|
Page 1 of 2 It might surprise you to know that there is in fact another equally noble function of food, besides the obvious one of its edibleness. So yes, it's not all about a balance diet here.
Did you know that different people from different countries actually use different kinds of food to ward off evil in their lives? HOOKED gives you a guide to food that can help a chicken (colloquial slang for coward) save his/her soul...
Item: The Garlic
Wards off: Demons, Werewolves, Vampires, Witches, Sorcerers
Possibly, the most famous example would have to be that of the garlic - an acclaimed effective prevention against vampire attacks.
This myth dates back to the ancient times, when the ancient Egyptians believed in a vampire-like ghost that killed sleeping children by sucking up their breath. The repellent used against the attacks of this murderous monster was a wreath of garlic.
Subsequently, Romanians followed suit, starting a custom of eating some garlic every day for their personal protection and smearing garlic on the windows and doors of their houses, on the gates to their farmyards, and even on the horns of their cattle to keep vampires at bay!
Later on, the usefulness of garlic in warding off vampires broadened to include witches and sorcerers, as evident in Serbia where the peasants either slept with a piece of garlic under their pillow or wore a piece of garlic inside a special amulet around their neck.
Believe it or not, to date, even in countries such as China or Malaysia, people smear garlic on their children's foreheads to protect them from vampires!
Likewise, in the West Indies, garlic is still used as a means of protection against the evil practices and magic spells of native witches and sorcerers.
Such caution against vampires comes at a price though. It is said that once, in 1973, in the town of Stoke-on-Trent, an Englishman died from choking on the garlic he had put into his mouth the night before to ward off vampires!
Item: Fennel
Wards off: Evil Spirits, Ghosts, Witches
 
This fragrant hay, belonging to the parsley family, is known for its beauty as much as for its aroma and flavour. The stalks and stems are eaten as vegetables and have a licorice-like taste; the seeds are oval and brown, with a scent and taste sweeter than anise.
In addition to its health benefits and medicinal value, it is also famed for its supposed ability to ward off evil spirits in Medieval England when hung on doors and inserted into keyholes.
Together with St. John's Wort and other herbs, it is used as a preventative measure of witchcraft and other evil influences, especially on Midsummer's Eve - the half-way point of summer when the sun turns southwards again, and witches rumoured to roam freely, on their way to meetings with other evil powers.
Item: The Pumpkin
Wards off: Evil Spirits, including ‘Stingy Jack'
Pumpkins are associated with two American holidays: Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Legend has it that there once lived a man by the name of Stingy Jack. He was a miserable old drunk with an especial fondness of playing tricks on people, including the Devil himself.
One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree on which he had carved crosses. Because of this, the Devil could not descend and Stingy Jack offered to help him only on the condition that he promised not to take his soul when he died. This promise was granted.
Years later, when Jack finally died, he was not allowed into the pearly gates of heaven, because of his earthly mean and miserable ways. He was sent to the dreary space between heaven and hell, where he was doomed to wander eternally.
He asked the Devil how he could possibly find his way out since it was so dark there and the Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of hell to help him light his way.
Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out pumpkin, and had, henceforth, roamed the earth without respite, lighting his way as he goes with the glow offered by his "Jack O'Lantern".
Today, people still hollow out pumpkins and place lights inside to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away from their doorsteps. All Halloween legends seem to agree that the lighting of the lantern helps to keep evil forces at bay.
<< Start < Prev 1 2 Next > End >>
|
