CHAPTER XI 
PLANT MYTHOLOGY 
“T’ll seek a four-leaved clover 
In all the fairy dells, 
And if I find the charmed leaf, 
Oh, how I'll weave my spells.” 
VERY Plant is surrounded by a halo of 
human thought. If one is able to discern 
that halo, he finds a new and fascinating in- 
terest attaching itself to each herb and flower. 
The most humble of them become fortune-tel- 
lers, luck-bringers, and talismen against evil, 
as well as dwelling-places of fairies, elves, imps, 
and other ethereal mischief-makers. 
In the childhood of humanity, the earth was 
a very romantic place. In addition to the fam- 
iliar human inhabitants, there were whole races 
of supernatural and invisible beings which 
wielded great influence over the every-day 
world of affairs. Every plant was considered 
good or evil, according to the character of the 
spirits which it was believed to harbour. 
[154] 
