A Wreath Of Flower Legends

"Legend appeals to something in us, something we want and have a right to...which appeals to the sense of the lovely which exists in nearly everybody."
Archdeacon Holmes

As promised, here is my Midsummer blog post offering.
Combining my love for Mythology and Flowers this book is just so special. Written in the 1950's by Rose Sydenham Dugdale it includes flower legends from all over the world and beautiful 'Flower Wreaths' illustrated by L Anne Ellis.

 

  

Far away in the dawn of time, Cupid, the god of Love, was wandering over the earth sad and disillusioned, for he so rarely found that true love which the gods gave to the children of men as their choicest blessing. 

Determined to find only the highest ideal in a union for himself, he flew to his mother, Venus the goddess of Beauty, for advice. His mother gave him a magic mantle which belonged to Jupiter. "Wrap yourself in this mantle,' said she, "and you will have power to find the pure soul you seek so earnestly."

Taking heart, Cupid quickly descended to earth. After many wanderings he found the desire of his heart: she was Psyche, who lived between the earth and sky unseen by mortal eyes: great was her beauty, her goodness, and she possessed rare mental gifts. 

Cupid took Psyche by the hand and together they floated far and wide in the upper air, for they knew that they had found that true love which always brings fresh joys and renewed happiness. 

Wearying at last, they descended to rest on an Alpine meadow, fragrant with breath of thyme. When they had rested and were about to continue their flight, they heard a soft voice like the murmuring of bees calling to them: it was the voice of the meadow pleading for the stars to decorate the greensward in perpetual remeberance of the lovely pair who had rested there. 

"Your wish shall be fufilled," cried Psyche; "henceforth stars shall shine all over your flowered mantle."

From that day the meadows have been spangled with daisies, and wherever the feet of those true lovers touch star-like blossoms, their petals are tipped with crimson.

I wanted to share them all with you but there are just too many! The Daisy legend is one of my favourites, and ever since reading it I can't help but think of them as crimson tipped stars. 

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