#tree myth

Legends and myths about trees

Celtic beliefs in trees (28)

Ph for Phagos (Beech) - all year around, the Celtic Tree Calendar (Ref)

Stars: Mercury, Saturn; Gender: female; Element: air, earth; Patrons: Ogma, Thoth, Hermes, Mercurius, Odin, Kronos; Symbols: learning + knowledge, wisdom + understanding, prosperity

The beech tree is a tree of learning, a symbol of prosperity and success. When walking through a beech forest, the large trees with the smooth, silver-grey bark and the curves created by the trunk and branches are like a living elephant or rhinoceros, giving you a sense of relief all year round.

In spring, the beech forests are bright and breezy, and the bluebells are in full bloom, the contrast between the dazzling young leaf colours and the blue announces that ‘spring has come’. In spring, the beech spreads soft, translucent, golden-green leaves with a fan-like shape, and in summer these leaves eventually become hard and dark green in colour, changing to yellow, reddish brown or golden in autumn. It is an essential tree for the forest.

The beech tree symbolises the written word, human innate wisdom and ancient knowledge. In olden times, writing was written on beech wood, and the first books were made by binding thinly cut beech wood. Before that, they were scrolls.

The beech tree is associated with deities of wisdom, knowledge and intelligence, such as Odin in Norse mythology, who brought us the runes, or the inventor of the Ogham script; the great warrior of the Tuatha Dé Danann; the monstrous strength of the eighty oxen; and the Celtic god, the sun-faced Ogma. And because of its connection with the creation of the secret code alphabet, it is also a symbol of divination and prophecy.

ケルト人の樹木の信仰 (28)

Ph は Phagos (ﾌﾞﾅ) - 1年中、ケルトの木の暦（参照）

星: 水星、土星; 性: 女性; 要素: 空気、土; 守護神: オグマ、トト、ヘルメス、メルクリウス、オーディン、クロノス; シンボル: 学習＋知識、知恵＋理解、繁栄

ブナの木は、学びの木、繁栄と成功の象徴でもある。ブナの森を歩くとき、その大木は銀灰色のした滑らかな樹皮、幹や枝がつくる曲線はまるで生きた象か犀のようで、一年中安堵感を与えてくれる木だ。

春、ブナの林の中は明るく風もよく通り、ブルーベルが一面に咲き誇り、眩い若葉色とブルーのコントラストに「春が来た」ことを知らせてくれる。春になると、ブナは半透明の柔らかい金緑色の葉を扇状に広げ、やがて夏にはこの葉が硬くなり濃い緑色になり、秋には黄色、赤褐色、金色へと変化していく。森になくてはならない木だ。

[Photo above: an Ainu woman in 1920s]

Legends and myths about trees

Forest spirits and natives (4)

Korpokkur (or Korbokkur) – ‘People under the butterbur leaves’

Korpokkur are the tribes of dwarfs in folklore of the Ainu people of the northern Japanese islands, meaning 'people under the butterbur leaves'.

The Ainu believe that the korpokkur were the people who lived in the Ainu's land before the Ainu themselves lived there. They were short of stature, agile, and skilled at fishing. They lived in pits with roofs made from butterbur leaves.

Long ago, the korpokkur were on good terms with the Ainu, and would send them deer, fish, and other game and exchange goods with them. The little people hated to be seen, however, so they would stealthily make their deliveries under the cover of night.

One day, a young Ainu man decided he wanted to see a korpokkur for himself, so he waited in ambush by the window where their gifts were usually left. When a korpokkur came to place something there, the young man grabbed it by the hand and dragged it inside. It turned out to be a beautiful korpokkur woman with a tattoo on the back of her hand (the tattooing of Ainu women is said to be based on this). She was so enraged at the young man's rudeness that her people have not been seen since. Their pits, pottery, and stone implements, the Ainu believe, still remain scattered about the landscape.

[History of Ainu]

The Ainu are an indigenous people from Sakhalin in the north to the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka Peninsula in the north-east and around the northern Japanese archipelago, especially in Hokkaido. The Ainu have long had an economic zone around the Sea of Okhotsk region.

