SC - Mistletoe (OT)

[Jeff Gedney]

Other notes:

Mistletoe was revered as a herb of power by the Druids who gathered it by 
cutting it with a golden or bronze sickle, the Golden Sickle became a 
symbol of the Druidic priesthood. No ignoble metal was to be allowed to 
touch the herb or it would lose all it's power.  Mistletoe's power derived, 
apparently, from the fact that it was cut in this way.  Mistletoe berries
hang in pairs, and the cutting of them in this way was said to represent
the castration of the (Celtic) Chronos by the (Celtic) Zeus to steal his power 
( by the time of Ceasar, the Druids of Gaul had been borrowing liberally 
from other religions, and most of the Celtic Gods had direct or inferred 
analogs to Roman or Greek gods ).

Brandu

>>> Stefan li Rous <stefan at texas.net> 12/28 12:57 AM >>>
My newspaper (Austin American-Statesman) had an article on Dec.24 about
Mistletoe. Mainly about how the drought here is making it hard to come by.
But it did have some comments that I thought might be of interest to those
on this list. I've included the relevant sections below.

- ------
Agriculturalists, however, are quick to point out that mistletoe's status
as the Yuletide's most romantic adornment is relatively new.

Revered in pagan cultures as a sexual symbol, mistletoe got its name in
medieval days when scientists believed it grew spontaneously from bird
droppings.

"Mistel" is the Anglo-Saxon word for "dung" and "tan' translates to "twig".
In other words, Mommy was kissing Santa Claus under the "dung-on-a-twig".

Ingesting mistletoe can bring on bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and, in some
cases, death.
- ------

If anyone can confirm, disprove or elaborate on any of these comments, I'd 
like to hear it before I put it in my files.

Thanks,
   Stefan
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net 
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****
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