THE ASHES 189 



abode of cold and darkness, feeds a terrible 

 adder, which gnaws forever at the roots. Four 

 harts play in the tree's branches and feed upon 

 the buds : they are the four winds. Under the 

 tree lies Ymir: when he tries to shake off his 

 burden the "earth quakes. Aske, the first man, 

 was made by the gods from an ash tree. They 

 also made Embla, the first woman, from an al- 

 der. 



The ash tree has certain fairy gifts concealed 

 in her leaftips. The leaves are compound, and 

 usually there is an odd number of leaflets on the 

 stalk, one at the tip, and the rest ranged down 

 its sides in pairs. Now and then, however, a 

 stalk may be found with the odd terminal leaflet 

 lacking. This is called the even ash, and to find 

 one is every whit as lucky as to find a four- 

 leafed clover. Thus the maid of old England 

 disposed of it : 



' ' The even ash in my left hand, 

 The first man I meet shall be my husband. 

 The even ash leaf in my glove, 

 The first I meet shall be my love. 

 The even ash leaf in my breast, 

 The first man I meet is whom I love best. 

 Even ash, even ash, I pluck thee, 

 This night my true love for to see." 



