Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-11-19
Eggs.


The egg was held in great veneratior Inv
the Egyptians, sometimes as symbolising the
regeneration Of the world and sometimes as
an emblem OF the world itself The ancient
Pelslans regarded it in the latter point of view
Orosmades, the creative genius of good, after
he had called mankind into existence, HAVING
mysticay enclosed them in All egg; and for
the possession OF this he maintained an inces.
sant combat with Ahriman, the principle of
malevolenGe or evil. Sir Robert Porter men
lions Il feast of ante. Mohammedan origin
which he saw celebrated in Persia at about
the period OF E,istor. Derius ryjsyiS5irryss
il was customary for friends TO interchange
presents of eggs, typical, as it was supposed,
both OF the creation and the deluge. The
mundane egg was also recognized in Brahmin
ical theology and if this be true that the Hell
lenic worship oil Bacchus was derived fiom III.
dia, we can, in consequence, understand how
il was that eggs was carried in solemn process
sion when the tout atrocities Oi the Dionysia
were perpeuated. Stones, egg shaped, have
been found in the eXcavated chambers OF MIN
rod, as also the figure of person richly APP
pareled, who wears an egg shaped head dress.
The ancient Egg ptians appear 10 have set
great store by the eggs as well as the plumes
of the ostrich; both formed part OF the tribute
they extorted from conquered nations. To
what exact use they put the eggs we have no
paid them and the fact that they were hung
up in the temples, is evidence they were in
some way connected with tile supersitions of
the country. The CUptic Christians nova
days have ostriches' eggs pendent in their
churches, us emblems OF watchtulness, and
occasionally they are pierced to enable the
rope on which the lamp is hanging 10 pass
through them, and thus prevent the rats from
descending and getting at the oil According
Vi.-;.f o,lg HOO,
orally understood to symbols the reSurre
ton and hence probably arose the custom,
which once prevailed in the north OF England
of giving infants, the first time after their
baptism they are sent abroad to visit their
neighbOrs, an egg, some salt, and some fine or
mancet bread. Hence also arose the custom
which still subssts in Russia, and obtained up
to a very late period in many parts OF England,
of faieuds exchanging gifts OF eggs on Easter
these are always or at least most usually
colored, or otherwise ornamented. In Meso
potamia, the native Christian children skin
the egg red, in commemoration OF Christs
blood. In Cumberland, a few years ago, the
bows were wont to entertain themselves by
challenging each other to trial of the
strength OF their respective eggs, and these
being boiled hard. much sport ensued. He
whose egg survived the contest i'll which those
of his competitors were shattered, became en-.
SPOIL but the dignitied and covetable title of
"Cock OF Five or Six, or whatever the mum
Der OF eggs might be which his own had dis
comfitied
The supcrstitons connected with eggs and
their shells are very numerous. 1t is fearful
story, that which Pliny tails of the egg OF The
serpent When laid, by the violence of the
parents Kissing, it is cast up in the air, and
any one lucky enough to catch it before it
fI,,,tr f,fc
all speed, for the angered reptiles will be after
him, and pursue him closely, until he has
placed a broad river between himself and
them. The possession OF this egg will secure
TO its capior the favor OF great men, and sue
cess in suits OF law so much so that Claudius
Caesar directed a noble Roman to be put 10
death only for having carried one of them in
his breast when pleading before the emperor,
and thus unduly influencing the imperial
judgment Pliny himself had seen Que OF
these eggs, which he describes as being about
the size of common round apple. Even
when set in plate OF gold it would not sink
in water, and was known actually 10 swim
against the current OF tream In Normandy
cocks were supposed to have the power OF lay.
ing serpents' eggs but the less imaginative
people of our own Suffolk and Norfolk are
content with stgmatizing COCKS egg as an
abortion. Indeed, SO s.eptical is the turn OF
the English mind, that in an interesting liter
AIRY miscellany, entitled the British Apollo,
published between 1903 and I'LL, propounded
among other queries OF correspondents, such
as, "How old was Adam when Eve was Great
ed 2" Is it lawful to eat black pudding 2" and
the like, we find the important question pro.
pounded, do cocks lay eggs?' 4
Persons knowing in such matters assert that
on no account should one give eggs to a witch,
and that whenever an empty eQQ.shell is
found, it ought to be forthwith broken to bits
"est" as Sir Thomas Browne observes
switches finding it whole, should wckedIy
draw or prick their names therein, and do a
serious mischief" This opinion is as old as
The time OF Persians, when a close relation
was considered to exist between evil spirits
and broken eggs. OF old, in Argue, Norway