THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE APPLE AND PEAR. 
7 
guarded by one maid with crisped locks. Her name is Olwedd with the luminous teeth.” 
—Stanza I. 
“ The delicious apple tree, with blossoms of pure white and widespreading branches, produces 
sweet apples for those who can digest them, and they have always grown in the wood that grows 
apart,” &c.— Stanza II. 
“ The sweet apple tree has pure white sprigs, which grow as a portion for food,” &c.— 
Stanza IV. 
“The fair apple tree grows on the border of the vale, its yellow apples and its leaves 
are desirable objects,” &c.— Stanza V. 
“Thou sweet and beneficent tree ! not scanty is the fruit with which thou art loaded,”&c.— 
Stanza VI. 
“ Hie proper place of this delicate tree is within a shelter of great renown, highly beneficent 
and beautiful; but princes devise false pretences with lying, gluttonous, and vicious monks, and 
pert youngsters, rash in their designs,” &c — Stanza VII. 
“ The tree with delicate blossoms which grows in concealment amongst the forests,” &c.— 
Stanza XIV. 
“ The sweet apple tree with delicate blossoms grows upon the sod amongst the trees,” 
&c.— Stanza XVI. 
This is the Merddin called the Caledonian, to distinguish him from the better known Merddin 
of South Wales. He is styled supreme Judge of the North. “ The white blossoms seem to imply 
the robe of the Druid ; the spreading branches , his extensive authority ; the fruit, his doctrine and 
hopes ; and the sequestered wood which had always produced this fruit, his sacred grove.” (p. 484.) 
“ The use of Tallies or Sprigs cut from a fruit-bearing tree, which Tacitus ascribes to the 
Germans, was probably common to them and the Druids. They were the omen sticks or points of 
sprigs so often mentioned by the Bards.” Davies, p. 43. 
« 
The ancient Welsh Bards were rewarded for excelling in song by “ the token of the apple 
spray thus Gualchmai, the golden tongued, the son of Meilyr, in a poem called “ Gorhofedd,” or 
“the Boast,” (end of 12th century) speaking of the mystical sprigs, says : 
“ Gorwyn blaen avail, bloden vagwy, 
Balch caen coed— 
Bryd pawb parth yd garwy.” 
“ The point of the apple tree supporting blossoms, proud covering of the wood, declares, 
every one’s desire tends to the place of his affections.” Davies. 
And again in the song by Hywell, the son of Owen, he says : 
“ My shield remains white upon my shoulder; the wished for achievement I have not 
obtained, though great was my desire; another has worn the token of the apple spray.” 
Davies , p. 284. 
The apple still holds its place in the customs of many nations—always the emblem of fer¬ 
tility, and usually the symbol of happiness. It is oracular in love matters—an omen of love—a 
love charm, or a token of affection. Auguries are to be drawn from the cutting of an apple in 
half—the number of its pips—throwing the peel over the shoulder—sleeping with an apple, or 
the half of one under the pillow, &c., &c. If the tree blossoms out of season, it betokens some 
joy, or some unlooked for sorrow, as the wit of the observer is enabled to solve the enigma. In 
