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rth of Errol； and a raven should sit in the falcon's nest。' The two most unlucky deeds which could be done by one of the name of Hay was； to kill a white falcon； and to cut down a limb from the oak of Errol。 When the old tree was destroyed I could never learn。 The estate has been sold out of the family of Hay； and of course it is said that the fatal oak was cut down a short time before。 The old superstition is recorded in verses which are traditionally ascribed to Thomas the Rhymer：
While the mistletoe bats on Errol's aik； And that aik stands fast； The Hays shall flourish； and their good grey hawk Shall nocht flinch before the blast。 But when the root of the aik decays； And the mistletoe dwines on its withered breast； The grass shall grow on Errol's hearthstane； And the corbie roup in the falcon's nest。
It is not a new opinion that the Golden Bough was the mistletoe。 True； Virgil does not identify but only compares it with mistletoe。 But this may be only a poetical device to cast a mystic glamour over the humble plant。 Or； more probably； his description was based on a popular superstition that at certain times the mistletoe blazed out into a supernatural golden glory。 The poet tells how two doves； guiding Aeneas to the gloomy vale in whose depth grew the Golden Bough； alighted upon a tree； whence shone a flickering gleam of gold。 As in the woods in winter cold the mistletoea plant not native to its treeis green with fresh leaves and twines its yellow berries about the boles； such seemed upon the shady holm…oak the leafy gold； so rustled in the gentle breeze the golden leaf。 Here Virgil definitely describes the Golden Bough as growing on a holm…oak； and compares it with the mistletoe。 The inference is almost inevitable that the Golden Bough was nothing but the mistletoe seen through the haze of poetry or of popular superstition。
Now grounds have been shown for believing that the priest of the Arician grovethe King of the Woodpersonified the tree on which grew the Golden Bough。 Hence if that tree was the oak； the King of the Wood must have been a personification of the oakspirit。 It is； therefore； easy to understand why； before he could be slain； it was necessary to break the Golden Bough。 As an oak…spirit； his life or death was in the mistletoe on the oak； and so long as the mistletoe remained intact； he； like Balder； could not die。 To slay him； therefore； it was necessary to break the mistletoe； and probably； as in the case of Balder； to throw it at him。 And to complete the parallel； it is only necessary to suppose that the King of the Wood was formerly burned； dead or alive； at the midsummer fire festival which； as we have seen； was annually celebrated in the Arician grove。 The perpetual fire which burned in the grove； like the perpetual fire which burned in the temple of Vesta at Rome and under the oak at Romove； was probably fed with the sacred oak…wood； and thus it would be in a great fire of oak that the King of the Wood formerly met his end。 At a later time； as I have suggested； his annual tenure of office was lengthened or shortened； as the case might be； by the rule which allowed him to live so long as he could prove his divine right by the strong hand。 But he only escaped the fire to fall by the sword。
Thus it seems that at a remote age in the heart of Italy； beside the sweet Lake of Nemi； the same fiery tragedy was annually enacted which Italian merchants and soldiers were afterwards to witness among their rude kindred； the Celts of Gaul； and which； if the Roman eagles had ever swooped on Norway； might have been found repeated with little difference among the barbarous Aryans of the North。 The rite was probably an essential feature in the ancient Aryan worship of the oak。
It only remains to ask； Why was the mistletoe called the Golden Bough？ The whitish…yellow of the mistletoe berries is hardly enough to account for the name； for Virgil says that the bough was altogether golden； stems as well as leaves。 Perhaps the name may be derived from the rich golden yellow which a bough of mistletoe assumes when it has been cut and kept for some months； the bright tint is not confined to the leaves； but spreads to the stalks as well； so that the whole branch appears to be indeed a Golden Bough。 Breton peasants hang up great bunches of mistletoe in front of their cottages； and in the month of June these bunches are conspicuous for the bright golden tinge of their foliage。 In some parts of Brittany； especially about Morbihan； branches of mistletoe are hung over the doors of stables and byres to protect the horses and cattle； probably against witchcraft。
