514. pFant Isoce, "begel^^/, cmGl "byrlc/". 



a blessing, that the inhabitants worshipped the mouse as a god, 

 under the name of Daikoku-sama. P'rom that day the mouse has 

 been held sacred by the Japanese poor, and its effigy is found 



suspended in many of their houses as a fetish. Among the 



Arabs, Rice is considered as a sacred food, and tradition runs that 

 it first sprang from a drop of perspiration which fell from Mahomet 

 in Paradise, Another tradition current among the Arabs is, that 

 the national dish, composed of a mixture of Rice with other ingre- 

 dients, and called Kuskussu, was revealed to Mahomet by the 



angel Gabriel; himself. The Bushmen of Central Africa have 



the following legend concerning Rice: — A pretty woman having 

 eaten a certain Bushman-rice, called "ant's-egg," became trans- 

 formed into a lioness ; but after the spell was broken by reason of 

 her little sister and her brothers also eating this particular Rice, 

 she regained her original form, and from that day detested the Bush- 

 man-rice. This beautiful woman is supposed to have been the wife 



of the star called Heart of the Dawn. In England, the Oriental 



pracSlice of employing Rice at wedding festivities has of late become 

 very general ; and it is customary for showers of Rice to be thrown 

 after the bride and bridegroom, as the happy pair quit the bride's 

 home ; this is thought to promote their success and future happi- 

 ness. According to a work on the subjedl, to dream of eating 



Rice denotes abundance of instrucSlion. 



ROCKET. — This is a name given to several different plants 

 the most noted of which are the London Rocket (Sisymbrium Irio) 

 and the Dame's, or Garden Rocket {Hesperis matronalis). The former 

 plant is said to have first appeared in the metropolis in the Spring 

 succeeding the Great Fire of London, when young Rockets were 

 seen everywhere springing up among the ruins, where they increased 

 so marvellously, that in the Summer the enormous crop crowding 

 over the surface of London created the greatest astonishment and 



wonder. The Garden Rocket [Hesperis) boasts of many other 



old-fashioned names : — Dame's Violet, Damask Violet, Queen's 

 Gilliflower, Rogue's Gilliflower, Winter Gilliflower, and Close 

 Sciences (originally Close Sciney). It is the Cassolette (smelling- 

 bottle). Julienne, and la Juliana of the French ; and the Bella Giulia 



and Giuliana of the Italians. According to Pliny, as quoted by 



Gerarde, " whosoever taketh the seed of Rocket before he be whipt, 

 shall be so hardened that he shall easily endure the paines." 

 Turner remarks that all sorts of Rockets, but especially the seed, 

 quicken nature and excite the passions ; the seed he recommends 

 as efficacious " against the bitings of the shrew-mouse and other 

 venomous beasts." Moreover, if mixed with vinegar, it is stated 



to remove freckles and pimples from the face. Rocket is held to 



be under the dominion of Mars. 



Rogation-Flower. — See Gang-Flower and Milkwort. 



Root of the Holy Ghost. — See Angelica. 



