THE THISTLE.
Ihe origin of the national badge of Scotland—the Scotch thistle—is not at all associated with the donkey. According to tradition, when the Danes invaded Scotland, it was deemed unwarlike to attack an enemy in the darkness of night, instead of in a pitched battle by day ; but on one occasion the invaders resolved to avail themselves of stratagem, and in order to prevent their tramp from being heard they marched barefooted. They had thus neared the Scottish force unobserved, when a Dane unluckily stepped with his foot upon a superb prickly thistle. He gave a howl of pain, which discovered the assailants to the Scots, who ran to their arms, and defeated the foe with great slaughter. The thistle was immediately adopted as the insignia of Scotland. This famous plant was of old sacred to Thor. Its colour, it was said, was derived from the lightning.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZGRAP18920730.2.50.12
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 31, 30 July 1892, Page 772
Word Count
148THE THISTLE. New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 31, 30 July 1892, Page 772
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This material was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries. You can find high resolution images on Kura Heritage Collections Online.
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