The yellow colour of the withered bough may partly explain why the mistletoe has been sometimes supposed to possess the property of disclosing treasures in the earth； for on the principles of homoeopathic magic there is a natural affinity between a yellow bough and yellow gold。 This suggestion is confirmed by the analogy of the marvellous properties popularly ascribed to the mythical fern…seed； which is popularly supposed to bloom like gold or fire on Midsummer Eve。 Thus in Bohemia it is said that on St。 John's Day fern…seed blooms with golden blossoms that gleam like fire。 Now it is a property of this mythical fern…seed that whoever has it； or will ascend a mountain holding it in his hand on Midsummer Eve； will discover a vein of gold or will see the treasures of the earth shining with a bluish flame。 In Russia they say that if you succeed in catching the wondrous bloom of the fern at midnight on Midsummer Eve； you have only to throw it up into the air； and it will fall like a star on the very spot where a treasure lies hidden。 In Brittany treasure…seekers gather fern…seed at midnight on Midsummer Eve； and keep it till Palm Sunday of the following year； then they strew the seed on the ground where they think a treasure is concealed。 Tyrolese peasants imagine that hidden treasures can be seen glowing like flame on Midsummer Eve； and that fern…seed； gathered at this mystic season； with the usual precautions； will help to bring the buried gold to the surface。 In the Swiss canton of Freiburg people used to watch beside a fern on St。 John's night in the hope of winning a treasure； which the devil himself sometimes brought to them。 In Bohemia they say that he who procures the golden bloom of the fern at this season has thereby the key to all hidden treasures； and that if maidens will spread a cloth under the fast…fading bloom； red gold will drop into it。 And in the Tryol and Bohemia if you place fern…seed among money； the money will never decrease； however much of it you spend。 Sometimes the fern…seed is supposed to bloom on Christmas night； and whoever catches it will become very rich。 In Styria they say that by gathering fern…seed on Christmas night you can force the devil to bring you a bag of money。
Thus； on the principle of like by like； fern…seed is supposed to discover gold because it is itself golden； and for a similar reason it enriches its possessor with an unfailing supply of gold。 But while the fern…seed is described as golden； it is equally described as glowing and fiery。 Hence； when we consider that two great days for gathering the fabulous seed are Midsummer Eve and Christmasthat is； the two solstices （for Christmas is nothing but an old heathen celebration of the winter solstice）we are led to regard the fiery aspect of the fern…seed as primary； and its golden aspect as secondary and derivative。 Fern…seed； in fact； would seem to be an emanation of the sun's fire at the two turning…points of its course； the summer and winter solstices。 This view is confirmed by a German story in which a hunter is said to have procured fern…seed by shooting at the sun on Midsummer Day at noon； three drops of blood fell down； which he caught in a white cloth； and these blood…drops were the fern…seed。 Here the blood is clearly the blood of the sun； from which the fern…seed is thus directly derived。 Thus it may be taken as probable that fern…seed is golden； because it is believed to be an emanation of the sun's golden fire。
Now； like fern…seed； the mistletoe is gathered either at Midsummer or at Christmasthat is； either at the summer or at the winter solsticeand； like fern…seed； it is supposed to possess the power of revealing treasures in the earth。 On Midsummer Eve people in Sweden make divining…rods of mistletoe； or of four different kinds of wood one of which must be mistletoe。 The treasure…seeker places the rod on the ground after sundown； and when it rests directly over treasure； the rod begins to move as if it were alive。 Now； if the mistletoe discovers gold； it must be in its character of the Golden Bough； and if it is gathered at the solstices； must not the Golden Bough； like the golden fern…seed； be an emanation of the sun's fire？ The question cannot be answered with a simple affirmative。 We have seen that the old Aryans perhaps kindled the solstitial and other ceremonial fires in part as sun…charms； that is； with the intention of supplying the sun with fresh fire； and as these fires were usually made by the friction or combustion of oak…wood； it may have appeared to the ancient Aryan that the sun was periodically recruited from the fire which resided in the sacred oak。