has gone by many names, including belladonna, Devil's cherries, Naughty Man's cherries, Devil's Herb, Great Morel, and Dwayberry. It was once known as Dwale. The origin of the word is unknown; one scholar believes it is derived from the Scandinavian word dool, which means sleep. Others believe dwale is derived from the French word deuil, which means grief. The atropain the scientific name refers to one of the Greek Fates, Atropos, who held the shears which cut the thread of human life. Belldonna is thought to refer to the practice of Italian ladies using the juice of the plant to dilate their pupils-this gave their eyes greater brilliancy. However, it could also refer to a superstition which says that the plant can take on the form of an enchantress of great beauty. It is also thought that the priests of the goddess Bellona drank an infusion of the herb before invoking the aid of this goddess of war.
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