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Kaley
Hart, conservationist and researcher has surveyed Britains' heritage
of wild flowers and their special importance in folklore, magic
and ecology. Here's a report of her findings.
FLOWERS
Since earliest times flowers have been endowed with magical, supernatural
or divine properties. Flowers were seen to possess an in-dwelling
spirit or soul which determined each shape and form, way or habit
of growth, and purpose in the world in relation to human life.
Agrimony - used in Anglo Saxon times to heal wounds and was
one of the 57 herbs in the Holy Salve believed to protect one from
goblins, evil and poison.
Aloe - has been revered in Islam as a religious symbol. Pilgrims
would carry it to the Prophet's shrine and then hang it over their
own doorway at home for protection. One kind of aloe was traditionally
planted at the foot of a grave to lend patience to the dead while
they waited for resurrection.
Angelica - has an ancient history as a protective herb against
contagion, poisons and illness as well as evil spirits and witchcraft.
It became thought of in such high regard that was named 'root of
the Holy Ghost'.
Black Cohosh (cimicifuga racemosa) - tea made from the roots
was sprinkled in a room to stop evil spirits from entering.
Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus, Carduus benedictus) -
Used to protect from evil spirits and negative influences. It was
made into incense and ritual cups for use at religious ceremonies
to invoke the god Pan.
Bluebell - The blue flowers are said to ring to call fairies
to their revels at midnight and on the fairy festivals. If flowers
are picked it is said that bad luck will follow.
Centaury (Erythraea centaurium) - It was believed by the
Romans and the Gauls to have magical powers to drive away snakes.
Medieval witches used to take it to increase their psychic powers
and to take them into trance-like states. It was also considered
to protect against evil.
Clover - Four-leaved clover was said to protect against fairy
enchantment. A magic ointment that made faeries visible was said
to be made from 4-leafed clover. A folktale from 'Popular Romances
of the West of England' tells how a milkmaid discovered this:
'There was a most beautiful cow called Daisy in a farm at West Buriens,
who was in milk for long seasons with a splendid quality of milk,
but she never let down more than two gallons, then she would prick
her ears forward, give a soft low and hold back her milk. One evening
a milkmaid was milking the cows in the meadow when this happened.
She put a pad of grass on her head to soften the weight of the pail,
picked up the pail and started for home. As she crossed the stile
she glanced back at Daisy and saw that she was surrounded by fairies,
who swarmed over her with little pipkins [pots] in their hands.
They patted and stroked her, and Daisy was clearly delighted with
their company. One rather bigger than the rest, whom she recognized
as a pixy by his impudent grin, was lying on his back with his feet
in the air, and the others took turns in standing on them to milk
the cow. The milkmaid discovered that she had included a four-leafed
clover in her grass pad that had made the fairies visible.'
Cowslip (Primula veris) - another name for cowslip is fairycup,
as fairies are supposed to like nestling in the drooping bell of
cowslip flowers. They are also supposed to reveal fairy gold buried
nearby. Shakespeare referred to the cowslip in a number of plays.
Ariel, the fairy in The Tempest was often to be found lying in a
cowslip's bell (V.1.88):
* 'Where the bee sucks, there suck I. In a cowslip's bell I lie.
There I couch when owl's do cry. On the bat's back I do fly after
summer merrily'
* And in a Midsummer Night's Dream (II.i.10): 'The cowslips tall
her pensioners be; In their gold coats spots you see; Those be rubies,
fairy favours, In those freckles live their savours. I must go seek
some dewdrops here; And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.
Daisy (Bellis Perennis) - There used to be a belief that
dressing children in daisy chains protected them from being stolen
by fairies.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - There is a legend that
tells of how the dandelion first appeared on the earth. In ancient
days when the world was populated by fairies, elves and gnomes,
the first humans to arrive caused problems as they could not see
these beings and so kept treading on them. Some of the sun-loving
fairies dressed in bright yellow gowns had nowhere to hide, unlike
the gnomes and elves who took refuge behind rocks or under the ground,
so they were transformed into dandelions. If you step on a dandelion
it will soon spring up again, as it is said to contain the spirit
of the fairies. Dandelion clocks are said to transport fairies,
and in return for sending a fairy on its way you may have a wish.
MORE
ON PAGE 2 >
©2002 copyright Fairyland trust
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