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Christmas Section Joyous Emblems of ' the Christmas Time Mistletoe, Holly and Mod- ern Adaptions. A Norse Legend. (By Vincent Ogden' Christmas.' The signs of Its approach are about us on every hand: and it there were a crest of Christmas. I think it would consist. of a large centre Chrlstmas tree, with holly and ivy and mistletoe around. These are the out- WW and vlsible emblems of the festive season. Time chafing many things, and the old-fashioned Christmas has gone --probably never to return-but the spirit of Christmas is eternal. Most of our Christmas o'as9rvances come from pagan customs. the Roman festival of Satumalia. or even farther back to the celebrations of the winter solstice of the Saxon and Scandinavian mythology. The first Christmas tree was associat- ed with the winter solstice festivities of Scandinavia. In the ancient mytholo- gy of that part of the north. the tree is said to have been raised from soil drenched and fertilized by the blood of lovers who had died through vlo- lance. On certain nights during the winter solstice, the legend runs, mysterious lights were seen amongst the branches of the tree, which the strongest winds cauld not extinguish. What we know as the Christmas tree was regarded with awe and veneration by the old Bean- dinavians. Modern Origins There are those, however, who speak ot more modern origins. On the Con- tinent. Martin Luther is credited with the origin at the Christmas tree in the Yuletide festival. One Christmas Eve, the story runs, Martin Luther was tra- veiling alone over a large tract of iinolh'- covered country. The sky, with its myriads of stars, made a great impression on the mind of the great reformer, and on reaching home he endeavourd to convey this im- pression to his wife and children. To visualize his thoughts. he took from his garden a little fir tree, and carrying it into the nursery he placed small can- tiles among the branches and lighted them. Thus, we are told, originated the lighted and decorated tree. The Christmas tree, with its lights and glitter, is the symbol of life. The tree has been associated with the Tree of Life. When Adam was dying, the legend tells, he sent Seth to the Garden of Eden to beg for the oil of mercy. The guardian cherub would not grant this, but instead, gave him a sprig or seed from the Tree of Life, which he was enjoined to plant on his father's grave. The tree, which ultimately grew up, furnished the wonder-working rod of Moses; but it was in time cut down and rejected and for this reason it was fash- ioned into the cross on which the Christ was crucified. THE PORCUPINE ADVANCE, 'r1MM1NS,fW')Nrlp, The Misthtoe The mistletoe today has been divested of all its ancient mystery. It. is probably the one parasite ot nature that is hail- ed with delight, and Yuletide and mis- tletoe are inseparably connected with each other. The mistletoe has been looked at from different points of view throughout the ages. It has never been known to grow from its own roots: trees--prineipa1ly the oak-are the ground from which the plant springs. The ancient) Druids held it in great, veneration, and at the winter solstice it was the centre of their sacrifices and celebrations. When found growing on the oak, white oxen were sacrificed as, mistletoe was out by the arch Druid with a golden knife. Sprigs of mistletoe were distributed by the priests among the people, and hung up over the en- trances to their dwellings as a sign of friendship, for none was allowed to en- ter a. house over the door of which was a. sprig of mistletoe, unless they were friendly disposed towards the tenants. The sacrifices and festivities of the an- cient Druids were made in honour of the divinity Tutanes, who. in other pa- gan mythologies, was Baal, or the Sun. A Norse Legend The story of the mistletoe is closely connected with the Norse god Balder. Balder was the son of the great god Odlin. He once dreamt of his approach- ing death, and the gods held council to protect Balder against all possible forms of danger. They took an oath from all forms of material creauan-- fire and water, iron and all metals, stones and earth, trees, sicknesses and poisons. beasts, birds and all creeping things that they would cause no hurt to Balder. To test the oaths taken. the gods as- sembled. and endeavoured to cause hurt to Balder by using material things against him that had sworn to do him no harm. They cast stones at him, shot at, him. But none could hurt the son of Odlin. Loki, however, was displeased, and he learnt the mistletoe had not taken the oath. " was regarded as too young, and Loki went and gathered some sprigs and gave them to Kathe]: the blind god, counselling him to shoot at Balder with them. "Do as the test." he said, "and show Balder honour. I will indicate where he stands and do you shoot at him with this twig." Bother took the mistletoe twig and threw it as Loki directed. It pierced him, and he fell down and died. Balder was subsequently restored to lite by Frown. the goddess of Love; and her tears are said to ice the beautiful ber- ries of the mistletoe, which must al- ways be hung up, for it is only sacred to her when it is neither on'the earth nor under it. The custom of kissing under the at once secures interest by its unex- mistletoe is peculiarly English; and pected anticipation of our Christmas it we only followed the rites ot this, carol, but the final Allegro movement a b try would be plucked for each kiss. is the more interesting as