1 6 pPant T^ore, bege'r^b/, ooel bijcic/. 



that from the circumstance that various fruits have been occasionally 

 carried down the stream, both the Moormen and Singalese beheve 

 that this garden still exists, although now inaccessible, and that its 

 explorer would never return. Tradition, however, affirms that in 

 the centre of this Ceylon Paradise grows a large Banana-tree, the 

 fruit of which when cut transversely exhibits the figure of a man 

 crucified, and that from the huge leaves of this tree Adam and .Eve 

 made themselves coveiings. 



Certain commentators are of opinion that the Tree of Know- 

 ledge was a Fig-tree — the Ficus Indica, the Banyan, one of the 

 sacred trees of the Hindus, under the pillared shade of which the 

 god Vishnu was fabled to have been born. In this case the Fig- 

 tree is a tree of ill-omen — a tree watched originally by Satan in the 

 form of a serpent, and whose fruit gave the knowledge of evil. 

 After having tempted and caused Adam to fall by means of its 

 fruit, its leaves were gathered to cover nakedness and shame. 

 Again, the Fig was the tree which the demons selected as their 

 refuge, if one may judge from the fauni ficarii, whom St. Jerome 

 recognised in certain monsters mentioned by the prophets. The 

 Fig was the only tree accursed by Christ whilst on earth ; and the 

 wild Fig, according to tradition, was the tree upon which the 

 traitor Judas hanged himself, and from that time has always been 

 regarded as under a bane. 



The Citron is held by many to have been the forbidden fruit. 

 Gerarde tells us that this tree was originally called Pomum Assyrium, 

 but that it was known among the Italian people as Pomum Adanii ; 

 and, writes the old herbalist, " that came by the opinion of the 

 common rude people, who thinke it to be the same Apple which 

 Adam did eate of in Paradise, when he transgressed God's 

 commandment ; whereupon also the prints of the biting appeare 

 therein as they say ; but others say that this is not the Apple, but 

 that which the Arabians do call Musa or Mosa, whereof Avicen 

 maketh mention : for divers of the J ewes take this for that through 

 which by eating Adam offended." 



The Pomegranate, Orange, Corn, and Grapes have all been 

 identified as the " forbidden fruit ; " but upon what grounds it is 

 difficult to surmise. 



After their disobedience, Adam and Eve were driven out of 

 Paradise, and, according to Arabian tradition, Adam took with him 

 three things — an ear of Wheat, which is the chief of all kinds of 

 food ; Dates, which are the chief of fruits ; and the Myrtle, which 

 is the chief of sweet-scented flowers. Maimonides mentions a 

 legend, cherished by the Nabatheans, that Adam, when he reached 

 the district about Babylon, had come from India, carrying with 

 him a golden tree in blossom, a leaf that no fire would burn, two 

 leaves, each of which would cover a man, and an enormous leaf 

 plucked from a tree beneath whose branches ten thousand men 

 could find shelter. 



