273 
TREACHERY. 
BILBERRY. 
This species of whortle-berry is an ele¬ 
gant and also a fruit-bearing plant. “ The 
young fresh green leaves, and wax-like red 
flowers appear in May, and towards autumn 
the leaves grow darker and firm, and the ripe 
berries are gathered in the north for tarts ; ” 
and in the Highlands they are eaten with 
milk; and also in Derbyshire, where they 
are found in great quantities. 
The bilberry has been made the symbol of 
treachery from the following fable :—“(Eno- 
ma'us, father of the beautiful Hippodamia, 
had for his charioteer the young Myrtilus, 
son of Mercury. CEnomaiis offered the hand 
of his daughter to any one who should outdo 
him in a chariot race. Pelops, anxious to 
obtain Hippodamia, bribed Myrtilus to over¬ 
throw his master’s chariot, and CEnomaiis 
was killed. In dying, he cried for venge¬ 
ance, when Myrtilus was changed into the 
shrub which has ever since borne his name.” 
T 
