Alchemy is the ancient mystical art of transmutation and is seen as the forerunner of modern chemistry and metallurgy. 'The Philosopher's Egg' was the name given to the crucible in which Alchemists hoped to be able to produce the 'Philosopher's Stone' - the substance which could turn all other metals into gold or silver. It was shaped like an egg and for special reasons. The egg has symbolic associations with the four elements all necessary in the transmutation process for alchemists:

In China eggs which are reputed to be one thousand years old are highly prized (although the age span label is questionable) are preserved for six-ten weeks with a coating of clay ashes, lime and salt. The chemicals in the clay will soak into the shell and when removed will have a smooth creamy texture and firm consistency. The 'Thousand Year Egg' is usually translucent, and coloured blue or green with a bright green yolk typically. Having a slightly fishy taste it is usually served at the beginning of a meal, and having half an egg is usually sufficient as they are extremely rich. There is a traditional practice associated with ensuring good luck will come to female offspring in Chinese traditional beliefs. It is said that to announce the forthcoming birth of a child it is customary for the family to paint eggs bright red in colour, this being the colour associated with happiness. In the Chinese culture the egg is the most important symbol of life and re-birth (See Mystical WWW Cosmic Egg Creation Myths & Beliefs)

The tradition of giving eggs in Russia was not restricted to Easter but for many occasions. Indeed it was known historically for Aristocratic ladies to keep their hands cool by holding eggs made of jade or marble. One Russian folk tale tells that a young man faithful to his fathers dieing wish distributed many eggs on his way to church on Easter Sunday to the poor. At the door of the church the young man met an old man. He gave the man his last egg and then realized that the old man was Christ himself. 'Nest eggs' are decorated wooden eggs-within-eggs, were also given to children in Russia (these are similar to the famous 'Matrioska' dolls). The term 'nest egg' is now familiar in the West too and applies to a sum of money which has been saved to be spent on something special in the future. A nest egg is typically made for a child by the parents and given on a special occasion, for example an eighteenth or twenty-first birthday, or wedding, or saved for a particular item or retirement.

Some of the most highly decorated Russian eggs were made by the European court jeweler 'Carl Faberge' during the end of the nineteenth-century and into the early 1900's. He was the son of a Swiss immigrant to Russia and his work for the Romanovs, Russia's imperial ruling family, is internationally known. At their request, he and his highly skilled craftsmen would create jeweled eggs to be given as presents amongst the family for Easter and also other celebrations. Each was made from precious materials, gold, crystals, porcelain and priceless stones with concealed springs. When the spring was released, the contents of the eggs would reveal wondrous surprises. Amongst the most well known are the eggs which concealed clocks, birds that sang, baskets of flowers, larger stones, lockets and even replicas of coaches or palaces. Faberge's ingenuity seemed to know no ends. One egg contained a beautiful globe which was also a clock covered in the most beautiful gems but the 'Orange-tree' egg presented to the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna by Tsar Nicholas II is one of the most exquisite. Trying to find the way to open the egg was intriguing. Usually the key to open the egg would be found by pressing one of the jewels which would be disguised as something else.

Did you know that the word 'cockney' is Middle English for 'cock's egg'? It is thought to stem from the fact that country folk believed at one time that townsfolk were malnourished and lived mainly on cock's eggs. Of course cockerels do not lay eggs but the townsfolk were thought to have eaten the white lump which could be found inside the cockerel which resembled a small white egg, and hence their poor reputation. Cockney is also the generic name given to people from the East-end suburb of London (UK) who are well-known for their 'cockney rhyming slang', for example 'apple and pears' meant 'stairs', 'currant bun' meant 'sun' and so on.

Even in the twentieth-century eggs have been highly prized but perhaps the reasons are slightly different. In Germany, in 1918, for example, eggs were so difficult to find after World War I that to buy one it was necessary to have a doctor's prescription.

