THE OAK. 



11 



was generally of Oak, though sometimes of Ash ; 

 and as the ancient Britons believed that it was 

 essential for their hearth-fires to be renewed every 

 year from the sacred fire of the Druids, so their 

 descendants thought that some misfortune would 

 befal them if any accident happened to the Yule- 

 log. The worship of the Druids was generally 

 performed under an Oak; and a heap of stones 

 was erected, on which the sacred fire was kindled, 

 which was called a " cairn," as Professor Burnet 

 says, from kern^ an acorn.* 



The Mistletoe was held in great reverence, and, 

 as it was not commonly found on the Oak, solemn 

 ceremonies attended the search for it. When all 

 was prepared (the Mistletoe having been, no 

 doubt, previously found by some of the assist- 

 ants), the Druids went forth, clad in w^hite robes, 

 to search for the sacred plant, and when it was 

 discovered one of the Druids ascended the tree, 

 and gathered it with great ceremony, separating 

 it from the Oak with a golden knife. The Mistle- 

 toe was always cut at a particular age of the 

 moon, at the beginning of the year, and it was 

 only sought for when the Druids pretended to 

 have had visions directing them to seek it. When 

 a great length of time elapsed without this hap- 

 pening, or if the Mistletoe chanced to fall to the 

 ground, it was considered as an omen that some 

 great misfortune would befal the nation. 



The well-known chorus of Hey derry down," 

 according to Professor Burnet, was a Druidic 

 chant, signifying literally, In a circle the Oak 



* This etymology, however, is doubtful, and must be received with 

 caution. Cairn usually signifies " a rock ; " the Hebrew Ji^ren has 

 the same meaning. 



