PLANT MYTHOLOGY 
People of this practical age are inclined to 
look upon these stories with contemptuous in- 
tolerance. “We have outgrown such baby-talk,” 
they say, and forthwith relegate whole king- 
doms of elfin hosts to their children’s nurseries, 
or possibly refuse them their homes entirely. 
But to a few discerning minds, these idle 
dreams of a romantic past offer a most refresh- 
ing contrast to present-day utilitarianism. 
The airy fancies of our forefathers should 
have a larger share in our thought today. A 
single flower myth contains more beauty and 
enduring appeal than a hundred steel mills. We 
must go back to the youth of the race,—to the 
time of Shakespeare, Milton, and gentle Ben 
Jonson,—for our noblest literature. In those 
days, men actually believed in fairies, goblins, 
and all the rest, and were probably better for 
having done so. We, with our broader intellec- 
tual outlook, can congratulate ourselves that we 
have advanced beyond such things, but still ap- 
preciate their spirit and their beauty. 
In studying plant mythology, it is interesting 
to notice that certain traditions and legends are 
to be found in all parts of the world and in 
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