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throughout the more temperate parts of Sweden。 Thus one of the two main incidents of Balder's myth is reproduced in the great midsummer festival of Scandinavia。 But the other main incident of the myth； the burning of Balder's body on a pyre； has also its counterpart in the bonfires which still blaze； or blazed till lately； in Denmark； Norway； and Sweden on Midsummer Eve。 It does not appear； indeed； that any effigy is burned in these bonfires； but the burning of an effigy is a feature which might easily drop out after its meaning was forgotten。 And the name of Balder's balefires （Balder's Balar）； by which these midsummer fires were formerly known in Sweden； puts their connexion with Balder beyond the reach of doubt； and makes it probable that in former times either a living representative or an effigy of Balder was annually burned in them。 Midsummer was the season sacred to Balder； and the Swedish poet Tegner； in placing the burning of Balder at midsummer； may very well have followed an old tradition that the summer solstice was the time when the good god came to his untimely end。
Thus it has been shown that the leading incidents of the Balder myth have their counterparts in those fire…festivals of our European peasantry which undoubtedly date from a time long prior to the introduction of Christianity。 The pretence of throwing the victim chosen by lot into the Beltane fire； and the similar treatment of the man； the future Green Wolf； at the midsummer bonfire in Normandy； may naturally be interpreted as traces of an older custom of actually burning human beings on these occasions； and the green dress of the Green Wolf； coupled with the leafy envelope of the young fellow who trod out the midsummer fire at Moosheim； seems to hint that the persons who perished at these festivals did so in the character of tree…spirits or deities of vegetation。 From all this we may reasonably infer that in the Balder myth on the one hand； and the fire…festivals and custom of gathering mistletoe on the other hand； we have； as it were； the two broken and dissevered halves of an original whole。 In other words； we may assume with some degree of probability that the myth of Balder's death was not merely a myth； that is； a description of physical phenomena in imagery borrowed from human life； but that it was at the same time the story which people told to explain why they annually burned a human representative of the god and cut the mistletoe with solemn ceremony。 If I am right； the story of Balder's tragic end formed； so to say； the text of the sacred drama which was acted year by year as a magical rite to cause the sun to shine； trees to grow； crops to thrive； and to guard man and beast from the baleful arts of fairies and trolls； of witches and warlocks。 The tale belonged； in short； to that class of nature myths which are meant to be supplemented by ritual； here； as so often； myth stood to magic in the relation of theory to practice。
But if the victimsthe human Balderswho died by fire； whether in spring or at midsummer； were put to death as living embodiments of tree…spirits or deities of vegetation； it would seem that Balder himself must have been a tree…spirit or deity of vegetation。 It becomes desirable； therefore； to determine； if we can； the particular kind of tree or trees； of which a personal representative was burned at the fire…festivals。 For we may be quite sure that it was not as a representative of vegetation in general that the victim suffered death。 The idea of vegetation in general is too abstract to be primitive。 Most probably the victim at first represented a particular kind of sacred tree。 But of all European trees none has such claims as the oak to be considered as pre…eminently the sacred tree of the Aryans。 We have seen that its worship is attested for all the great branches of the Aryan stock in Europe； hence we may certainly conclude that the tree was venerated by the Aryans in common before the dispersion； and that their primitive home must have lain in a land which was clothed with forests of oak。
Now； considering the primitive character and remarkable similarity of the fire…festivals observed by all the branches of the Aryan race in Europe； we may infer that these festivals form part of the common stock of religious observances which the various peoples carried with them in their wanderings from their old home。 But； if I am right； an essential feature of those primitive fire…festivals was the burning of a man who represented the tree…spirit。 In view； then； of the place occupied by the oak in the religion of the Aryans； the presumption is that the tree so represented at the fire…festivals must originally have been the oak。 So far as the Celts and Lithuanians are concerned； this conclusion will perhaps hardly be contested。 But both for them and for the Germans it is confirmed by a remarkable piece of religious conservatism。 The most primitive method known to man of producing fire is by rubbing two pieces of wood against each other till they ignite； and we have seen that this method is still used in Europe for kindling sacred fires such as the need…fire； and that most probably it was formerly resorted to at all the fire…festivals under discussion。 Now it is sometimes required that the need…fire； or other sacred fire； should be made by the friction of a particular kind of wood； and when the kind of wood is prescribed； whether among Celts； Germans； or Slavs； that wood appears to be generally the oak。 But if the sacred fire was regularly kindled by the friction of oak…wood； we may infer that originally the fire was also fed with the same material。 In point of fact； it appears that the perpetual fire of Vesta at Rome was fed with oak…wood； and that oak…wood was the fuel consumed in the perpetual fire which burned under the sacred oak at the great Lithuanian sanctuary of Romove。 Further； that oak…wood was formerly the fuel burned in the midsummer fires may perhaps be inferred from the custom； said to be still observed by peasants in many mountain districts of Germany； of making up the cottage fire on Midsummer Day with a heavy block of oak…wood。 The block is so arranged that it smoulders slowly and is not finally reduced to charcoal till the expiry of a year。 Then upon next Midsummer Day the charred embers of the old log are removed to make room for the new one； and are mixed with the seed…corn or scattered about the garden。 This is believed to guard the food cooked on the hearth from witchcraft； to preserve the luck of the house； to promote the growth of the crops； and to keep them from blight and vermin。 Thus the custom is almost exactly parallel to that of the Yule…log； which in parts of Germany； France； England； Serbia； and other Slavonic lands was commonly of oak…wood。 The general conclusion is； that at those periodic or occasional ceremonies the ancient Aryans both kindled and fed the fire with the sacred oak…wood。
But if at these solemn rites the fire was regularly made of oakwood； it follows that any man who was burned in it as a personification of the tree…spirit could have represented no tree but the oak。 The sacred oak was thus burned in duplicate； the wood of the tree was consumed in the fire； and along with it was