©Y'ooeL RijmpR/. 75 



depended. The trees of the Hamadryads usually grew in some 

 secluded spot, remote from human habitations and unknown to 

 men, where 



" Much sweet grass grew higher than grew the Reed, 

 And good for slumber, and every holier herb, 

 Narcissus and the low-lying Melilote, 

 And all of goodliest lilade and bloom that springs 

 Where, hid by heavier Hyacinth. Violet buds 

 Blossom and burn, and fire of yellower flowers, 

 And light of crescent Lilies and such leaves 

 As fear the Faun's, and know the Dryad's foot." — Theocritus, 



The rustic deities, called by the Greeks Satyrs, and by the 

 Romans, Fauns, had the legs, feet, and ears of goats, and the rest 

 of the body human. These Fauns, according to the traditions of 

 the Romans, presided over vegetation, and to them the country 

 folk gave anything they had a mind to ask — bunches of Grapes, 

 ears of Wheat, and all sorts of fruit. The food of the Satyrs was 

 believed, by the early Romans, to be the root of the Orchis or 

 Satyrion ; its aphrodisiacal qualities exciting them to those 

 excesses to which they are stated to have been so strongly addicted. 



A Roinnanian legend* tells of a beauteous sylvan nymph called 

 the Daughter of the Laurel, who is evidently akin to the Dryads 

 and wood nymphs; and Mr. Ralston, in an article on 'Forest 

 and Field Myths,' + gives the following variation of the story; — 

 " There was once a childless wife who used to lament, saying, 

 * If only I had a child, were it but a Laurel berry ! ' And heaven 

 sent her a golden Laurel berry; but its value was not recognised, 

 and it was thrown away. From it sprang a Laurel-tree, which 

 gleamed with golden twigs. At it a prince, while following the 

 chase, wondered greatly ; and determining to return to it, he 

 ordered his cook to prepare a dinner for him beneath its shade. 

 He was obeyed. But during the temporary absence of the cook, 

 the tree opened, and forth came a fair maiden who strewed a 

 handful of salt over the viands, and returned into the tree, which 

 immediately closed upon her. The prince returned and scolded 

 the cook for over-salting the dinner. The cook declared his 

 innocence ; but in vain. The next day just the same occurred. 

 So on the third day the prince kept watch. The tree opened, and 

 the maiden came forth. But before she could return into the tree, 

 the prince caught hold of her and carried her off. After a time she 

 escaped from him, ran back to the tree, and called upon it to open. 

 But it remained shut. So she had to return to the prince, and after 

 a while he deserted her. It was not till after long wandering that 

 she found him again, and became his loyal consort." Mr. Ralston 

 says that in Hahn's opinion the above story is founded on the 

 Hellenic belief in Dryads ; but he himself thinks it belongs to an 



* The legend is given in Part II., under the heading " Laurel." 

 t Contemporary Review, Vol. xxxi., p. 520. 



