Joseph Bedier, The Romance of Tristan and Iseult
Of course, without the magic potion prepared by the mother of Isolde, the evergreen love affair would probably not have happened at all. That is why a lot of us might doubt the sincerity of the the mutual feeling that captured Tristan and Isolde had they been deprived the magic of the potent liqueur.
However, hawthorn and buttercup may not only visually symbolise the eternal love. Hawthorn has been known for its medicinal properties affecting weak hearts. Buttercup is...poisonous, no wonder, it is commonly called devil-on-all-sides. Maybe Isolde's mother combined the two and created the mixture that was responsible for the love affair of all time? Nobody knows. I only hope no one is going to try to prepare their own potion using hawthorn and buttercup flowers. I am sure it will not work. What will work though, is a long walk along a forest line where hawthorn bushes do grow and then down the meadows covered with the yellow blanket of buttercup blossoms. If you crave for more, you can always listen to the beautiful ballad about Tristan and Isolde sung by Leszek Długosz or the famous piece form the opera by Richard Wagner. After such a walk nobody needs any magic potions, that is for sure!