They worshipped bears and wolves, as well as gods embodied in the elements of nature, such as water, fire and wind.

Ainu is the Ainu language for 'human' and is believed to have originally meant 'human' as a concept as opposed to 'kamui' (a designation referring to nature based on the spirit that everything in nature has a heart).

The Ainu people were conquered and their land confiscated by neighbouring Japan and Russia between the 15th and 18th centuries. Later, in the 19th century, forced them to convert, apply their customs and belong. During the Soviet era, hundreds of Ainu were executed or forcibly relocated. Today, the population and the Ainu language are in decline and there are revival efforts for their traditional culture.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

森の精霊たちと原住民 (4)

コロポックル (又はコロボックル) 〜「蕗の葉の下の人々」

コロボックルは、アイヌ語で「蕗の葉の下の人」という意味を持つ、アイヌに伝わる小人族のこと。

アイヌがこの土地に住み始める前から、この土地にはコロボックルという種族が住んでいた。彼らは背丈が低く、動きがすばやく、漁に巧みであった。又屋根をフキの葉で葺いた竪穴にすんでいた。

昔、コロボックルはアイヌと仲が良く、鹿や魚などの獲物を送ってもらったり、品物を交換したりしていた。しかし、小人たちは人目につくのを嫌い、夜陰に紛れてこっそりと配達していた。

ある日、アイヌの青年がコロボックルを一目見たいと思い、いつも贈り物を差し入れる窓際で待ち伏せしていた。そのコロボックルがそこに何かを置こうとすると、青年はそれを手で掴んで屋内に引きずり込んだ。すると、それは美しい女性のなりをしておりその手の甲には刺青があったという (なおアイヌの婦人のする刺青はこれにならったものであるといわれている)。コロボックルは青年の無礼に激怒し、一族を挙げて北の海の彼方へと去ってしまった。以降、アイヌの人々はコロボックルの姿を見ることはなくなったという。現在でも土地のあちこちに残る竪穴や地面を掘ると出てくる石器や土器は、彼らがかつてこの土地にいた名残である。

[アイヌの歴史]

アイヌ民族は、北は樺太から北東の千島列島・カムチャツカ（勘察加）半島、日本列島北部周辺、とりわけ北海道の先住民族である。アイヌ民族は永くオホーツク海地域一帯に経済圏を有していた。彼らは、熊やオオカミ、さらに水、火、風といった自然の要素に具現化された神を崇拝していた。

アイヌとはアイヌ語で「人間」を意味する言葉で、もともとは「カムイ」(自然界の全てのものに心があるという精神に基づいて自然を指す呼称) に対する概念としての「人間」という意味であったとされている。

Legends and myths about trees

Celtic beliefs in trees (24)

Ss for Straif (Blackthorn) - Samhain/Hallowe'en, opening the veil between this world and the spirit world…

“Mother of the Forest – The Celtic Tree Calendar (Ref), The Beginning of Winter”

Colour: red; Star: Mars, Saturn; Gemstone: black opal; Gender: female; Patron: Morrigan; Symbol: inevitability of death, protection + revenge, discord + insidiousness

Blackthorn forms vigorous young trees from the roots, from which dense, thorny bushes grow in dense clumps. Armed with sharp thorns, which can damage human skin. It already starts flowering in early spring, at the beginning of March, and with the onset of winter it produces black berries, commonly known as 'sloes'.

Samhain is the most important festival in the Celtic world, celebrated on 1st November to mark the beginning of winter and therefore the new year. The name 'Samhain' means 'end of summer'. The seasons change from summer to winter (the time of the dead) with this festival. It is a period of short days and darkness, but it is a necessary period for nature to enter a peaceful rest and welcome the bright spring. In the calendar of agricultural societies, this is an important stage for the germination of crop seeds.

Samhain was the solemn festival, when fires were lit and sacrifices were offered to gods such as Taranis and Teutates. Importantly, it was believed that on the eve of this day, 31 October, a passage between this world and the spirit world was opened, allowing inhabitants from the other world to come and visit this world freely and interact with humans in this world. However, while the comings and goings were sometimes favourable, it was also envisaged to be dangerous.

