y to stay by all winter, not minding the cold so there be
plenty of food.

*****

It is worthy of note that the robin and the red cedar have the
same range.

I do not blame the red men for holding the cedar sacred and
ascribing to it certain mystic powers. They burned cedar twigs as
incense in some of their sacred ceremonies, and surely they could
have found no finer aroma. Some of tribes always set a cedar pole
for the centre of their ghost dance, and they gave the tree an
untranslatable name which referred to power, mystery and
immortality. The Dakotas burned cedar to drive away ghosts, and in
the lodge at night when anyone lay sick there was always a fire of
cedar wood to protect from evil spirits. Often a cedar bough lay
across the door of the lodge. It is thus that we ourselves hang up
horseshoes.

On the continent of Europe, I am told, the juniper, which is a
very close relative of our red cedar, is held in great veneration.
Tradition has it that it saved the life of the Madonna and the
infant Jesus when they fled into Egypt. In order to screen her son
from the assassins employed by Herod, Mary is said to have hidden
him under certain plants and trees which received her blessing in
return for the shelter they afforded. Among the plants thus
blessed the juniper has been peculiarly invested with the power
and privilege of putting to flight the spirits of evil and
destroying the charms of the magician. Thus, even to this day, the
stables in Italy are preserved from demons and thunderbolts by
means of a sprig of juniper.

But the lowly juniper is not the only famous relative of our red
cedar at home or abroad. Closely allied to it are the biggest
trees in the world, famous as descendants from a far-distant age,
yet still living and green. These are the "big trees" of the
Pacific Coast, the Sequoia gigantea, which are indeed trees vastly
to be marvelled at for their size and to be venerated for their
age and virility, but never to be loved so well as our dignified
and beautiful friend of the hillside pastures.

Abroad, the cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus libani, which Solomon
glorified in his song, is an allied species, and so is the
cypress, celebrated in song and story since the beginnings of
time. The gopher wood of which Noah is said to have built his ark
is believed by many to have been cypress, and, like the red cedar,
Cupressus sempervirens is known to live to a very great age. Many
instances might be cited