music. Kemmnweunasemtheoldmym- -,-qr"'"ee"- omdacaudinaviameorlzlnola It it were not tor the Christmas many custom. The mistletoe was spirit, there mid not be so many New a sacred plant, and a sign of friendship, Year's reaotutitms. and from friendship to kissing is not a far step. Tho no“: The holly. with its Bright red ber- ries and prickly leaves. has from time ittttttetnttrittl been a part of the celebra- tions ot the winter mace. the Roman festival of the Satunnlia. and the Christian festival of the rutmty. In the Norse legend referred to, there is a story of the bony. Binder. at the time Homer shot his arrow of mistle- toe, was standing beside a bush. and partly screened by it. Odin declared that as this bush had given part shel- ter to his son from the arrow which caused his death it should never die, but become an evergreen. and bear red ber- ries in memory of Balder’s blood spilled on its 'Jmnches. The holly is also said to have been a mystic toreshadowing ot the Cruci- fixion. Its prickly leaves are symbolic of the crown of thorns, while drops of passion blood were held to have been contained within its red berries. The holly tree became the holy tree. The ivy was the badge ot the wine god Bacchus, and many old songs tell of the rivalry between the holly and the ivy. The ivy has certain associations with thoughts of the grave, and it, is there- fore fitting that such a symbol of mor- tality be thrust outside the house. Visiting the London Zoo in the Christmas Holidays 'Glasgow Scotsman) The London Zoo always enjoys an ex- ceptional popularity during the Christ- mas holidays. Even [the most sophisti- cated modern child appreciates a Christmas visit to the animals, and the steep paths are thronged, every fine day, with a stream: of eager children accompanied by grown-up relations. Little "Jubilee" is still perhaps the most popular inmate of the whole zoo. She is growing up rapidly, and is al- ready a definite personality that seems to enjoy the watching crowds, and sometimes likes to show off to them. Next; to her in popularity with the child visitors is the baby Shetland pony, born at the mo last week. The little pony is sturdy as well as pretty, and is not likely to share the fate ot the young lion cubs and opossums that lived only a few days after their birth. Lion cubs are notoriously difficult to rear in captivity. One recalls the at- tractive cu": which, about two years ago, was deserted by his mother and was adopted by one of the zoo's stray eats, "Mr. Jones." In spite ot the atteotitm- ate care ot its cat friend, not to men- tion the trouble taken by its keepers. the cub died, as the more recent ar- rivals have done. 0n the other hand, the full-grown lions, leopards, tigers and other big eats seem to thrive in the cold weather. and look their best, staring disdainfully at the crowds, but occasionally designing to. purr when feeding time draws near. No child'should miss the amusing little marmosets that provide. a minia- ture circus all day long, pulling each other's tails, playing complicated games of hide and seek, and chasing to and fm with squeaks of excitement. The reptile house, with its grim-looking crocodile and serpent inhabitants. should always be visited, it only for the contrast its uncanny inmates pro- vide with the comparatively friendly animals. Finally, the view from the Mappin terraces across the wintry acres of Regent's Park, veiled with the drift- ing smoke of leaf fires, is in itself worth a, visit to the zoo in winter time. Who Wrote "Hark the Herald Angels Sing? Even the hymnaries are not sure about the identity of the composer. One describes the tune as "tradiUon- al," which strikes me as a. shirking of the editorial responsibility, while others attribute it to W. H. Cummings and to Mendelssohn. (Edward Bettes in "The Em", How many of the people who will in a few weeks' time. be Joining in the singing of the most popular Christmas hymn, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," could say who composed the tune? - The latter are nearer the truth, for the tune as we know it was adapted by Dr. W. H. Cummings from a melody used by Mendelssohn in his "Pestge- sang," which he composed in 1840 for male voices and brass band tor the opening ot a festival at Leipzig in cele- bration of the fourth centenary of the invention of printing by Gutenberg. The more famous "Hymn of Praise" was written for the same occasion. Our tune was the second of these part songs for male voices, and a few years later Dr. Cummings, who was principally known in his day as an authority on Handel, adapted the music to fit Charles Wesley's hymn. the first line of which was originally, “Hark, how all the Welkln rings." Now, the Decca. company have issued four records ot a, little known piano- forte concerto of Mozart's that proves that the tune was "invented" at least fifty years before Mendelssohn used it at Leipzig. The opening theme of the slow movement which was composed in February, 1784, is practically the same as the opening line of the Christmas hymn, and in the development of the movement the soloist introduces many ingenious variations on the theme. Mozart, wrote 25 piano ooncertos, and this particular one in E flat is number 449 in the Koohel catalogue. The opening movement. Allegro Vi- vace, is tripplingiy Mozartian, though conventional in style. The Andamino at. once secures interest by its unex- pected anticipation ot our Christmas carol, but the final Allegro movement is the more interesting as music. 9" Wednesday, December 23rd, 1936