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M E L O N .—According to a tradition of the Arabs, the Melon
is to be found in Paradise, where it signifies that God is One, and
that Ali is his true prophet. Sebastian, a Roman traveller of the
seventeenth century, recorded that on Mount Carmel, in the Holy
Land, he had seen a field of Melons which had been turned into
stones by the curse of Elias. An old Tuscan legend records how
the wife of a certain young king bore him three children, which were
represented by the Queen’s jealous sisters to be a cat, a piece of
wood, and a snake. The enraged king, upon this, cast his unfortunate
wife into prison, whilst the three infants were secured by
the wicked sisters in a box, and cast into the sea. A gardener
found the box, and compassionating the helpless babes, brought
them up, and taught them to tend his garden. Through the kindly
offices of a good fairy, the king came to dinner one day, and a
large Water Melon was gathered from the garden and placed before
him. The king cut the Melon, when in place of seeds he discovered
inside a number of precious stones. In astonishment, he demanded :
“ How is it possible that a Melon can produce gems ? ” Then the
good fairy responded : “ And how, sire, is it possible that a woman
could give birth to a cat, a piece of wood, and a snake ? ” Behold
your three children, and hasten, cruel man, to release the poor
innocent queen. The "envy of her sisters has occasioned all this
mischief.” The king was deeply affeffied ; he embraced his children,
and forthwith hastened with all speed to his wife, whose pardon he
implored. Then he ordered public fêtes and rejoicings to take place,
but condemned the wicked sisters to the stake. According to
dream oracles, a young woman who dreams of Melons is _ destined
to marry a rich foreigner, and to live with him in a foreign land.
I f a young man dreams of Melons, it denotes that he will marry a
rich foreign lady, by whom he will have a large family, but they
will die young. I f a sick person dreams of Melons, it is a prognostic
of recovery by reason of their humidity or juicy substance.
Midsummer M e n .—See Orpine.
M IG N O N E T T E .—The Mignonette, or Little Darling, is supposed
to be an Egyptian plant, and to have been brought to England
from the South of France, where it is called Herbe d'Amour, or Love-
flower. Although a flower of no heraldic fame, the Mignonette is
nevertheless, to be seen on the armoured shield of a noble Saxon
house, and the origin of its adoption is related in the following
legend ;—A Count of Walstheim was betrothed to Amelia von Nord-
Durg, a young and beautiful heiress, whose poor cousin Charlotte,
an amiable girl of no particular personal charms, had been brought
up with her from infancy. Returning one evening from a charitable
visit, the humble dependent found her aunt’s saloon full of guests,
the ladies busily occupied in seleéfing flowers for which their
admirers were expeffied to improvise mottoes. Charlotte was
invited to follow the example of her betters. Amelia von Nordburg
plant iQore, TsicgeqP/, ansi "bLjric/, 437
had seledfed the Rose as her emblem, and her companions had
naturally chosen such popular flowers as were best calculated to
elicit gallant compliments. Thus most of the floral favourites had
been appropriated; so Charlotte placed a modest spray of Mignonette
in her dress. Noticing as she did so that her coquettish
cousin was negleffiing the Count of Walstheim for the fascinations
of a gallant colonel, and anxious to recall the thoughtless heiress
to her lover’s side, Charlotte asked the Count what motto he had
ready for the Rose. Taking out his pencil, he wrote: “ Elle ne vit
qu'un jour, et ne plait qu'un moment;'' and then presented her with
this motto for her own Mignonette: "S e s qualités surpassent ses
charmes.” His wilful fiancée took offence at the Count’s discrimination,
and revenged herself by treating him with studied
coldness and negleéf ; the result being that the Count transferred
his affeéfions to the dependent Charlotte, whom he soon afterwards
married, and to celebrate the event added a spray of Mignonette
to the ancient arms of his family.
M I L K T H I S T L E .—The Thistle Silybum Marianum is called
the Milk Thistle from a supposition that it derived the colour of its
leaves from the Milk of the Virgin Mary having fallen on them as
she suckled the infant Jesus.
M IL K W O R T .—In olden times, the Milkwort [Polygala vulgaris),
bore the names of Cross-flower, Rogation-flower, Gang-
flower, and Procession-flower, which were given it because, according
to ancient usage, maidens made garlands of the flower, and
carried them in procession during Rogation Week. At this period
it was customary to offer prayers against plagues, fires, and wild
beasts, and as the bounds of the parish were traversed on one of the
days, it was also termed Gang Week. This custom was a relic of
the ancient Ambarvalia. The bishop, or one of the clergy, perambulated
the limits of the parish with the Holy Cross and Litanies,
and invoked the blessing of God upon the crops ; on which occasion,
Bishop Kennett tells us, the maidens made garlands and nosegays
of the Milkwort, which blossomed in Rogation Week, the
next but one before the Whitsuntide. Gerarde relates that,, in
Queen Elizabeth’s time, Milkwort-flowers were “ vulgarly known©
in Cheapside to the herbe women by the name of Hedge Hyssop.” '
The plant was called Milkwort from an old belief that it increased
the milk of mothers who took it. A Javanese species. Polygala.
venenata, is greatly dreaded by the natives of Ja v a for its poisonous:
efîeéts; violent sneezing and faintness seizes anyone touching the
leaves of this ill-omened plant.
M I L L E T .—According to Schlegel, Millet has,, among the-
Chinese, given its name to the constellation Tien-tzi, " Celestial.
Millet,” which is composed of five stars, and presides at the grain
harvest. Its clearness and brilliance presage an abundant harvest,
its absence foretells famine. This constellation the Chinese con