ORIGIN OF WINE.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3679, 9 October 1880, Page 4

ORIGIN OF WINE.

There is a legend concerning the planting of the grape after our first parents were turned out of Eden, and it ran thus : —" Man was planting the vine, and the devil saw him. Said the devil unto man-

What tree is that thou plantsst ?

And man said unto the devil. 'Tis the Tine tree, the juice of which is palatable to the taste, and the fruit is sightly to the eye. Said the devil, T will help you in planting that tree, and the devil brought five animals;

These animals he. slew, and with the blood of the animals he drenched the roots of the vine; the animals were the lamb, the monkey, the lion, the ass, and the pig, Saith the devil unto manLet man drink gently and moderately of the juice of the vine, and he will be like the first animal, the lamb—gentle and calm : let him keep on drinking and he will become like the second animal, th,e monkey—he will feel larkish, and want to go on the spree ; let him persist still in drinking and he will be like the third animal, the lion—he will fancy he has the courage of that animal, and will want to fight or try to do so. Let him go on drinking and drinking again, and he will become like the fourth animal, the ass —he will make a fool of himself; let him keep it up and go on drinking and drinking again, and he will become like the fifth animal the pig—he will wallow in the mire and mud.

Such, according to ancient mythology, is the origin of wine.