Since times of old, the Aspen tree was seen as the tree of Heroes.  Aspis, the Greek name for aspen, means shield an amongst the Celts its  lightweight wood was indeed favored for making shields, These shields were more than mere physical barriers between warrior and enemy. People thought they had magical qualities to safeguard the bearer from psychic as well as physical harm. Persephone, daughters of Zeus, claimed them to be sacred and was reputed to have a grove of them in the Land Of The Sunset in the west.

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