LEGENDS OF FIR AND PINE TREES 185 



The celebrated Temple of Solomon was built of 

 hewn stone, lined with cedar, which was " carved 

 with knops and open flowers; all was cedar, there 

 was no stone to be seen." The Jews always regarded 

 the cedar as a sacred tree, so it was employed for 

 making their carven images. 



According to the ancient Chaldean magicians, 

 the cedar is a tree of good omen, protecting the good, 

 and overthrowing the machinations of evil spirits. 



I'he Juniper in olden times was often called a 

 cedar, and these two distinct species were much 

 confounded, although Pliny distinguishes between 

 the two. Thus Virgil is supposed to have meant 

 the cedar when he says in the '' Georgics ": 



""^ But learn to burn 



Within your sheltering rooms 

 Sweet juniper." 



The juniper was consecrated to the Furies; the 

 smoke of its green roots was the incense which the 

 ancients deemed most acceptable to the infernal 

 gods, and they burned its berries during funerals 

 to ban malign influences. The juniper has always 

 been looked upon as a protective tree; its powerful 

 odour will puzzle the keen scent of the hounds, and 

 a hunted hare will thus find a safe retreat in the cover 

 of its branches. 



In Italy, branches of juniper are hung on Christ- 

 mas Day in churches and houses, just as universally 

 as holly is employed in England. 



There was a belief, common among the ancients, 

 that the burning of juniper wood expelled evil 

 spirits, and we find evidence of this in some parts 

 of Scotland, where it was customary during an 



