Legend: Strawberry

Please see the Introduction To Rabbit Hole Legend A-Z post for information about sources and purpose

Strawberry: Strawberry Fields Forever, also in the photo-collage from "The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics 2" by Allen Aldridge referenced in the Acacia and Ginkgo posts.

"The sacred strawberry is one of the fruits that grew in the Elysian Fields, the resting place of blessed souls. There is also strong Christian symbolism associated with the strawberry plant.

The 3 parts of the leaf are emblematic of the Holy Trinity, and the white flowers stand for the purity of the Virgin Mary and the innocence of Christ. The fruit of the strawberry has neither thorns nor pips and is eaten whole, thereby representing good deeds; the red color symbolizes the blood of Christ. Where strawberries grow at the feet of the Virgin in religious paintings, the plant carries all these different meanings.

The strawberry, in its fruiting stage, is symbolic of fecundity ans sensuality, both being aspects of any seeded fruit that are often overlooked by the Christian church. In the interplay of the sacred and the profane that is an intrinsic part of the allegorical perception of nature, strawberries are symbolic of spiritual development as well as physical sensuality.

There is a legend that mothers whose children have died should not pick strawberries before Midsummer Day, because this is the day the spirits of the dead children are taken strawberry picking. The mothers should leave the fruit for their children.[...]" (ISS)

"The luscious strawberry, with its glorious red flesh and soft, swelling heart-like shape, appears as a dominant emblem of carnal love in the Gothic art of Hieronymus Bosch. His extraordinary triptych, The Garden of Earthly Delights, shows couples biting greedily into the fruit, oblivious to the retributive horrors depicted on the following panel, Hell." (1,001S)

"The strawberry is a berry that is attached to many positive thing through symbolism and folklore. The flowers and berries together symbolize righteousness and spiritual merit in Christian art. The structure of the leaves, being trifoliate, represents the trinity. Pagan tradition echoes this in that the three leaves are thought to represent the three-fold Earth or Mother Goddess.In Victorian flower language, the berry symbolizes perfection and “sweetness in life and character.” It also represents modesty because the berries are often found under the leaves.[...]

In mythology, Strawberries are connected to the Norse goddess of love, Freyja. Also, a Norse legend exists where the spirits of children enter the afterlife by hiding in strawberries that are taken to heaven by Frigga, Oden’s wife." <Source>