trystinn: (Default)
TrystInn ([personal profile] trystinn) wrote2009-09-21 02:05 pm
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The Harvest Continues - The Folklore of the Egg

Our new ladies have settled in and learned the duck routine without any problem. The gals follow the others in and out of the pen at correct intervals, have explored the yard and all it's little secrets. To say I'm filled with pride is an understatement. Four more eggs this morning, three of which were found outside the pen. Nice, large eggs.

There's some wonderful folklore about the tiny little fairy egg I wanted to share.

In alchemy, the folklore of the egg includes an analogy of the egg as a microcosm of the Elements:
Shell - Earth
Membrane - Air
White - Water
Yolk - Fire

Which is ironic, given that it's the lack of yolk (fire) that seems to beget basilisks and cockatrices. Here's a few of interest:

A chicken egg without yolk may be a sign of bad luck, a cockerel's egg. In other cultures, the oddly small egg without yolk are called Cock's eggs and hold the possibility of hatching into a cockatrice. In England, this egg is called the cent and may hatch a cockatrice or basilisk. The Hautes Alpes believes that a small yolkless egg hatched on Easter will become a flying serpent that brought bad luck. Pliny describes this basilisk in great detail, but skips over the egg. Other country folklore states that these small, yolkless eggs are hatched by old hens and are wind-eggs, which should not be brought into the house for fear of them bringing bad luck.

[identity profile] keastree.livejournal.com 2009-09-21 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
http://www.oedilf.com/db/Lim.php?Word=cock%27s%20egg

Apparently, both Josh and BEM have some work to do in the coming months, as we both have many immature birds starting to lay. LOL.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_%28food%29#Abnormalities

Look at the nutrition info sidebar!

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2009-09-21 09:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Oy, Josh isn't much of a ball thrower. Hope BEM is better.

Yeah, nutrition! :)

[identity profile] keastree.livejournal.com 2009-09-21 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
In The Chicken Health Handbook, page 54, under the heading of 'spontaneous sex change' is a reference to a 'cock' named Basel, burned at the stake in 1474 for laying eggs.

[identity profile] keastree.livejournal.com 2009-09-21 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
And this page is a gold mine of weird egg stuffs.

http://www.poultryhelp.com/oddeggs.html

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2009-09-21 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I sent them a picture of our fairy egg, maybe they will add it to the site. :)

Thanks for the recommendation, what a great site.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2009-09-21 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Whoops, spoke too soon. Mailer daemon, email unknown.

[identity profile] alfrecht.livejournal.com 2009-09-22 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
I guess it's a good thing you ate it, then? ;)

Undeveloped basilisks: OM NOM NOM NOM!

Cockatrice omelettes: Mmmm!

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2009-09-22 01:42 pm (UTC)(link)
My occult community service, apparently, is saving the world from basilisks. Which are, I must admit, amazingly yummy.

[identity profile] wastedmouthfull.livejournal.com 2009-09-22 04:04 am (UTC)(link)
Fire huh?
No movement forward, no passion.
LOVED seeing you guys, hope to see you again.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2009-09-22 01:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Josh and I had a marvelous time, it was truly great seeing everyone. How's the new job?

We're going to try to make it as regular a thing as our schedules allow. :)

[identity profile] schonesleben.livejournal.com 2009-09-22 01:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I always enjoy reading your posts. Because I always come away feeling like I learned something.

[identity profile] tryst-inn.livejournal.com 2009-09-22 02:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I love to share what I'm learning, glad to know folks enjoy it, too.

I'm so intensely curious about this world of ours, I can't even begin to feel like I've got a grasp on 1% but that doesn't mean I'll ever stop trying to learn more. :)