THE ROMANCE OF OUR TREES 



ious effect. The Willow has not suffered in this 

 respect. With its pendent branches, lithe and 

 graceful, moved by the faintest breath of wind, it 

 has stirred the sentiment of different races of man- 

 kind. Usually it is associated with grief. In Korea 

 it is planted to form avenues leading to the tombs of 

 royalty. And did not Napoleon on St. Helena sit 

 beneath a Weeping Willow? Grieving over his fallen 

 fortunes he may have found sympathy beneath this 

 tree, for in the cynical expression that misery likes 

 company there is much truth. 



An old Chinese book says "the Emperor Yang Ti 

 of the Sung dynasty built a great canal a thousand 

 li [Chinese miles] in length, and encouraged the 

 people to plant Willows along its banks. For each 

 tree planted a roll of silk was given and the trees 

 were named after the Emperor and called 'Yang-liu.'" 

 In Japan the highest type of feminine beauty is 

 symbolized by the Willow for gracefulness, the 

 cherry-blossom for youthful charm, and the plum- 

 blossom for virtue and sweetness. A celebrated 

 Japanese beauty is known as Yanagi-no-oriu, or 

 "Willow-woman," and is said to have a Yamagi- 

 koshi — willow-waist, because she is slender and grace- 

 ful like the hanging branches of that tree. Dancers, 

 too, are said "to sway like the branches of the Willow 

 when wafted by the summer's breeze." On the 

 228 



