i6 
SHAKESPEARE’S GARDEN 
The reference is to the ashen shafts of spears, such 
wood being that almost universally employed in their 
manufacture. 
The beauty of the ash and its useful qualities were 
enhanced by traditions, carried to the very extreme 
in the Yggdrasil of Northern mythology, which is thus 
described in the Younger Edda : 
“ It is biggest and best of all trees ; its head 
reacheth unto the heavens. Three roots sustain the 
tree, and stand wide apart. The first is with the Asi; 
the second is with the Hrimthusar ; and the third is 
over Nifiheim. Under that root is Hvergelmer, but 
Nidhavger gnaws this root beneath : under the root 
that trendeth to the Hrimthusar is Mimer’s spring 
where knowledge and wit are hidden. He that 
keeps the spring is called Mimer. He is full of wisdom 
for that he drinks of the spring from the horn Gioll. 
Thither came the Allfather and begged a drink of 
the spring, but he got it not before he had laid an 
eye in pledge. The first root of the ash standeth in 
Heaven, and under this root is a spring that is right 
holy, hight Urthr’s spring. There hold the Gods 
their doomstead, riding their horses thither over 
Bifrost-bridge (the rainbow). The Nornir who dwell 
in the fair hall under the ash, and shape the lives of 
men, are named Urthr, Verthandi, and Skund. An 
eagle sits on the boughs; he is wise, but between his 
eyes abides a hawk. The squirrel, Ratatoskr, runs 
up and down along the ash, and bears words of hate 
between the eagle and Nidhavger (the dragon). Four 
harts run amid the branches and bite the buds. The 
Nornir water the tree daily from Urthr’s spring.” 
Such is the Northern legend, weird as it is. It 
reminds us of how great a part a sacred tree bore 
in ancient religions, whether it be the sacred pine- 
tree of the snake goddess of Ur Eridhu or its lineal 
descendant, the tree of good and evil of our Book 
