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Thu 14 Jul, 2005 10:30 am
This morning I was in the garage and a bird flew in, reversed course without landing and flew right back out the back door.
I knew that a bird flying into the house was supposed to represent something so I looked it up on a site of old wives tales. (A bird flying into the house signifies death but I couldn't find anything about if it flies right back out.)
While browsing through the tales I noticed how many of the omens and remedies seemed almost like voodoo - burning and burrying fingernail clippings, feeding hairs to dogs on buttered bread, putting onions under the bed and so on and so on and so on.
I know that voodoo grew out of Vodun, one of the most ancient religions recorded. Could the Old Wives perhaps have ancient origins?
Or maybe I'm way off base.
Do you know who the Old Wives are?
I think they're just a personification of folkways.
So lots of different origins, that have been gathered under that rubric.
My grandma is old and a wife...
what web site are you talking about?
i would love to read some of that
When i was little, and heard the saying "old wives tales', I would picture nuns from 1800's telling stuff to young girls so they wouldnt act up..
The old wives site I was looking at is here:
http://www.corsinet.com/trivia/scary.html.
I suppose it is just a collection of lore but why do they call it "Old Wives" and where/how did these tales originate?
Be careful driving, boomerang. I think your car is going to die.
Eva, you have no idea how much I needed a good laugh but you came through for me anyway!
Ohhhhhh thank you.
I'm in a bit of a rush, but "Old Wives Tales" date back to oral tradition when folk lore and home remedies were handed down from mother to daughter.
"The Authorities" either lived miles away or didn't talk to the peasants.
Well now that makes sense, Noddy. Thank you!
I sometimes chase old wive's tails. Does that count?
Or would that be an entirely different subject?
Gus--
Different subject.
Boomerang--
Back in the 19th century doctors didn't have much science going for them. Many of these men (and they were usually men) had wonderful bedside manners and used whatever worked.
Others were terribly superior about being above folk medicine--willow bark broth, moldy bread poultices, wart hocus-pocus--and very disparaging about the Old Wives.
Midwives were particular targets of ridicule and this ridicule was part of the notion that the process of birth is an illness rather than a natural event.
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