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a blessing, that the inhabitants worshipped the mouse as a god,
under the name of Daikoku-sama. From that day the mouse has
been held sacred by the Japanese poor, and its effigy is found
suspended in many of their houses as a fetish. Among the
Arabs, Rice is considered as a sacred food, and tradition runs that
it first sprang from a drop of perspiration which fell from Mahomet
in Paradise. Another tradition current among the Arabs is, that
the national dish, composed of a mixture of Rice with other ingredients,
and called Kuskussu, was revealed to Mahomet by the
angel Gabriel himself. The Bushmen of Central Africa have
the following legend concerning R ice:—A pretty woman having
eaten a certain Bushman-rice, called “ ant’s-egg,” became transformed
into a lioness; but after the spell was broken by reason of
her little sister and her brothers also eating this particular Rice,
she regained her original form, and from that day detested the Bushman
rice. This beautiful woman is supposed to have been the wife
of the star called Heart of the Dawn. In England, the Oriental
prahlice of employing Rice at wedding festivities has of late become
very general; and it is customary for showers of Rice to be thrown
after the bride and bridegroom, as the happy pair quit the bride’s
home; this is thought to promote their success and future happiness.
According to a work on the subjedt, to dream of eating
Rice denotes abundance of instrudtion.
R O C K E T .—This is a name given to several different plants
the most noted of which are the London Rocket {Sisymbrium Irio)
and the Dame’s, or Garden Rocket {Hesperis matronalis). The former
plant is said to have first appeared in the metropolis in the Spring
succeeding the Great Fire of London, when young Rockets were
seen everywhere springing up among the ruins, where they increased
so marvellously, that in the Summer the enormous crop crowding
over the surface of London created the greatest astonishment and
wonder. The Garden Rocket {Hesperis) boasts of many other
old-fashioned names:—Dame’s Violet, Damask Violet, Queen’s
Gilliflower, Rogue’s Gilliflower, Winter Gilliflower, and Close
Sciences (originally Close Sciney). It is the Cassolette (smelling-
bottle), Julienne, and la Juliana of the French ; and the Bella Ciulia
and Ciuliana of the Italians. According to Pliny, as quoted by
Gerarde, “ whosoever taketh the seed of Rocket before he be whipt,
shall be so hardened that he shall easily endure the paines.”
Turner remarks that all sorts of Rockets, but especially the seed,
quicken nature and excite the passions; the seed he recommends
as efficacious “ against the bitings of the shrew-mouse and other
venomous beasts.” Moreover, if mixed with vinegar, it is stated
to remove freckles and pimples from the face. Rocket is held to
be under the dominion of Mars.
R o g a t io n - F l o w e r .—See Gang-Flower and Milkwort.
R oot o f t h e H o l y G h o s t ^— See Angelica.
R O S E .—It is worthy of notice how little the name of the
Rose varies amongst different nations. The Greeks call it Rodon,
the Latins Rosa (a form adhered to by Italians, Russians, Spaniards,
and Portuguese), the English, French, Germans, and Danes, Rose, the
Poles Roza, the Dutch Roos, and the Swedes Ros. Roses embellish the
whole earth, and are natives of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America ;
Nature having apparently, in this generous distribution, designed
to offer these flowers to all people, as the type of grace and beauty.
The origin of the queen of flowers is told us by the Jesuit poet
Rapin, according to whose verse—
“ She was a Grecian born, gave Corinth laws,
And fame proclaimed her worth with such applause,
That youthful rivals for her favour strove,
And high-born kings were suppliants for her love.”
Of her numerous suitors, Brias, Orcas, and Halesus, a warrior,
were the principal. Provoked at their importunities, she haughtily
bade them “ from arms and not entreaties seek a bride;” and then,
to rid herself of them, she entered the temple of Apollo and Diana
with her father and people. The lovers, not to be denied, combined
in an attack upon the temple gates, and the excitement of
the combat so enhanced the maiden’s beauty, that the people
shouted, “ Let Rhodanthe be a goddess, and let the image of
Diana give place to her ! ” Rhodanthe being therefore placed upon
the shrine, Phoebus, Diana’s brother, became so incensed at the
insult to his sister, that he turned his scorching rays against the
would-be goddess, who bitterly repented that she had ever appeared
a deity ; for—“
Fast in the shrine her foot takes hold and cleaves.
Her arms stretch’d out are cover’d o’er with leaves ;
Tho’ chang’d into a flower, her pomp remains.
And lovely still, and still a queen she reigns.
The crowd for their offence this doom abide.
Shrunk into thorns to guard her beauty’s pride.’
Her too ardent lovers were transformed respectively into a worm,
a drone, and a butterfly.
This account bears a general resemblance to the legend recounted
by Sir John Maundevile, who visited Bethlehem in the
fourteenth century, and found there the field Floridus, wherein, he
tells us, a fair maiden who had been unjustly accused of wrong
was doomed to be burned ; and, after praying devoutly to God
that, inasmuch as she was not guilty. He would help her, and
make her innocence known to all men, “ she entered the fire,
and immediately the fire was extinguished, and the faggots that
were burning became red Rose-bushes full of Roses, and those
that remained unkindled became white Rose-bushes ; and these
were the first Rose-trees and Roses, both white and red, that ever
any man saw.” “ Thus,” concludes Sir John, “ was this mayden
saved be the grace of God. And therfore is that feld clept me
Feld of God florysscht ; for it was fülle of Roses.” Southey, m his
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