On the Samhain eve, children went from house to house to collect festive offerings. It was also customary to celebrate Samhain by placing a brightly burning candle inside a hollowed-out turnip at the entrance to the house.

Blackthorn is a tree traditionally used for black magic and witchcraft, and its thorns remind us of our own insidious roots. We must remember that we hurt ourselves and others in many ways. If we think about how to avoid hurting each other and courageously face our own insidious roots, blackthorn can guide us to overcome this dark side of our human nature and help us to return the debts of our hearts.

It also helps us to accept the fact that death is something from which no one can escape.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

ケルト人の樹木の信仰 (24)

SはStraif (ﾘﾝﾎﾞｸ) -サウィン/ハロウイーン、現世と霊界のヴェールを開く…　

『森の母 〜 ケルトの木の暦（参照）、冬の始まり』

色: 赤; 星: 火星、土星;  宝石: ブラックオパール; 性: 女性; 守護神: モリガン; シンボル: 死の不可避性、保護+復讐、不和+陰湿

リンボクは根の部分から活力のある若木を形成し、ここから棘だらけの茂みがびっしりと密生する。鋭い棘で武装したリンボクは密生した藪をつくり、人間の肌を傷つける。３月初旬、早春にもう花をつけ始め、冬の訪れと共に、通称「スロー」という黒っぽい実がなる。

サウィンとは、ケルト世界で最も重要なお祭りで、11月1日に冬の始まり、つまり新年の始まりを祝う。「サウィン」とは「夏の終わり」を意味する。この祭りを境に季節は夏から冬（死者の時期）に変わる。日が短く暗い時期だが、自然が穏やかな休息に入り、明るい春を迎えるために必要な期間である。農耕社会の暦では、作物の種が発芽する重要な時期でもある。

サウィンは最も重要な厳粛な祭りで、火が焚かれ、タラニスやテウタテスといった神々に生贄が捧げられた。重要なのは、この日の前夜、10月31日に現世と霊界を結ぶ通路が開かれ、あの世の住人が自由に現世を訪れ、現世の人間と交流できるようになると信じられていたことだ。しかし、その行き来は時に好ましいものであったが、危険なものであることも想定されていた。

サウィンの前夜には、子供たちが家々を回り、お祝い用のお供えを集めた。サウィンを祝って、内部をくり抜いたカブの中に、明るく燃えたろうそくを立て、家の入り口に飾る風習もあった。

リンボクは伝統的に黒魔術や呪術に使われる木であり、その棘は私たち自身の陰湿な心根を思い起こさせる。私たちは、さまざまな形で自分自身や他人を傷つけていることを忘れてはならない。どうすれば互いを傷つけずにすむかを考え、勇気を持って自分自身の陰湿な心根と向き合えば、リンボクは人間が持つこの暗い側面を克服するように導いてくれ、心の負い目を返上するように導いてくれる。

[Photo above by:  Ossi Saarinen]

Legends and myths about trees

Forest myths, Estonian traditional beliefs (6)

The world of the Estonians’ ancestors – Metsik, the forest elves

Metsik is the elf of the woodlands. According to ancient Estonian folklore, Metsik were wood elves who lived everywhere there were trees, from coniferous woodlands to shallow swamp forests. When Metsik appears to people, they assume the appearance of a bird, a wild animal, or a beautiful tree. A singing bird who truly is Metsik sings songs that humans can understand. They can also understand the language of the aspen tree that rustles in the wind for that aspen tree is Metsik.

