THE MISTLETOE. Ill 



superstitions be viewed probably with abhorrence ; 

 for when a complete religious revolution takes place 

 the old gods become demons and the priests usually 

 get a bad name. Paganism lingered longer among 

 the Gaels in Scotland, perhaps, than elsewhere, and 

 there at least the religious change would appear to 

 have been of gradual growth rather than by sudden 

 revolution. The Gaelic word druidh, though it has 

 lost the sense implying deep reverence which it 

 probably once conveyed, still expresses a certain 

 respect, meaning a Tvise man rather than a sorcerer. 

 Nay, there are a few proverbs still surviving that 

 refer not unkindly to the old priesthood, as Ge fagus 

 clach d'on lav, is faisge na sin cobhair Choibhi 

 (" Though near is stone to ground, nearer is the help 

 of the Arch-Druid "), and cho teoma ri CoibJii Druidh 

 ("As skilful as the Arch-Druid"). Further, in Irish 

 literature, skill and learning seem to be the leading 

 conceptions associated with the word druidh. 



The name All-heal is the one given to the mistletoe 

 in Erse (uile-iceadli), and in Gaelic (uil-ioc). The Welsh 

 word (holliach) is the equivalent of these ; bvit in 

 Wales the plant bears several other names, as uchelfa, 

 uchehvydd, uchelfel, &c. The Manx word geul, 

 Armor ic gouil, and French gui, all signify mistletoe, 

 and are evidently from the same root. In sound 

 they do not differ much from the words of Scan- 

 dinavian origin applied to the Christmas season, as 

 in the Anglo-Saxon Geol or Geohol, Icelandic Jol, 

 Swedish, Norse, and Danish Jul, Scottish and Northern 

 English Yule. Tliat this probably indicates a com- 

 mon root-origin I hope to show. 



The word Yule was the old Scottish name for the 

 winter festival, which, till the Reformation, was ob- 

 served as a great popular holiday. In former times 

 the Court of Session had its " Yule Vacance." That 

 it was a time of general festivity appears from the 

 old ballad— 



" Yule's come and Yule's gane, 

 An' we ha'e feasted weel ; 

 Sae Joek maun tae his flail again, 

 An' Jenny tae her wheel." 



