pf'ant Tsorc, Isege^/, anil. T^qricy*. 223 



tlie Apple-trees. It is said tluit lie bouj^fht up a quantity of Barley, 

 and therewith made beer. The Devil, knowing that the Saint 

 would naturally desire to get a good sale for his beer, which he 

 had just brewed, went to him and said, that if he would sell him- 

 self to him, then he (the Devil) would go and blight the Apple-trees, 

 so that there should be no cider, and, consequently there would be 

 a far greater demand for beer. St. Dunstan, naturally wishing to 

 drive a brisk trade in his beer, accepted the offer at once ; but 

 stipulated that the trees should be blighted in three days, which 

 days fell on the 17th, i8th, and 19th of May. In the almanacs, 

 the 19th is marked as St. Dunstan's Day, and, as about this time 

 the Apple-trees are in blossom, many anxious allusions are gene- 

 rally made to St. Dunstan ; and should, as is sometimes the case, 

 a sharp frost nip the Apple-blossoms, they believe they know who 

 has been at the bottom of the mischief. There seems to be several 

 versions of this legendary superstition. According to some, on a 

 certain night in June, three powerful witches pass through the air, 

 and if they drop certain charms on the blossoming orchards, the crops 

 will be blighted. In other parts of the country, this is known as 

 ' Frankum's Night,' and the story is, that long ago, on this night, 

 one Frankum made ' a sacrifice ' in his orchard, with the object 

 of getting a specially fine crop. His spells were answered by a 

 blight ; and the night is thus regarded as most critical." 



In a Polish legend, derived doubtless from the myth of the 

 Hesperides, the hawk takes the place of the dragon. A young 

 princess, through magic, is shut up in a golden castle situated on 

 a mountain of ice: before the castle she finds an Apple-tree 

 bearing golden Apples. No one is able to come to this castle. 

 Whenever a cavalier ascends the side of the ice mountain in order 

 to release the princess, the hawk darts down and blinds his horse, 

 and both horse and rider are precipitated down the abyss. At 

 length the appointed hero arrives, slays the hawk, gathers the 

 golden Apples, and delivers the princess. 



According to a Hanoverian legend, a young girl descends to 

 the infernal regions by means of a staircase, which she discovers 

 under an Apple-tree growing at the back of the house. She sees a 

 garden, where the sun seems to shine more brightly than on earth; 

 the trees are blossoming or are loaded with fruit. The damsel fills 

 her apron with Apples, which become golden when she returns 

 to earth. 



In the popular tales of all countries, the Apple is represented 

 as the magical fruit pav excellence. The Celtic priests held the 

 Apple sacred, and in Gaelic, Norse, German, and Italian stories it 

 is constantly introduced as a mysterious and enchanted fruit. Mr. 

 Campbell, in the introdutflion to his Tales of the West Highlands, 

 points out that when the hero wishes to pass from Islay to Ireland, 

 he pulls out sixteen Apples and throws them into the sea one after 

 another, and he steps from one to the other. When the giant's 