If birdsong is heard, it may be a Metsik singing. People can hear Metsik in an aspen tree that rustles in the wind. Metiks are the guardian spirits of the forest. They do not approve of cutting down trees, bonfires and, above all, waste dumping. When people enter the forest with cruel intentions, Metik misleads them away from their sacred home.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

森の神話・エストニアの民間伝承 (6)

エストニア人の祖先の世界 〜 森の妖精メツィク

メツィクは森の妖精である。古代エストニアの民話によれば、メツィクは針葉樹林から浅い沼沢林まで、木があるところならどこにでも住んでいた森の妖精である。メツィクが人々の前に現れるとき、彼らは鳥や野生の動物、あるいは美しい樹木の姿をとる。本当にメツィクである歌う鳥は、人間が理解できる歌を歌う。また、風にそよぐアスペンの木の言葉を理解することもできる。

Legends and myths about trees

Celtic beliefs in trees (21)

E for Eadha (Aspen) - September 21st Autumn Equinox

“Whispering tree, also known as Trembling tree  - Autumn Equinox of the Celtic Tree Calendar (Ref), when moving into darkness”

Star: Pluto, Mercury, Saturn: Gemstone: black opal,; Gender: female; Patron deity: Persephone, Hades; Symbol: listening, overcoming fear + courage, shield, light in the darkness

Aspen trees are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the northern hemisphere, extending south at high-altitude areas such as mountains or high plains.

The aspen is referred to as quaking aspen or trembling aspen because the leaves "quake" or tremble in the wind. This is due to their flattened petioles which reduce aerodynamic drag on the trunk and branches, so that they catch any slight breeze, making the leaves tremble, flutter and make a soft, rustling sound each time they do so. In autumn, the leaves turn bright yellow and sometimes red, and when they fade further and turn black, they fall off.

The ancient Celts believed that the wind was a messenger of the word of the gods and therefore considered anything that was in tune with the wind sacred. The same is true of the aspen tree. The aspen, which has the best ears of all trees, always rustled its leaves in response to the voice of the gods.

However, the aspen, with its close connection to death and the underworld, came to be regarded as a tree of misfortune. In earlier times, corpses and graves were counted with a cane made of aspen named fé, and people were terribly afraid of the calamities that would befall them if they were struck with this cane. The connection with the seasons, rest and rebirth was often overlooked, and many people, cowering in fear, heard only the abominable sound of aspen leaves rustling in the wind. However, the teachings of the aspen are about overcoming the fear of death, the fear of the unknown and fear itself. The aspen was called the 'shield tree' by the Irish Celts, and is said to have been their favourite tree for making shields. This was not only because aspens provided a reassuring shield, but also because they protected us from flinching in the face of the unknown, once we had taken their teachings to heart.

Incense made from aspens is burned continuously during Halloween (Celtic festival of Samhain). Halloween is the time of year when the distance between this world and the underworld is at its closest, and the period that ushers in the new year. Samhain is also the festival of the New Year, which takes place on November the 1st, the beginning of the year, but it is also the festival of the dead. It is believed that during nights between the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, the border with the other world disappears, the souls of the dead visit their relatives, and demons and evil spirits cause damage to crops and livestock.

Ancient Celtic cultures were known to carve turnips or potatoes and place embers inside to ward off evil spirits. That's because Ireland didn't have pumpkins. In England, large beets were used. When immigrants brought over their carving tradition, Americans began carving jack-o'-lanterns from pumpkins.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

ケルト人の樹木の信仰 (21)

EはEadha (ﾎﾟﾌﾟﾗ) - 9月21日・秋分の日　

『ささやきの木、震える木 〜 ケルトの木の暦（参照）・秋分、暗闇に移るとき』

星: 冥王星、水星、土星: 宝石: ブラック・オパール、; 性: 女性; 守護神: ベルセポネ、ハデス; シンボル: 聞くこと、恐怖の克服+勇気、楯、暗闇の中の光明

ポプラ (ｾｲﾖｳﾔﾏﾅﾗｼ‘山鳴らし’) の木はすべて、北半球の北部で夏が涼しく寒い地域に自生し、南は山や高原などの標高の高い地域に広がっている。

ポプラは、葉が風で「震える」ことから、山鳴らしと呼ばれている。これは、幹や枝の空気抵抗を減らすために葉柄が平らになっているためで、どんな微風もとらえ、その度に葉は震え、はためき、さらさらと柔らかな音を立てる。秋になると、葉は鮮やかな黄色に色づき、時には赤くなり、さらに色あせて黒くなると落葉する。

