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ncient Aryan that the sun was periodically recruited from the fire which resided in the sacred oak。 In other words； the oak may have seemed to him the original storehouse or reservoir of the fire which was from time to time drawn out to feed the sun。 But if the life of the oak was conceived to be in the mistletoe； the mistletoe must on that view have contained the seed or germ of the fire which was elicited by friction from the wood of the oak。 Thus； instead of saying that the mistletoe was an emanation of the sun's fire； it might be more correct to say that the sun's fire was regarded as an emanation of the mistletoe。 No wonder； then； that the mistletoe shone with a golden splendour； and was called the Golden Bough。 Probably； however； like fern…seed； it was thought to assume its golden aspect only at those stated times； especially midsummer； when fire was drawn from the oak to light up the sun。 At Pulverbatch； in Shropshire； it was believed within living memory that the oak…tree blooms on Midsummer Eve and the blossom withers before daylight。 A maiden who wishes to know her lot in marriage should spread a white cloth under the tree at night； and in the morning she will find a little dust； which is all that remains of the flower。 She should place the pinch of dust under her pillow； and then her future husband will appear to her in her dreams。 This fleeting bloom of the oak； if I am right； was probably the mistletoe in its character of the Golden Bough。 The conjecture is confirmed by the observation that in Wales a real sprig of mistletoe gathered on Midsummer Eve is similarly placed under the pillow to induce prophetic dreams； and further the mode of catching the imaginary bloom of the oak in a white cloth is exactly that which was employed by the Druids to catch the real mistletoe when it dropped from the bough of the oak； severed by the golden sickle。 As Shropshire borders on Wales； the belief that the oak blooms on Midsummer Eve may be Welsh in its immediate origin； though probably the belief is a fragment of the primitive Aryan creed。 In some parts of Italy； as we saw； peasants still go out on Midsummer morning to search the oak…trees for the oil of St。 John； which； like the mistletoe； heals all wounds； and is； perhaps； the mistletoe itself in its glorified aspect。 Thus it is easy to understand how a title like the Golden Bough； so little descriptive of its usual appearance on the tree； should have been applied to the seemingly insignificant parasite。 Further； we can perhaps see why in antiquity mistletoe was believed to possess the remarkable property of extinguishing fire； and why in Sweden it is still kept in houses as a safeguard against conflagration。 Its fiery nature marks it out； on homoeopathic principles； as the best possible cure or preventive of injury by fire。
These considerations may partially explain why Virgil makes Aeneas carry a glorified bough of mistletoe with him on his descent into the gloomy subterranean world。 The poet describes how at the very gates of hell there stretched a vast and gloomy wood； and how the hero； following the flight of two doves that lured him on； wandered into the depths of the immemorial forest till he saw afar off through the shadows of the trees the flickering light of the Golden Bough illuminating the matted boughs overhead。 If the mistletoe； as a yellow withered bough in the sad autumn woods； was conceived to contain the seed of fire； what better companion could a forlorn wanderer in the nether shades take with him than a bough that would be a lamp to his feet as well as a rod and staff to his hands？ Armed with it he might boldly confront the dreadful spectres that would cross his path on his adventurous journey。 Hence when Aeneas； emerging from the forest； comes to the banks of Styx； winding slow with sluggish stream through the infernal marsh； and the surly ferryman refuses him passage in his boat； he has but to draw the Golden Bough from his bosom and hold it up； and straightway the blusterer quails at the sight and meekly receives the hero into his crazy bark； which sinks deep in the water under the unusual weight of the living man。 Even in recent times； as we have seen； mistletoe has been deemed a protection against witches and trolls； and the ancients may well have credited it with the same magical virtue。 And if the parasite can； as some of our peasants believe； open all locks； why should it not have served as an open Sesame in the hands of Aeneas to unlock the gates of death？
Now； too； we can conjecture why Virbius at Nemi came to be confounded with the sun。 If Virbius was； as I have tried to show； a tree…spirit； he must have been the spirit of the oak on which grew the Golden Bough； for tradition represented him as the first of the Kings of the Wood。 As an oak…spirit he must have been supposed periodically to rekindle the sun's fire； and might therefore easily be confounded with the sun itself。 Similarly we can explain why Balder； an oak…spirit； was described as so fair of face and so shining that a light went forth from him； and why he should have been so often taken to be the sun。 And in general we may say that in primitive society； when the only known way of making fire is by the friction of wood； the savage must necessarily conceive of fire as a property stored away； like sap or juice； in trees； from which he has laboriously to extract it。 The Senal Indians of California profess to believe that the whole world was once a globe of fire； whence that element passed up into the trees； and now comes out whenever two pieces of wood are rubbed together。 Similarly the Maidu Indians of California hold that the earth was primarily a globe of molten matter； and from that the principle of fire ascended through the roots into the trunk and branches of trees； whence the Indians can extract it by means of their drill。 In Namoluk； one of the Caroline Islands； they say that the art of making fire was taught men by the gods。 Olofaet； the cunning master of flames； gave fire to the bird mwi and bade him carry it to earth in his bill。 So the bird flew from tree to tree and stored away the slumbering force of the fire in the wood； from which men can elicit it by friction。 In the ancient Vedic hymns of India the fire…god Agni is spoken of as born in wood； as the embryo of plants； or as distributed in plants。 He is also said to have entered into all plants or to strive after them。 When he is called the embryo of trees or of trees as well as plants； there may be a side…glance at the fire produced in forests by the friction of the boughs of trees。
A tree which has been struck by lightning is naturally regarded by the savage as charged with a double or triple portion of fire； for has he not seen the mighty flash enter into the trunk with his own eyes？ Hence perhaps we may explain some of the many superstitious beliefs concerning trees that have been struck by lightning。 When the Thompson Indians of British Columbia wished to set fire to the houses of their enemies； they shot at them arrows which were either made from a tree that had been struck by lightning or had splinters of such wood attached to them。 Wendish peasants of Saxony refuse to burn in their stoves the wood of trees that have been struck by lightning； they say that with such fuel the house would be burnt down。 In like manner the Thonga of South Africa will not use such wood as fuel nor warm themselves at a fire which has been kindled with it。 On the contrary； when lightning sets fire to a tree； the Winamwanga of Northern Rhodesia put out all the fires in the village and plaster the fireplaces afresh； while the head men convey the lightning…kindled fire to the chief； who prays over it。 The chief then sends out the new fire to all his villages； and the villagers reward his messengers for the boon。 This shows that they look upon fire kindled by lightning with reverence； and the reverence is intelligible； for they speak of thunder and lightning as God himself coming down to earth。 Similarly the Maidu Indians of California believe that a Great Man created the world and all its inhabitants； and that lightning is nothing but the Great Man himself descending swiftly out of heaven and rending the trees with his flaming arms。
It is a plausible theory that the reverence which the ancient peoples of Europe paid to the oak； and the connexion which they traced between the tree and their sky…god； were derived from the much greater frequency with which the oak appears to be struck by lightning than any other tree of our European forests。 This peculiarity of the tree has seemingly been established by a series of observations instituted within recent years by scientific enquirers who have no mythological theory to maintain。 However we may explain it； whether by the easier passage of electricity through oak…wood than through any other timber； or in some other way； the fact itself may well have attracted the notice of our rude forefathers； who dwelt in the vast forests which then covered a large part of Europe； and they might naturally account for it in their simple religious way by supposing that the great sky…god； whom they worshipped and whose awful voice they heard in the roll of thunder； loved the oak above all the trees of the wood and oft