Celtic legend claims the spirits of children who died in childbirth scattered daisies on the earth to cheer their sorrowing parents.

Stunning gold hairpins, each ending in a daisy-like ornament were found when the Minoan palace on the Island of Crete was excavated. They are believed to be more than 4000 years old. Egyptian ceramics are also decorated with daisies.

This daisies' English name was day's eye, referring to the way this flower opens and closes with the sun. And primitive medical men drew the obvious conclusion that it was plainly intended to cure eye troubles. Assyrians crushed daisies and mixed them with oil to turn gray hair dark again.

Marguerite, the French word for daisy, is derived from a Greek word meaning "pearl". Francis I called his sister Marguerite of Marguerites and the lady used the daisy as her device, so did Margaret of Anjou the wife of Henry IV and Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. There is an old English saying that spring has not come until you can set your foot on twelve daises.

King Henry VIII ate dishes of daisies to relieve himself from his stomach-ulcer pain. And a common remedy for insanity was to drink crushed daisies steeped in wine, in small doses for 15 days. Whether this potion is effective or not, well, the jury is out. I do not think there is any scientific research behind it so the author advises not to try if not under doctor supervision (and check the doctor's medical degree if he/she says "go for it".