In some cultures, rabbit legs are brought in as amulets that are believed to bring good luck. This belief is held by individuals in a large number of places around the world, including Europe, China, Africa, and North and South America. This belief may have existed in Europe since 600 BC among the Celtic people. In this superstitious variation, donor rabbits must have certain attributes, have been killed somewhere, killed by a certain method, or by someone who has certain attributes (eg, by cross-eyed men).
Video Rabbit's foot
The charm of rabbit feet in North American culture
The belief in North American folklore probably stems from the African American folklore system known as "hoodoo". A number of limitations attached to the charm that is now being observed are mostly in violation:
- Firstly, no legs from the rabbit will do it: it is the rear left leg of the rabbit that is useful as a charm.
- Secondly, no left foot is left of the rabbit that will do it; The rabbit must have been shot or captured in a grave.
- Thirdly, at least according to some sources, no rabbit's left foot is shot at the grave to be performed: the moon phase is also important. Some authorities say that rabbits must be taken in full moon, while others assume that rabbits must be taken in new moon. Some sources say that rabbits must be taken on Friday, or on a rainy Friday, or Friday the 13th. Some sources say that rabbits should be shot with silver bullets, while others say that the foot should be cut while the rabbit is alive.
Maps Rabbit's foot
Instead of bones from human corpses
The various rituals suggested by the sources, though they differ widely from one another, share the common elements of the extraordinary, and the opposite of what is considered to be lucky and beneficial. Rabbits are the animals in which the changed magicians like Isobel Gowdie claim to be able to change themselves. Magicians are said to be active at the time of the full and new moon.
This highly varied state can share the common suggestion that a really fortunate rabbit's leg is cut from a deformed witch. The suggestion that the rabbit's leg is a substitute part of the magician's body is corroborated by other folklore from hoodoo. Willie Dixon's song "Hoochie Coochie Man" mentions "black cat bones" along with mojo and John the Conqueror: all are artefacts in hoodoo magic. Given the traditional connection between black cats and magic, black cat bones also have the potential to replace human bones from witches. Hoodoo lore also uses cemetery dust, soil from graves, for various magical purposes. Dust from the grave of good people keeps evil; the dust from the tomb of the sinner is used for more evil magic. The use of cemetery dust can also be a symbolic presupposition of parts of the corpse as a relic, and a sympathetic form of magic.
After all, the rabbit's legs are dried and preserved, and carried around by the gamblers and others who believe it will bring them good luck. Rabbit legs, either original or imitation, are often sold by antique shops and vending machines. Often, these rabbit feet have been dyed in various colors, and are often used as key chains. Few rabbit legs carry any warranty of origin, or any evidence that the authors have attempted to comply with the rituals required by the original tradition. Some may be confined to fake fur and "bone" latex. President Theodore Roosevelt wrote in his autobiography that he had been given rabbit feet mounted on gold by John L. Sullivan, as well as penholder made by Bob Fitzsimmons of the horseshoe. Anecdote 1905 also tells that Booker T. Washington and Baron Ladislaus Hengelmuller, the ambassador from Austria, made their coats confused when they were both in the White House to speak with President Roosevelt; the ambassador noticed that the coat he took was not hers when he went to the pouch for his gloves, and instead found "the left hind leg of a cemetery rabbit, killed in the moon's darkness." Other newspaper stories reported the incident, but omitted details about the rabbit's legs.
In addition to being mentioned in the lyrics of the blues, the rabbit's legs are mentioned in the American folk song "There Be Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight", which was once popular in minstrel shows; one line reads: "And you have rabbit legs To keep de hoo-doo away".
Humorist R. E. Shay is credited with witticism, "It depends on the rabbit if you want, but remember it did not work for the rabbit."
See also
- The Rabbit's Foot Company (also known as Rabbit's Foot Minstrels)
- Lucky Charms (disambiguation)
- Fourth leaf clover
- Horseshoe
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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