古代ケルト人は、風は神の言葉を伝える使者と信じていたため、風と同調するものは何でも神聖視していた。ポプラの木も同様だ。すべての木の中で最も優れた耳を持つポプラは、いつも神の声に応じて葉をそよがせていたのだ。

ところが、死や地下の国とつながりの深いポプラは、不幸を招く木とみなされるようになった。その昔、死体や墓はフェという名前の、ポプラでできた杖で数えられていたし、この杖で打たれると災難がふりかかると人々はひどく恐れていた。四季、安息、再生との関わりはしばしば見過ごしにされ、恐怖に身をすくませた多くの人たちは、風にそよぐポプラの葉音に忌まわしい声だけを聞き取った。しかし、ポプラの教えは、死の恐怖、未知なるものへの恐れ、そして恐怖心そのものを克服することにあるのだ。ポプラは、アイルランドのケルト人に「楯の木」と呼ばれ、彼らが楯をつくるのに最も好んだ木と言われている。それは、ポプラが単に心強い防具になっただけに留まらず、ひとたびポプラの教えを我がものとしたなら、未知なるものを前にしてもたじろがないように守ってくれたからに他ならない。

ハロウィン (ケルトのサウィン祭)の期間中、ポプラから作られたお香が焚かれ続ける。ハロウィンは、現世と冥界の距離が最も近くなる時期であり、新年を迎える期間でもある。サウィンは、1年の始まりである11月1日に行われる新年の祭りでもあるが、同時に死者の祭りでもある。年末から新年が始まるまでの夜は、あの世との境界がなくなり、死者の魂が親族を訪ね、悪魔や悪霊が農作物や家畜に被害を与えると信じられている。

Legends and myths about trees

Forest myths, Estonian traditional beliefs (5)

The world of the Estonians’ ancestors – Magical objects [first part]

White Ship (valge laev) - mythical ship that brings freedom or takes people away to a better land. This myth was born around 1860 when a small sect led by Juhan Leinberg (also known as Prophet Maltsvet) gathered near Tallinn to wait for a white ship to take them away.

Hat of fingernails (küüntest kübar) - makes the bearer (usually Vanatühi) invisible. In Estonian mythology, Vanatühi ("Old empty one", or alternatively, Vanapagan, "Old devil") is a/the devil or god of the underworld, a giant farmer who is more stupid than malevolent. Vanapagan is the ogre character in Estonian versions of the series of internationally known folktales of the stupid ogre.

Letter gloves (kirikindad) – were believed to have protective or magic powers, especially church letter gloves and the gloves that sailors wore. Letter gloves were (are) decorated with special geometric patterns and narrow red stripes; they have many whispers and spells in them because the crafter used to sing while making, dyeing and knitting yarn.

Letter Belt (kirivöö) - the belt had the most ancient and magical patterns of all the craft items, red woven belts and laces were a common item to sacrifice (they were tied to the branches of holy trees). The belt was tied around parts of body that were sick and, pulled tightly around the waist, to protect and give strength to the bearer.

Sacred stones - the last ice age has left a lot of great stones (erratics) in Estonia. Many of them were considered sacred and people came to them to sacrifice silver, blood, red ribbons and coins and ask for welfare and prosperity. Often, the stones have little holes in them, some of them probably used to place the sacrifice in. The meaning and function of the holes is however still disputed; according to a paleoastronomer they may have had a calendary function.

Travelling forests - when people are mean, greedy and cruel, the forests will leave those places. The most stories about travelling forests are found in coastal areas of Estonia.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

森の神話・エストニアの民間伝承 (5)

エストニア人の祖先の世界 〜 魔法のオブジェ（続き）

白船（valge laev）- 自由をもたらし、より良い土地へと人々を連れ去る神話上の船。この神話は1860年頃、ユハン・レインベルグ（預言者マルツヴェトとしても知られる）に率いられた小さな一派がタリン近郊に集まり、自分たちを連れ去ってくれる白い船を待ったことから生まれた。

