December: Hellebore
To win a race, the swiftness of a dart
Availeth not without a timely start.
Said tortoise to the swiftest thing that is,
"I'll bet that you'll not reach, so soon as I
The tree on yonder hill we spy."
"So soon! Why, madam, are you frantic?"
Replied the creature, with an antic;
"Pray take, your senses to restore,
A grain or two of hellebore."
From The Hare and the Tortoise by Jean de la Fontaine (1621-1695)
Curious to Learn More about Hellebore? Checkout these Sources!
https://aplacebetweenthetrees.com/2023/12/06/hellebore-a-herbal-history/
https://www.ahpa.org/herbs_in_history_hellebore
https://www.helleborus.de/us/plant-facts/curiosities-and-legends
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/tbt/hellebore-plant-history