Eggs have a number of positive and negative associations according to folklore too, particularly chicken eggs. According to an old English (UK) belief the tenth egg in a batch will always be the largest, whilst to find a small egg will bring misfortune. Collecting the eggs after nightfall is not advised but if you wish to find out whether someone thinks highly of you taking a hard-boiled egg, removing the yolk, putting salt in its place and eating only this for supper will help you dream of that special person.

Eggs that have no yolk were considered to be very unlucky as they are traditionally believed to be laid by the cockerel, whilst an egg with a double-yolk was said to indicate an imminent death in the family. Sailors were also advised not to mention the egg by name but by the term 'roundabout' to avoid misfortune at sea. Poking a hole by accident in the bottom of the shell after eating a hard-boiled egg though is considered to be very lucky, but never throw the shell on a fire or the hen will never lay again and a storm may brew at sea. The Scots (UK) believe that crushing the shell is the best way to avoid any negative events happening. The Scots also believed that witches would collect up any shells left whole and use them to sail out to sea in order to sink the ships. This belief is thought to stem back to Roman times. The Japanese traditionally thought it also unlucky for a woman to step over an eggshell as this would cause her to become confused and agitated to a state of what was called madness.

Eggs were also given to babies traditionally in the North of England (UK). Friends, relatives and parents would give the gift of an egg, matches, bread, silver coins and a pinch of salt wrapped in a small packet, to the baby pinning it to their clothing. This was believed to bring good luck, health and prosperity to the child. The egg symbolized fertility and immortality; the matches would provide light on the way to heaven/afterlife; bread symbolized the necessities of life and salt symbolized health in mind and body. Different combinations of these gifts were given, with salt and fire also believed to have a further positive influence providing protection against negative energies.

Yet many have forgotten where the custom of exchanging eggs to family and friends has come from. The actual origin of giving eggs is generally believed to stem from Pagan traditions, and it is also believed by some that the word 'Easter' derives from the old Saxon language word 'Oster' meaning 'to rise'.

The rising and rebirth of the sun on Easter day was a time of much celebration and dancing (See Mystical WWW Morris Dancing) in an old Aryan belief but only because the sun rose and not for any other reason. To commemorate the rising of the sun on this day, red and gold eggs were exchanged as eggs symbolized the birth of the new sun, again linking together the various Creation myths associated with the egg. The Pagan goddess 'Eastre' or 'Eostre' (Spring or Dawn) is thought by some to have been the reason why the festival received the name 'Easter'. The rebirth of spring and all things growing after winter was a reason for great celebration in the Pagan world. Eostre's favourite animal was the 'hare', and there have long been associations between the hare and Easter, although latterly most people tend to associate the rabbit with Easter (hence 'Easter Bunnies' can often be found sold commercially at this time). The hare in Pagan animal mythology represented love, growth and fertility which ties in very obviously with Easter Bunnies, the beginning of spring and new relationships. (See Mystical WWW Mystical Animals & Folklore of the Easter Hare).

More on Easter

According to tradition, in the former Czechoslovakia and Hungary young girls would decorate eggs for their sweethearts, intending to give the eggs as a token of their love and admiration rather than for religious reasons. Obviously the man who receives a number of eggs at Easter is popular but he is also considered to be a handsome catch. A girl can, if she wants, give more than one egg to raise the stakes in the love match. Why? Well her chances of gaining him as a future husband are higher as the young man having received the eggs will then store them for a length of time (which he can decide). When he feels the time is right, he must look again at the eggs and see which egg has retained the strongest colouring. Whichever girl gave him the egg that is the most colourful egg when he looks at the eggs again will become his betrothed, as it is clear that if the colour has not faded during this time then her love is true and will not fade also.

The Alsatians have a different approach to celebrating this time of year and on how to go about building relationships. The girls decorate the eggs and then wait for the men to come and collect them, but there is a catch. Not all the eggs may be collected and a girl may be left with a number of eggs having received no callers. Although the idea of someone collecting the egg from you is a very different approach to the Western custom of giving the intention behind the exchange remains the same - a love token.

