The Folk-lore of Plants

Another tribe of water-fairies are the nixes, who frequently assume the appearance of beautiful maidens. On fine sunny days they sit on the banks of rivers or lakes, or on the branches of trees, combing and arranging their golden locks: "Know you the Nixes, gay and fair? Their eyes are black, and green their hair, They lurk in sedgy shores." A fairy or water-sprite that resides in the neighbourhood of the Orkneys is popularly known as Tangie, so-called from tang,, the seaweed with which he is covered. Occasionally he makes his appearance as a little horse, and at other times as a man.[14] Then there are the wood and forest folk of Germany, spirits inhabiting the forests, who stood in friendly relation to man, but are now so disgusted with the faithless world, that they have retired from it. Hence their precept-- "Peel no tree, Relate no dream, Pipe no bread, or Bake no cumin in bread, So will God help thee in thy need." On one occasion a "forest-wife," who had just tasted a new baked-loaf, given as an offering, was heard screaming aloud: "They've baken for me cumin bread, That on this house brings great distress." The prosperity of the poor peasant was soon on the wane, and before long he was reduced to abject poverty.[15] These legends, in addition to illustrating the fairy mythology of bygone years, are additionally interesting from their connection with the plants and flowers, most of which are familiar to us from our childhood.