a
plantain,
to
put
beneath
their
heads
that
night,
when
they
would
not
fail
to
dream
of
their
future
husbands.
But,
unfortunately
for
this
credulity,
as
an
old
author
long
ago
pointed
out,
the
coal
is
nothing
but
an
old
dead
root,
and
that
it
may
be
found
almost
any
day
and
hour
when
sought
for.
By
lovers
the
holly
has
long
been
supposed
to
have
mystic
virtues
as
a
dream-plant
when
used
on
the
eve
of
any
of
the
following
festivals:
Christmas,
New
Year's
Day,
Midsummer,
and
All
Hallowe'en.
According
to
the
mode
of
procedure
practised
in
the
northern
counties,
the
anxious
maiden,
before
retiring
to
rest,
places
three
pails
full
of
water
in
her
bedroom,
and
then
pins
to
her
night-dress
three
leaves
of
green
holly
opposite
to
her
heart,
after
which
she
goes
to
sleep.
Believing
in
the
efficacy
of
the
charm,
she
persuades
herself
that
she
will
be
roused
from
her
first
slumber
by
three
yells,
as
if
from
the
throats
of
three
bears,
succeeded
by
as
many
hoarse
laughs.
When
these
have
died
away,
the
form
of
her
future
husband
will
appear,
who
will
show
his
attachment
to
her
by
changing
the
position
of
the
water-pails,
whereas
if
he
have
no
particular
affection
he
will
disappear
without
even
touching
them.
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