pPant Isore, Tsege^/, anal "bijric/. 499 



one to represent the lad, the other tlie lass — are phicked when in 

 full bloom, and after all the blossom has been carefully removed, 

 the kemps should be wrapped in a Dock-leaf and laid under a stone. 

 If the spikes shall have again blossomed when visited the next 

 morning, the popular belief is that there will be " Aye love between 



them twae," Plantain is held by astrologers to be under the 



rule of Venus. 



PLUM. — The Japanese, once a year, hold a popular festival 



in honour of the Plum-tree. To dream of Plums is said to augur 



but little good to the dreamer : they are the forerunners of ill- 

 health, and prognosticate losses, infidelity, and sickness, and much 

 vexation in the married state. 



POLYPODIUM.— According to a German tradition, the 

 Polypodium vulgare sprang from the milk that the goddess Freyja, 

 and after her the Virgin Mary, let fall on the earth. 



POMEGRANATE.— The fruit of the Pomegranate has 

 always been highly prized in the East. Rapin says of it : — 



" Succeeding fniit attend the blossoms' fall, 

 Each represents a crown upon a ball ; 

 A thousand seeds with Tyrian scarlet dyed, 

 And ranged by nature's art in cells they hide." 



The Pomegranate was one of the plants assigned to Bacchus, and 

 the origin of the tree is said to be due to a nameless nymph, 

 beloved by Bacchus, to whom a priest had foretold that she should 

 wear a crown. Bacchus kept the letter, but not the spirit of this 

 pyophecy, for, instead of espousing the betrayed maiden, he trans- 

 formed her into a Pomegranate-tree, and twisted up the calyx of 

 the blossom into the crown-like form it has ever since retained. 

 Rapin relates the story as follows : — 



" The story's short how first this fruit obtained 

 A graceful crown, and was with purple stained. 

 A royal nymph there was of Tyrian race, 

 A Moor, indeed, but formed with every grace, 

 Her native colour knew; yet fate denied 

 Indulgence equal to her beauty's pride. 

 Filled with ambitious thoughts she pressed to know 

 What gifts the gods would on her charms btstow. 

 Ravished she heard the ambiguous priest declare 

 She should a crown and purple garments wear; 

 Fancied that hence a kingdom must arise, 

 Deceived by words and flattering prophecies. 

 For when the god of wine in triumph came, 

 Laden with Indian spoils to court the dame, 

 He soon beguiled her with a husband's name. 

 Baulked of her hopes, her virgin honour stained, 

 By favour of her god at last she gained 

 To be transformed to this imperial plant — 

 The only honour which the prophet meant," 



Oppian gives another legend as to the origin of the Pomegranate, 

 according to which, a man having lost his first wife, became en- 



2 K — 3 



