The Solstice Evergreen

Explores the origins and spiritual significance of the Christmas tree and its decoration through history, folklore, myths, stories, and period illustrations from around the world.

PREFACE

1

(2)

INTRODUCTION

3

(4)

CHAPTER ONE The Nature of Religion--the Religion of Nature

7

(12)

Why Some Trees Are Evergreen, Cherokee tribe, North America

13

(1)

The Two Pine Cones, Finland

14

(2)

When Your Canary Sings, Hartz Mountains, Germany

16

(1)

Pitys and Boreas, Greece

17

(2)

CHAPTER TWO Sacred Trees and Groves

19

(16)

Leelinau, Ojibway tribe, North America

25

(1)

Rata and the Children of Tane, Maori, New Zealand

26

(2)

The Pine of Akoya, Japan

28

(2)

The Shuralee and the Woodcutter, South Siberia, Soviet Union

30

(2)

Life for a Life, Germany

32

(3)

CHAPTER THREE Evergreen Symbology

35

(14)

The Pine of the Lovers, Japan

42

(1)

The Trees of Faithful Love, China

43

(1)

Cyparissus, Greece

44

(2)

The Old Man Who Made Trees Blossom, Japan

46

(3)

CHAPTER FOUR The Tree at the Center of the Universe

49

(22)

The First Dogs, Aztec, Mexico and Central America

59

(1)

The Juniper Tree, Collected by the Brothers Grimm, Germany

60

(9)

The Tale of Bonchevalier, France

69

(2)

CHAPTER FIVE The Earth Mother and the Dying God

71

(14)

Ivan Sosnovich, Soviet Union

80

(1)

The Dancing Brothers, Iroquois tribe, North America

81

(1)

The Day the Sun Disappeared, Japan

82

(3)

CHAPTER SIX The Death of Pan

85

(16)

Why Evergreens Are Green, Cherokee tribe, North America

92

(2)

The Thunder Oak, Germany

94

(1)

The Old Pine is Blessed, unknown origin

95

(1)

The Singing Fir Tree, Switzerland

96

(2)

Silver Fir Cones, The Hartz Mountains, Germany

98

(3)

CHAPTER SEVEN Rebirth of the Tree

101

(54)

The Legend of the True Cross, Europe, Middle Ages

108

(2)

Lot and the Tree of the Cross, Palestine

110

(1)

Martin Luther and the First Christmas Tree, Germany

111

(1)

The Little Stranger, Germany

112

(1)

The Little Fir at Bethlehem, Sicily

113

(1)

The Christmas Fairy of Strasburg, Germany

114

(3)

The Fir Tree, a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark

117

(10)

Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves, Contemporary retelling of an old legend, country of origin unknown

127

(4)

The First Christmas Tree, Candles in the Window and Mistletoe, retold by Chuck Larkin, United States

131

(5)

The Dancing Christmas Tree, by Julia Arrants, United States

136

(5)

A Tale of Two Touching Trees, by Larry D. Johnson, United States

141

(5)

The Last Christmas Tree, by Howard D. Fencl, United States

146

(5)

Festival of Trees, by Mary Murphy, United States

151

(4)

STORYTELLER BIOGRAPHIES

155

(2)

APPENDIX

157

(4)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

161

(4)

INDEX

165

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The Solstice Evergreen

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials