8 p f a n t 1301*©, c m i l " b ijn q /* ,
A Byzantine legend, which is current in Russia, tells of a vast
world-tree of iron, which in the beginning of all things spread its
gigantic bulk throughout space. Its root is the power of God ; its
head sustains the three worlds,—heaven, with the ocean of air ; the
earth, with its seas of water; and hell, with its sulphurous fumes
and glowing flames.
Rabbinic traditions make the Mosaic Tree of Life, which
stood in the centre of the Garden of Eden, a vast world-tree,
resembling in many points the Scandinavian Ash Yggdrasill. A
description of this world-tree of the Rabbins, however, need not
appear in the present chapter, since it will be found on page 13. C H A P T E R II.
© T r e e / o ? p a r a c i x ^ e t f i e © T r e e
a m .
MONGST all peoples, and in all ages, there has
lingered a belief possessing peculiar powers of
fascination, that in some unknown region, remote
and unexplored, there existed a glorious and happy
land ; a land of sunshine, luxuriance, and plenty,
a land of stately trees and beauteous flowers,—
a terrestrial Paradise.
___________ A tradition contained in the sacred books of
the Parsis states that at the beginning of the world Ormuzd, the
giver of all good, created the primal steer, which contained the
germs of all the animals. Ahriman, the evil spirit, then created
venomous animals which destroyed the steer: while dying, there
sprang out of his right hip the first man, and out of his left hip the
first man’s soul. From him arose a tree whence came the original
human pair, namely Mdshya and Mashyot who were placed _ in
Heden, a delightful spot, where grew Horn {oxHaoma), the Tree of Life,
the fruit of which gave vigour and immortality. This Paradise was
in Iran. The woman being persuaded by Ahriman, in the guise of
a serpent, gave her husband fruit to eat, which was destrucftive.
The Persians also imagined a Paradise on Mount Caucasus.
The Arabians conceived an Elysium in the midst of the deserts of
Aden. The pagan Scandinavians sang of the Holy City of Asgard,
situated in the centre of the world. The Celts believed an earthly
Paradise to exist in the enchanted Isle of Avalon—the Island of
the Blest-
“ Where falls not hail or rain, or any snow,
Nor even wind blows loudly ; but it lies
Deep-meadow’d, happy, fair, with orchard lawn
And bowery hollows.”
The Greeks and Romans pi^ured to themselves the delightful
gardens of the Hesperides, where grew the famous trees that