The Daphne thing is an old Greek legend. Apollo, the horny fellow, was chasing her with sexual intent. She was about to be caught so she prayed to her father, Zeus, to save her, and he turned her into a tree. Insert "woody" joke here.
Renaissance artist Bernini (who TOTALLY should have had a Ninja Turtle named after him) did a #$%&ing brilliant sculpture of this. See
https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=...JaSiiAeO64DgBg
for some sample pics.
Or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3RSRrUL1Os
This is my favourite piece of art, evah.