THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Snowdrop

Lisa Karen Miller

          This lovely flower with the late winter bloom once had an ominous association.  It was thought that bringing Galanthus nivalis into the home was very unlucky.  Indeed, even the sight of one growing in the garden foretold a pending disaster.

          The language of flowers ascribes to it more positive virtues, including consolation, hope, and a friend in need.

          The snowdrop has many common names, including Maid of February, Snow Piercer, Mary’s Tapers, Dingle-Dangle, and Candlemas Bells. Candlemas was the 2^nd of February in the Christian calendar, the day candles were given out by the church to provide light for the remaining days of a dark, cold winter.

          The origin tale of the snowdrop comes from Scotland, where Cailleach was the first of all gods and goddesses. She had long white hair and teeth that were rusty, red, and sharp.

          One day she spied a young girl, Bride, walking in a glen.  Cailleach sent a strong gale to make her way harder, but the girl continued on.  Enraged, the goddess swept her away to her mountain home, where she was imprisoned and put to work.

          No matter how hard Bride worked, the evil goddess punished her, because she was secretly envious of the girl’s youth and beauty. One day she gave Bride a brown fleece and instructed her to wash it in the stream until it was snow white.

          No matter how hard she scrubbed, the fleece never lightened. Father Winter happened by and saw her crying in frustration.  He took the fleece, shook it three times, and it was brilliantly white. Bride took the fleece to Cailleach, who shook with rage and instructed her hags to strike the world with frost and chill.

          “Make sure no flowers bloom and no blade of grass survives.”

Now the giant Angus Og, Cailleach’s youngest son, had loved Bride from afar. He borrowed a day from August to combat the winter chill his mother had conjured. In the woods near his mother’s castle, he spied a path of snowdrops.  He followed it, and it led him to Bride – his true bride.

          Cailleach, who had spent all her energy being angry and spiteful, was old and at the end of her days. She simply dissolved as the warmth overtook the land.  Angus Og and Bride ruled as the new king and queen of springtime. They always had a special reverence for the flower that defied winter and brought them together.

          Put snowdrops on your fall bulb planting list, for beauty in the depths of winter.

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller