Tradition... Recieve a knife, give a coin...
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The funny thing is - it works..
I knew 2 sisters, identical twins, who firmly belived in this "tradition".
One of them prevailed upon me to buy her wart, so I did.
Her identical twin had cancer and the twin who sold the wart had given her bone marrow.
The twins both had warts.
Both warts disapeared after I bought them!
Make of it what you will.......
Glad to hear their cancer cleared up, but you forgot the part where you now look like a Knatterjack toad... rofl
John...
Placebo. Can be a pretty powerful medicine.
One "healer" I was told to see about warts used the nodules from stalks of grain (dunno what kind, might have been wheat).
Didn't bloody work though. Not unless you count the wart clearing up about 5 years later as working.
I still think it had more to do with the large quantities of alcohol I had on my hands 8 hours a day as a cocktail bartender than it had to do with any old-wives remedy
Placebo. Can be a pretty powerful medicine.
One "healer" I was told to see about warts used the nodules from stalks of grain (dunno what kind, might have been wheat).
Didn't bloody work though. Not unless you count the wart clearing up about 5 years later as working.
I still think it had more to do with the large quantities of alcohol I had on my hands 8 hours a day as a cocktail bartender than it had to do with any old-wives remedy
taken from http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/stories/household-lore.txt
"Knife
In previous centuries a knife was a very personal possession, carried at all
times by its owner and used for hunting and work as well as cutting food. A
steel knife was regarded as being protection against fairies and curses; a house
could be protected by a knife being thrust into the door and a baby protected by
a knife stuck into the headboard of its cradle. A knife could also be thrust
into the mast of a boat for luck, although the word 'knife' was never spoken at
sea.
If two knives are crossed accidentally at the table it means bad luck or
quarrels unless one of the knives is immediately straightened. A knife falling
to the ground means the arrival of a male visitor. A knife with a white handle
could be used to divine whether the inquirer's future spouse would be fair or
dark; the knife was spun round, and if it came to rest with the handle pointing
towards the inquirer, the spouse would be fair; if the blade pointed at them,
the spouse would be dark.
The most common belief about knives is that a knife given as a gift will sever
the love or friendship between giver and recipient; a knife should never be
taken without something being rendered in exchange, generally a penny or other
small coin."
"Knife
In previous centuries a knife was a very personal possession, carried at all
times by its owner and used for hunting and work as well as cutting food. A
steel knife was regarded as being protection against fairies and curses; a house
could be protected by a knife being thrust into the door and a baby protected by
a knife stuck into the headboard of its cradle. A knife could also be thrust
into the mast of a boat for luck, although the word 'knife' was never spoken at
sea.
If two knives are crossed accidentally at the table it means bad luck or
quarrels unless one of the knives is immediately straightened. A knife falling
to the ground means the arrival of a male visitor. A knife with a white handle
could be used to divine whether the inquirer's future spouse would be fair or
dark; the knife was spun round, and if it came to rest with the handle pointing
towards the inquirer, the spouse would be fair; if the blade pointed at them,
the spouse would be dark.
The most common belief about knives is that a knife given as a gift will sever
the love or friendship between giver and recipient; a knife should never be
taken without something being rendered in exchange, generally a penny or other
small coin."
Glad to hear their cancer cleared up, but you forgot the part where you now look like a Knatterjack toad... rofl
I have always looked like this!
I remember that, my Parents used to do the same.
Thanks for the reminder it made me smile.
I agree the placebo effect is very powerful......but the twin with cancer did not know of the transaction........
Coincidence is even more powerful 
Really though, warts often clear by themselves. With twins it wouldn't surprise me if they had very similar immune systems and after catching at a similar time would likewise lose them at a similar time.
I dunno though - so many things it could have been.
Maybe it was even the transaction! Haha.
Really though, warts often clear by themselves. With twins it wouldn't surprise me if they had very similar immune systems and after catching at a similar time would likewise lose them at a similar time.
I dunno though - so many things it could have been.
Maybe it was even the transaction! Haha.
JohnC...
An interesting summary of knife-based superstition.
Can't say I put much stock in things like that, and even if I did I'm not sure I'd risk a knife in a baby's headboard. If it fell out and onto the child...
If anything I doubt that malicious spirits could be warded off so easilly. There's a tradition in Japan where they throw soya beans in the streets to frighten off one of the traditional devils.
Pretty wimpy devils it would seem. Haha.
An interesting summary of knife-based superstition.
Can't say I put much stock in things like that, and even if I did I'm not sure I'd risk a knife in a baby's headboard. If it fell out and onto the child...
If anything I doubt that malicious spirits could be warded off so easilly. There's a tradition in Japan where they throw soya beans in the streets to frighten off one of the traditional devils.
Pretty wimpy devils it would seem. Haha.
I can't remember where I heard this, it might have been around a camp fire somewhere, but I was once told that it had to do with issuing a challenge by throwing down a weapon or a gauntlet.
Presumably giving money in exchange made it clear that it was a transaction rather than a duel.
The version I grew up with just said that if you cut yourself, you would think ill of the person that gave you the knife unless you had purchased it.
Presumably giving money in exchange made it clear that it was a transaction rather than a duel.
The version I grew up with just said that if you cut yourself, you would think ill of the person that gave you the knife unless you had purchased it.
Interestingly when I was researching "legacies of cultural tradition" the "iron knife" and "iron for luck" have some fascinating and quite plausible explanations. The logic of not hagglin over a weapon also makes sense. Think of the modern military humour
"remember - your weapon was built by the lowest bidder"
Red
"remember - your weapon was built by the lowest bidder"
Red
Wayland - hadn't thought of the challenge thing. Interesting point.
Red - where might I have a read about those explanations? Sounds interesting.
Good point about haggling too.
Red - where might I have a read about those explanations? Sounds interesting.
Good point about haggling too.
Twas many years ago. All bound up with (quite logical) explanations of faerie, little people, changelings etc.
Quite happy to type up what I remember or start a new thread if you like?
red
Quite happy to type up what I remember or start a new thread if you like?
red
Assuming it won't take too long, could be interesting to read.
If you can remember the source I'd be happy to do the research myself.
If you can remember the source I'd be happy to do the research myself.
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