READERS WRITE

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From Sue P:

Hi Otto

I saw this on another site and it made me wonder what other superstitions we have about eggs? Like making a changeling laugh by boiling milk in an egg?

(Facebook Dull Men's Club which is a lot of fun random stuff)

"This afternoon, as I was dutifully poking holes in the bottom of the eggshells that I had recenty emptied of their deliciousness, I looked up to see my spouse and kids all looking at me quizzically.

I explained that I was doing it for the fairies, thinking that’d be the end of it. When it wasn’t, I went on to (I thought) remind them about the story of the fairies who were fleeing a bad fairy, for some reason and how they escaped the by sailing away, but the bad fairy couldnt follow them because her egg shell had a hole in it… so now and forever more, when one has boiled eggs you’re supposed to put holes in the bottom of the empty shells.

Or so I was led to believe by my mother, who now can’t remember the story she once told me (but who also still pokes holes in her emoty shells too).

I spent the rest of the evening searching fairy folklore for the stories origin, but could find anything similar."

Hope you are well

Sue

Thanks Sue.

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Here is some folklore about eggs . . .

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From:

https://www.petalumaeggfarm.com/blog/unscrambling-the-spooky-secrets-of-eggs#:~:text=Eggs%20and%20Witches,from%20witches%20and%20malevolent%20spirits.

Unscrambling the Spooky Secrets of Eggs

While eggs may not be as commonly associated with Halloween as pumpkins or bats, they certainly have a fascinating history of being tied to themes of death, rebirth, and the supernatural! The traditions and superstitions surrounding eggs offer an intriguing dimension to the folklore and customs of this spooky holiday. Here are just a few of the egg-cellent stories we found worth sharing.

Egg Charms and Divination

Since ancient times, eggs have been instruments of divination. One popular ritual, especially around Halloween, was the practice of egg white divination. A young woman would break an egg into a glass of water, and the shape the egg white took was believed to foretell her future, from the nature of her future husband to the life she'd lead. This practice was particularly popular in places like Scotland and Ireland, where Halloween was seen as a time when the boundaries between the world of the living and the dead blurred, allowing for glimpses into the future.

Eggs and Witches

European folklore abounds with stories linking eggs to witches. Eggs laid on Good Friday were especially revered, believed to possess potent properties that ward off evil. These eggs were often kept as talismans in homes, protecting inhabitants from witches and malevolent spirits. However, witches were also believed to harness the power of eggs. Tales tell of them using eggs for various magical activities, including divination, crafting potions, and even flying on broomsticks on moonlit nights.

Eggs and the Dead: Rituals of the Afterlife

Across different cultures, the dead haven't been forgotten when it comes to egg-related rituals. Eggs were often placed on graves during particular festivals. This act was more than just an offering; it was a symbol of hope, representing the cycle of life and death and the belief in rebirth. The egg provided the dead with sustenance, aiding their journey into the afterlife, and ensuring they'd find peace.

The Cosmic Egg: Origins of the Universe

The concept of the cosmic egg, or the world egg, is a recurring theme in various ancient traditions. The ancient Egyptians held the belief that the world emanated from an egg laid upon primordial waters by a celestial bird. This idea parallels Hindu mythology, where the golden egg, or 'Hiranyagarbha', floated aimlessly in a void until it split, forming the heavens and the earth. These tales emphasize the egg's representation as the source of life and the mysteries of the universe.

The Terrifying Basilisk: A Halloween Nightmare

One of the more eerie tales linked to eggs is the legend of the basilisk. Stemming from European folklore, this creature, which is sometimes depicted as a rooster with a serpent’s tail, is said to hatch from an egg laid by a seven-year-old rooster. The circumstances of its birth are even more peculiar, requiring the egg to be incubated by a serpent or toad during a full moon. With the power to kill with just a gaze, the basilisk is a creature that perfectly captures the spine-chilling spirit of Halloween.

