Superstitions

[rstegman]

I am reading through the CASSELL DICTIONARY OF SUPERSTITIONS By David Pickering.

Few of the superstitions mentioned in this book is anything I ever heard of. and half the time each item listed is good and bad luck, depending on the society.

Have you every heard of this?
Have you ever heard about others?


BLACKSMITH
Because the blacksmith works with such mystical things and fire, horses and iron, he has always been regarded as somewhat magical figure himself (according to the Irish, bad luck will never befall anyone who follows that trade). Local legends often speak of ancient standing stones or spectral horses making annual visits to the smithy in the dead of the night, and the blacksmith has often been credited with more knowledge of the supernatural than other men. The blacksmith's anvil is a particular focus of magic, and it was once common for sick children to be taken to the blacksmith so they could be held over the anvil and thus cured of their ailment. In some areas, the patient was laid naked on the anvil while the blacksmith tapped the child lightly with his hammer three times to effect a cure. Blacksmiths were also respected as

[ThomasPowers]

Actually in Scotland anyone could marry by the simple method of proclaiming it in public before witnesses; rather than the more involved english method involving a license, banns, *time*, etc.

The Blacksmith's shop was a public place in the first town over the border---Gretna Green and thus became the proverbial place for elopements to be solemnized...

[David Einhorn]

I am reading through the CASSELL DICTIONARY OF SUPERSTITIONS By David Pickering.... and half the time each item listed is good and bad luck, depending on the society...

It really depends on the country. Since a majority of the world population is not christian, superstitions based on the devil probably do not apply in non-christian areas of the world where they may not have heard about fallen angels.

[pkrankow]

When I was younger and played role playing games, I built a Whitewolf mage character on this principle. I have encountered the concept of blacksmith as a mystical person, but rarely a hero, in the fantasy genera (some of which can be called literature).

Phil

[divermike]

I try to remember to ring the anvil to drive away any bad spirits prior to starting any work, actually I do it out of tradition, but there are some good stories on this site and elsewhere, any time a craft has been as important as this one for so long, traditions and myths are sure to abound. We rang our anvils recently for a southern smith who passed, it grounds me and gives me kinship with bygone smiths, one thing is sure, when I get burned, or cut, I use the water in my quench tub, and it heals just fine!! I hope Vulcan still smiles down on me as I pour out my sweat over yellow iron!!

[thecelticforge]

I remember the older traditions. A blacksmith was honored above all other smiths in Ireland. In some traditions he was the master of life over death, and at the king's feast, he drank first before the king.

[David Einhorn]

Lets not forget our newest superstition/myth: Dragons are born from anvils.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f83/what-sort-anvil-should-i-make-today-14097/