OCR Text |
Show Mistletoe Kiss Began as Myth Practice Symbolized Expulsion of Evil The origin of the yuletide custom of kissing under the mistletoe is shrouded with some uncertainty, but it is believed that the original practice was symbolical of assurance assur-ance that never again would the mistletoe be used as an instrument of evil, as it was in Scandinavian mythology. The Norsemen believed that Balder, the god who personified the sun, was disliked by Loki, god of mischief. According to the legend, leg-end, Loki planned to destroy Balder, Bald-er, but Frigga, Balder's mother, obtained a promise from all living things that they would not harm Balder. But she forgot to extract such a promise from the mistletoe. mistle-toe. Knowing this, Loki made an arrow ar-row from the mistletoe and gave it to Balder's blind brother, Hoder, ' and told him how to use it. The occasion was a demonstration that all things so loved Balder that nothing could harm him. Hoder did not know the mistletoe would prove a lethal weapon. The arrow killed Balder. Frigga was desolate, but won a promise from Odin, chief of all the gods, that if every living thing would weep for Balder, he would be restored re-stored to life. Frigga had everyone ,weep for Balder but Loki. Disguised Dis-guised as an old witch, he declined to weep. As a result, Odin permitted Balder Bald-er six months of life and six months of death, which explained the summer sum-mer and winter seasons to the old Norsemen. Frigga was given care of the mistletoe so it would never again bring sorrow. |