爪の帽子（küüntest kübar） - 持ち主（通常はヴァナトゥヒ）を見えなくする。エストニア神話では、ヴァナテュヒ（「老いた空っぽの者」、あるいはヴァナパガン、「老いた悪魔」）は冥界の悪魔または神であり、悪意というより愚かな巨大農夫である。ヴァナパガンは、国際的に知られる一連の愚かな鬼の民話のエストニア語版に登場する鬼のキャラクターである。

レター・グローブ（kirikindad）-特に教会便りの手袋や船乗りが身につける手袋には、身を守る力や魔法の力があると信じられていた。レターグ・ローブには特殊な幾何学模様と細い赤い縞模様が施され、糸を作ったり染めたり編んだりするときに職人が歌っていたため、多くのささやきや呪文が込められている。

レター・ベルト（kirivöö）-ベルトは、工芸品の中で最も古く、魔法のような模様をしており、赤い織物のベルトやレースは、生け贄に捧げるための一般的なアイテムだった（聖なる木の枝に結ばれていた）。ベルトは、体の病気の部分に巻かれ、腰の周りにきつく引っ張られ、持ち主を守り、力を与えた。

聖なる石 - 最後の氷河期は、エストニアに多くの巨石（迷子石）を残した。その多くは神聖なものとされ、人々は銀や血、赤いリボンやコインを捧げ、福祉と繁栄を祈願するために訪れた。多くの場合、石には小さな穴が開いており、そのうちのいくつかは生贄を捧げるために使われたものと思われる。古天文学者によれば、穴には暦の機能があったのかもしれない。

Legends and myths about trees

Celtic beliefs in trees (27)

A for Ailm (Pine) - December 23rd Birth of the Divine child

“The birth of the King of the Flourishing Half Year - The Celtic Tree Calendar” 

Stars: Mars & Sun; Gender: female; Metal: gold; Patrons: Artemis, Ariadne, Rhea, Cybele, Druantia, Dionysus, Bacchus; Symbols: foresight, purity, objectivity, birth

The Ogham alphabet has 5 vowels. The number 5 is the sacred number of the 'White Goddess'. Like all five vowel trees, pine is a female tree. And it is also the first vowel A, the tree of birth.

In ancient Greece, the pine tree was the goddess of the moon and dedicated to Artemis, who was responsible for the birth of children.The birth of Christ is celebrated on 25 December, and the Christmas tree decorated on this day is Norway spruce. The spruce is a member of the pine tree family. Although Christ's birthday is now celebrated on 25 December, it is believed that in earlier times our ancestors celebrated the birth of the Son of God on 23 December.

23 December marked the beginning of the 'Half Year of Light' and the birth of the "Son of God, the King of the Flourishing Half Year", and a gift of the wisdom of our ancestors.

On the winter solstice, druids (Ref2) in Europe lit large bonfires of pine and yew. Around the same time, the festival of the Druid Queen, Druantia, also took place. These large bonfires, which were built on the winter solstice, were passed on to the Yule Log. While the Yule festival lasted, people lit candles on pine trees and decorated them with glittering objects. The Christmas tree is the successor to this custom.

The ancients believed that the pine cones were cleverly guided by magical powers, as they spiralled and followed the same clockwise direction on their trunks as the earth around the sun. Yellow pollen was utilised in the 'money-accumulation spell' as yellow attracts gold. Pine branches are said to prevent evil from entering the house if hung over doors and windows, and old people are said to be rejuvenated if they carry pine cones.

Futhermore, Native Americans put a bag full of pine needles under their pillows on the floor when they have insomnia. In ancient Egypt, doctors in the Pharaoh's service used pine tar and turpentine oil to treat pneumonia.

The ancients learnt from the towering pines the importance of looking at things objectively and from a broad perspective. Pine teaches that you have to be positive about things, correct mistakes immediately and chase responsibility yourself.

