THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Fig

Lisa Karen Miller

          In February 1857, a massive cast of Michealangelo’s David was delivered to Queen Victoria’s fledgling museum at South Kensington. The Grand Duke of Tuscany, however, had failed to inform Her Majesty of his gift in advance, so its arrival was unexpected, as was its almost 20-foot height.

          She was equally unprepared for its nudity.

          This posed a dilemma for the original Victorian, as modesty was always foremost in her mind. Her entire life was devoted to redressing the balance in the royal realm – so many of her ancestors had been rascals, she felt it her duty always to be decent, moral, and proper.

          In order not to shock feminine sensibilities, Victoria ordered a fig leaf to be cast for the statue.  It hung on two small hooks, and could be put into place at a moment’s notice in advance of any royal or diplomatic visits.

          The fig leaf figures prominently in the Christian origin story – we are all familiar with the iconic images of Adam and Eve wearing them. As they were not supposed to have known they were naked, though, perhaps the leaves saved the blushes of those viewing the images?

          The twin babies Romulus and Remus were saved from drowning in the Tiber by the roots of a fig tree.  Its crown provided shelter as a she-wolf suckled the boys, who would go on to found Rome.

Buddha attained enlightenment sitting under a fig tree, so no tree is more sacred to his followers.

          Kikuyu in Kenya make offerings to the fig tree to communicate with God. Ancient Egyptian Pharoahs believed that after death their souls would encounter a fig tree at the edge of the desert.  The goddess Hathor would emerge from its foliage and escort them to heaven.

          The roots of one Indian species, Ficus religiosa, represent Brahma the Creator, the leaves Shiva the Destroyer, and the trunk Vishnu the Preserver. Hindus believe the goddess Nirantali created people’s tongues from the fluttering leaves of one species, and that another provided their first food and shelter.

          In Greek mythology, the branches of a fig tree saved Odysseus from being sucked into the whirlpool created by the ravenous sea monster Charybdis.   

          In a cautionary tale from French Guyana, a man who had discovered his wife in adultery smeared her and her lover with a magic ointment and threw them from a roof.  From their broken bodies grew a giant strangler fig.  

          Every culture where the fig grows has a story about it. It gives protection, preserves life – and prevents ladies from fainting.

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller