hence marmalade—­gives an etymological explanation of the origin of the word marmalade.  Here is a real folk-etymology.  We must never confuse such myths of folk-etymology with myths arising (on the philological hypothesis) from ‘disease of language.’  Thus, Daphne is a girl pursued by Apollo, and changed into a daphne plant or laurel, or a laurel springs from the earth where she was buried.  On Mr. Max Muller’s philological theory Daphne=Dahana, and meant ‘the burning one.’  Apollo may be derived from a Sanskrit form, Apa-var-yan, or Apa-val-yan (though how Greeks ever heard a Sanskrit word, if such a word as Apa-val-yan ever existed, we are not told), and may mean ‘one who opens the gate of the sky’ (ii. 692-696). {18} At some unknown date the ancestors of the Greeks would say ’The opener of the gates of the sky (Apa-val-yan, i.e. the sun) pursues the burning one (Dahana, i.e. the dawn).’  The Greek language would retain this poetic saying in daily use till, in the changes of speech, Apa-val-yan ceased to be understood, and became Apollo, while Dahana ceased to be understood, and became Daphne.  But the verb being still understood, the phrase ran, ‘Apollo pursues Daphne.’  Now the Greeks had a plant, laurel, called daphne.  They therefore blended plant, daphne, and heroine’s name, Daphne, and decided that the phrase ’Apollo pursues Daphne’ meant that Apollo chased a nymph, Daphne, who, to escape his love, turned into a laurel.  I cannot give Mr. Max Muller’s theory of the Daphne story more clearly.  If I misunderstand it, that does not come from want of pains.

In opposition to it we urge that (1) the etymological equations, Daphne=Dahana, Apollo=*Apa-val-yan, are not generally accepted by other scholars.  Schroder, in fact, derives Apollo ’from the Vedic Saparagenya, “worshipful,” an epithet of Agni,’ who is Fire (ii. 688), and so on.  Daphne=Dahana is no less doubted.  Of course a Greek simply cannot be ‘derived’ from a Sanskrit word, as is stated, though both may have a common origin, just as French is not ‘derived from’ Italian.

(2) If the etymologies were accepted, no proof is offered to us of the actual existence, as a vera causa, of the process by which a saying.  ‘Apollo pursues Daphne,’ remains in language, while the meaning of the words is forgotten.  This process is essential, but undemonstrated.  See the chapter here on ‘The Riddle Theory.’

(3) These processes, if demonstrated, which they are not, must be carefully discriminated from the actual demonstrable process of folk-etymology.  The Marmalade legend gives the etymology of a word, marmalade; the Daphne legend does not give an etymology.

(4) The theory of Daphne is of the kind protested against by Mannhardt, where he warns us against looking in most myths for a ‘mirror-picture’ on earth of celestial phenomena. {20a} For these reasons, among others, I am disinclined to accept Mr. Max Muller’s attempt to explain the story of Daphne.