So, have a happy Christmas everyone, surrounded by the tree again this year.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

ケルト人の樹木の信仰 (27)

AはAilm (ﾏﾂ) - 12月23日 神の子の誕生、ケルトの木の暦（参照）

星: 火星＆太陽、性: 女性、金属: 金、守護神: アルテミス、アリアドネ、レア、キュベレ、ドルアンティア、ディオニックス、バッカス、シンボル: 先見の明、清浄、客観性、誕生

オガム文字には5つの母音がある。数字の5は「白い女神」の聖なる数字。5つの母音のすべての木がそうであるように、マツも女性の木、そして最初の母音のA、誕生の木でもある。

古代ギリシャでは、マツは月の女神で、子供の誕生をつかさどるアルテミスに捧げられた。キリストの誕生を祝う12月25日、この日に飾るクリスマス・ツリーはノルウェートウヒ。トウヒはマツ科の木である。現在、キリストの誕生日は12月25日とされているが、その昔、祖先は12月23日に神の御子の誕生を祝っていたとされる。12月23日は「光の半年間」の幕開けと「神の子・盛りゆく半年の王」の誕生を一緒の祝う先祖の知恵の産物であった。

冬至の日、ヨーロッパのドルイド（参照2）は松やイチイの大きな焚き火をした。これは、太陽神を冥界から呼び戻し、この世に再生させるためであった。ユール祭が続く間、人々はマツの木に蝋燭を灯したり、きらきら光るものを飾ったりした。それは、生命の源である太陽神の聖なる光を守るためであった。また、その光は暗い冬の間も常緑樹の植物に蓄えられると古代人は信じていたからだ。その習慣を受け継いだのがクリスマスツリーである。

松ぼっくりは、螺旋を描きながら、太陽の周りをめぐる地球と同じように時計回りに幹につくため、魔法の力を巧みに導く存在であると、古代人は信じていた。黄色い花粉は黄色がゴールドを引き寄せるとして「お金がたまる呪い」に活用された。マツの枝はドアや窓にかけると邪悪なものが家の中に侵入できなくなり、老人は松ぼっくりを持ち歩くとして若返ると言われている。

さらに、ネイティブ・アメリカンは不眠症のとき、マツの葉が詰めた袋を枕の下に敷いて床につく。古代エジプトでは、ファラオに仕える医者が肺炎の治療に松脂とテレビン油を使ったという。

古代人は広い視野に立って客観的、長期的にものを見る重要性を、高くそびえる松に学んできた。物事には前向きに取り組み、過ちはすぐに正し、責任は自分で追わなければならないと、マツは教えている。

Tapio – The Finnish god of forests and the hunt

Tapio is a Finnish forest spirit or god in Finnish mythology. Hunters prayed to him before a hunt. His wife is the forest goddess, Mielikki (Ref). He is the father of Annikki, Tellervo, Nyyrikki (the god of hunting), and Tuulikki. Fitting the Green Man archetype, Tapio has a beard of lichen and eyebrows of moss.

Tapio is a major character in Kalevala, the Finnish national epic based on Finnish and Karelian folklore, the hero Lemminkäinen offers him and Mielikki prayers, gold and silver so he can catch the Hiisi elk.

Tapio, the personified forest, was sometimes depicted as being the size of a fir tree, fierce-looking, like a human being in the front, but like a gnarled old tree from behind. Often the forest deity was female, occasionally an especially beautiful woman, who enticed hunters or woodcutters staying in the woods overnight; but he, too, turned out to be a rotten old stump upon closer scrutiny. The various forest deities and spirits were generally capricious in nature and had to be constantly placated by those who were dependent on their favours. Thus hunters made offerings to the deity and made sure they did not break any taboos in the forest, such as making excessive noise or shooting unusual birds that might be the forest spirit in disguise.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

伝説の樹木の神々 (18)

タピオ 〜 フィンランドの森と狩りの神

タピオはフィンランド神話に登場する森の精霊、または神である。彼の妻は森の女神ミエリッキ（参照）である。アンニッキ、テレルヴォ、ニャイリッキ (狩猟の神)、トゥーリッキの父である。タピオは、グリーンマンの原型にふさわしい人物で、地衣類の髭と苔の眉毛を持っている。

タピオは、フィンランドとカレリアの民話に基づくフィンランドの民族叙事詩『カレワラ』の主要人物である。『カレワラ』では、英雄レミンカイネンがヒイシのヘラ鹿を捕まえるために、彼とミエリッキに祈りと金と銀を捧げている。