Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-09-18
SuPERSTlTlONS OF NINE.
A Number Conspicuous In Ancient and
Modern Speech.

| NumISF conspicuous IN Aucient ana
Modern Speech.
Of all odd numbers the one which
| would seem to be the most conspic-
nous in ancient lore and modern
speech and in illusions of all sorts,
Ehether classic OF vulgar, is g.
Whether this is because it is a null
tiple OF 3, triple trinity, or not
we need not stop to inquire. The
connections in which 8 figures are
very numerous and extraordinarily
varied. Of old there were nine
muses. and also nine rivers in the
internal regions, In classical my
thology We read of nine heavens
and nine worlds, and the hydra had
nine heads.
In medieval times there were
nine "worthies of the world," the
places in this select assembly being
differently allotted BY different au-
thorities, the usual division being
three gentiles, or paynims, three
Jews and three Christians. One Of
the Oldest English games is nine
mems morris. 1t could be played
either indoors or outdoors, on a
folding board marked with the nee
cssary' lines and squares or on
board marked out on field or down
by stones or by cuts in the turf. In
Dorset they still play the game TN
der the name of marnull.
Nine appears frequently in popu-
lar medicine. A Sussex collector
referring to the very common rural
belief in the efficacy of passing a
ruptured child through cleft ash
tree says that the patient must be
attended by nine persons, each of
whom should pass it through the
cleft from west to east. A Perth
kirk session record of 1923 refers
to the preparation of three cakes
for some medicinal purpose from
nine portions of meal contributed |
by nine maidens and nine married |
women. Threads with nine knots
and straws with nine joints are used |
for various healing purposes, while |
nine successive mornings are often
prescribed for the performance Of
certain folklore ceremonies.
The great Lambton worm, one of
the best known of English dragon
myths, had nine eyes and was fed
from the milk of nine cows.
Again, the same number is prom
nent in various common phrases
md proverbs. Nine tailors make
nan. Queen Elizabeth is alleged to
lave oncesddressed a deputation of
eighteen tailors with "Good morn
ng, gentlemen bothp
Every one knows that cat has
line lives, while the "cat" that is
lsed for the castigation of evil
loers has nine tails.
When Mercutio insults Tybalt
nd the latter inquiries, "What
youldst thou have with me?" the
olatile but fiery partisan replies,
Good king of cats, nothing but one
+ yong nine lives" Haywood, the
monger, has the saying, "a
roman hath nine lives, like cat"
yhich will be news to most folk.
Three more examples may be CIV
n from a collection Of applications
f this remarkable number 9 which
not easily exhausted. Possession,
-e often hear, is mine points of the
NV" A person who has paid some
ttention to his or her attire is said ]
Or some inscrutable reason to be !
ressed "up to the nines," while the
lost startling event is bat mine :
avs wonder" The last phrase, !
lough truer now than ever, was ia 6
liliarly used, with many other still :
lrrent forms of popular speech, In '
he days Of Chauces. - ksndsa I
,lnha.