APPLE RHYMES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 27 July 1929, Page 9

APPLE RHYMES

In the West Country there still prevails an old custom of blessing apple trees. A jug of cider is emptied at the root of ap. ancient tree; a time-honoured rhyme is repeated, and at its close a gun is fired. There were many forms of apple rhymes —some pious, some superstitious, more nearly akin to magic and charms than to reiigion, and some merely ex'pressions of hope and good wishes. Sometimes tho orchard rite was observed at Christmas sometimes in the spring at blossom time, sometimes in ttye Vautumn just before harvest. There was also a luck rhyme, recited on the plucking of the first apple, which was ceremoniously handed to a young girl, who halved and bit it. If a second apple were gathered before she had done so or before tho recitation was completed, misfortune was sure to follow. , Thus the lines run:— • • •

The fruit of Eve receive and cleave And taste the flesh therein A wholescme food, for man ’Ms good That onco for man was sin. And, sines ’tis sweet, why, pluck aqd eat; The Lord will have it so, For that which Eve did grieve believe Hath wrought its all of woe— Eat the apple! The first mug of cider from the press was sometimes drunk to the health of the orchard, and its lees were cast upon the ground at tho base of the finest or most ancient tree whilo this toast, handed down from no one knows how great antiquity, was repeated:— Here’s to thee, old Apple Tree! Be sure ye bud, be sure ye' blow And.bring forth apples good enow-—. Hats full, caps full. Pockets full, months full, Hearts full and thankful— Hurrah, the Apple Tree! A brief and popular toast for the planting season was this for the setting of a single tree or the first, of an orchard : Hero’s to the Apple! Here’s to the Trsa! Here’s to ih.o King, lads, and here’s jo wo! To the Root— To tho Fruit— * And to ho And to we— Huzzay for the King, and the Farmer and the Tree!