pPant T2>ore, TscgeT^&r, anal laijnc/". 577 



Jemshid. A woman who wished to poison herself drank some 

 wine, thinking that it was poison ; but she only fell into a profound 

 sleep, and thus the Persians learnt in Jenishid's reign the use of 

 the juice of the Grape. Olearius, in 1637, heard in Persia the 

 following legend : — To console the poor and unhappy, God sent on 

 earth the angels Aroth and Maroth, with the injunctions not to kill 

 anyone, not to do any injustice, and not to drink any wine. A 

 beautiful woman, who had quarrelled with her husband, appealed 

 for justice to the two angels, and asked them to partake of some 

 wine. The angels not only consented, but, after having indulged 

 rather freely, began to ask other favours of the lovely woman. After 

 a little hesitation, she agreed to comply, provided that the angels 

 should first show her the way to ascend to heaven, and to descend 

 again to the earth. The angels assented; but when the woman, 

 who was as virtuous as she was beautiful, reached heaven, she 

 would not descend again to earth, and there she remains, changed 



into the most brilliant star in the skies. With the Mandans, 



a tribe of American Indians, the Vine is connecfted with the tradi- 

 tion concerning their origin. They believe that the whole nation 

 resided in one large village, underground, near a subterraneous 

 lake. A Grape Vine extended its roots down to their habitation, 

 and gave them a view of the light. Some of the most adventurous 

 climbed up the Vine, and were delighted with the sight of the earth, 

 which they found covered with buffaloes, and rich with all kinds of 

 fruit. Returning with the Grapes they had gathered, their country- 

 men were so pleased with the taste of them, that the whole nation 

 resolved to leave their dull residence for the charms of the upper 

 region. Men, women, and children, therefore forthwith proceeded 

 to ascend by means of the Vine, but when about half the nation 

 had reached the surface of the earth, a very stout woman, who was 

 laboriously clambering up the Vine, broke it with her weight, and 

 debarred herself and the rest of the nation from seeing the light of 

 the sun. Those who had reached the earth's surface made them- 

 selves a village, and formed the tribe of the Mandans, who, when 

 they die, expecft to return to the original settlement of their fore- 

 fathers; the good reaching the ancient village by means of the 

 subterranean lake, which the burden of the sins of the wicked will 



not enable them to cross. Wild Vines differ in many respecfts 



from the cultivated Vine ; several distincfl species are found in 

 Java, India, and America ; one first found on the banks of the 

 Catawba, from which the famous Catawba wine is made, is now 

 extensively cultivated on the Ohio, or La Belle Riviere ; its pro^ 

 dutft has been lauded by Longfellow, who sings — 

 "There grows no Vine 



By the haunted Rhine, 



By Danube or Guadalquiver, 

 Nor an island or cape 

 That bears such a Grape 



As grown by the Beautiful River." 



2P 