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From:

https://www.learnreligions.com/egg-magic-and-folklore-2562457

By Patti Wigington

In many cultures and society, the egg is considered the perfect magical symbol. It is, after all, representative of new life. In fact, it is the life cycle personified. While many of us take note of eggs around springtime, because the Ostara season is chock full of them, it’s important to consider that eggs feature prominently in folklore and legend all year long.

In some legends, eggs, as a fertility symbol, are associated with that other symbol of fertility, the rabbit. How did we get the notion that a rabbit comes around and lays colored eggs in the spring? The character of the "Easter bunny" first appeared in 16th-century German writings, which said that if well-behaved children built a nest out of their caps or bonnets, they would be rewarded with colored eggs. This legend became part of American folklore in the 18th century, when German immigrants settled in the eastern U.S.

In Persia, eggs have been painted for thousands of years as part of the spring celebration of No Ruz, which is the Zoroastrian new year. In Iran, the colored eggs are placed on the dinner table at No Ruz, and a mother eats one cooked egg for each child she has. The festival of No Ruz predates the reign of Cyrus the Great, whose rule (580-529 b.c.e.) marks the beginning of Persian history.

In early Christian cultures, consumption of the Easter egg may have marked the end of Lent. In Greek Orthodox Christianity, there is a legend that after Christ's death on the cross, Mary Magdalene went to the emperor of Rome, and told him of Jesus' resurrection. The emperor's response was skeptical, hinting that such an event was just about as likely as a nearby bowl of eggs suddenly turning red. Much to the emperor's surprise, the bowl of eggs turned red, and Mary Magdalene joyfully began preaching Christianity throughout the land.

In some Native American creation tales, the egg features prominently. Typically, this involves the cracking of a giant egg to form the universe, the earth, or even gods. In some tribes of America’s Pacific northwest region, there is a story about thunder eggs–geodes–which are thrown by the angry spirits of the high mountain ranges.

A Chinese folk tale tells of the story of the formation of the universe. Like so many things, it began as an egg. A deity named Pan Gu formed inside the egg, and then in his efforts to get out, cracked it into two halves. The upper portion became the sky and cosmos, and the lower half became the earth and sea. As Pan Gu grew bigger and more powerful, the gap between earth and sky increased, and soon they were separated forever.

Pysanka eggs are a popular item in the Ukraine. This tradition stems from a pre-Christian custom in which eggs were covered in wax and decorated in honor of the sun god Dazhboh. He was celebrated during the spring season, and eggs were magical things indeed. Once Christianity moved into the region, the tradition of pysanka held fast, only it changed so that it was associated with the story of Christ’s resurrection.

There’s an old English superstition that if you’re a girl who wants to see who your true love is, place an egg in front of your fire on a stormy night. As the rain picks up and the wind begins to howl, the man you will marry will come through the door and pick up the egg. In an Ozark version of this story, a girl boils and egg and then removes the yolk, filling the empty space with salt. At bedtime, she eats the salted egg, and then she will dream about a man bringing her a pail of water to quench her thirst. This is the man she will marry.

Another British tale was popular among sailors. It suggested that after you eat a boiled egg, you should always crush up the shells. Otherwise, evil spirits–and even witches!–could sail the seven seas in the shell cups, and sink entire fleets with their sorcery and magic.

In American folk magic, eggs appear regularly in agricultural stories. A farmer who wants to “set” his eggs under broody hens should only do so during the full moon; otherwise, most of them won’t hatch. Likewise, eggs carried around in a woman’s bonnet will provide the best pullets. Eggs placed in a man’s hat for safekeeping will all produce roosters.

Even the eggs of certain birds are special. Owls’ eggs are said to be a sure cure for alcoholism, when scrambled up and fed to someone with a drinking problem. Dirt found under a mockingbird’s egg can be used to alleviate sore throats. A hen’s egg which is too small to bother with cooking can be tossed on the roof of your house, to “appease the witches,” according to Appalachian folklore. If a woman tosses an egg shell into the fire on May Day–Beltane–and sees a spot of blood on the shell, it means her days are numbered.