"ICICLES HANG BY THE WALL 1 ' 155; 



memorate, or invoke, the spirit of growth, or fer- 

 tility, the holly, mistletoe and ivy all of which 

 bear fruit in the winter become particularly 

 precious. Beautiful, cheery holly, with its glossy, 

 prickly leaves and its coral bells, was a sacred plant 

 in the childhood of the world and will continue to 

 be a sacred plant as long as the world lasts. We 

 may make garlands of laurel or bay-leaves, we may 

 bind together ropes of crow's-foot or smilax, and 

 we may bring into our rooms pots of poinsettia ; but 

 nothing takes, or will ever take, the place the holly 

 occupies in our affections. In our literature holly 

 is honored. It now symbolizes the spirit of Christ- 

 mas as nothing else does. 



One of the earliest Christmas carols, dating from 

 the Fifteenth Century, describes a contest of Holly 

 and Ivy for the chief place in the hall. Holly is the 

 man and Ivy the woman. They have an argument 

 (which is a kind of duet), each setting forth his or 

 her claim to superiority. Finally, it is decided that 

 Holly, with his beautiful red berries, shall reign in 

 the hall instead of Ivy, whose berries are black. 

 Moreover, many sweet birds are attracted to Holly; 

 but only the owl loves Ivy. 



Holly is, of course, the subject of many carols. 

 A typical one of the Fifteenth Century is as follows : 