Perhaps it is the combination of all these traditions through time that produce today's Easter egg exchange amongst most as an act of kindness.

Easter is a time when people around the world exchange eggs, usually to indicate a religious significance or because of friendship. Most are made from delicious chocolate or carved of wood (to make the moment of sharing last). Some eggs are prettily decorated and packaged whilst others carry inscriptions, poetry, and short messages but what is the significance of the messages written upon the egg? (See Mystical WWW Easter Egg Traditions and Messages). Some believe that the tradition of decorating eggs can be traced back to the birth of Christ when it is said that the Virgin Mary painted eggs green, yellow and red to entertain and delight the infant Jesus.

It is has been a long tradition that lovers exchange eggs at this time of year with eggs carrying personal messages, but of course not all the messages indicate that the relationship is one that is going to stand the test of time. Some believe that to exchange eggs between lovers indicates that a betrothal is imminent, but if a young man in the Tyrol receives a pair of eggs from his sweetheart at the same time he knows that she has transferred her affections elsewhere. If this is the case, it is said that he should smash the eggs on the floor, not only to symbolically signify the heartbreak which may result but also to end the emotional and spiritual ties that have bound them together so they are both free to make new associations.

There are many ways of decorating eggs with a range of natural substances and colours which can be applied to your very own design. The best egg to decorate is reputed to be a white hen's egg, and the best tool to use to inscribe a message on the egg is an old-fashioned school pen nib. Natural dyes can be obtained from a range of flowers and vegetables, with the skin of an onion being one of the best. Take the peel and leave it soaking in tepid water for several days before boiling the egg in the onion water. The same process can be applied to two other very good natural dyes, beetroot and birch leaves, which remember, can also be mixed to make your own special colour. Be sure to leave a few weeks to make your special Easter egg decoration. One particular traditional decoration symbolizes the Resurrection, and immortality, and it is to soak a reed in rainwater and then let it dry. As it dries you will see that it turns green. The general rule is that there is no rule to decorating an egg. Be creative, think about your own special message or adopt a traditional one, then get together all the bits and pieces you need. A personalized Easter egg is often so much more rewarding for all the people concerned.

Of course if you are lucky enough to own an Araucana Hen you may decide not to decorate the egg as the hen lays eggs which are either blue, pink or green. A very unique bird!

By taking an Easter egg into a church, it is said that a male can discover whether there is any negative energies present and also the identity of any witch inside the church. Should there be any witches in the congregation their true identity will be revealed to him. He will recognize the women who are witches it is said by the fact that they will have pieces of pork in their hands rather than prayer books, and instead of bonnets each witch will have a milk pail on their head!

There are many renowned traditional Western Easter dishes associated with this festival, the most popular ones being 'Pancakes' served on Shrove Tuesday and 'Scrambled Egg Bentinck' which is traditionally served on Easter Sunday.

Popular Traditional Easter Egg Messages.

(The sentiment as you can see varies according to the intention!)

It is said that if a girl wants to find out who she will marry one method is to boil an egg and then fast for a day. After doing this she should extract the hard-boiled yolk and fill the hole left in the egg-white with salt. Whilst reciting an incantation to St. Agnes the girl must eat the whole egg - white, salt and shell - everything! Having done that, the next male the girl sees will be the person she is to marry, but beware! If the girl has a drink before sunrise, no matter how thirsty she is, the identity of her future husband will not be revealed to her.

Meeting a rival band of Pace-eggers could lead to a lot of competitive friendly exchanges or 'egging', with the passing of witty jibes between the groups with occasional attempts made to steal the eggs. Perhaps this is where the expression 'to egg someone on' originated from. Sometimes the groups would also have wooden swords that could also be used to poke friendly fun at the rival group. The sword is said in England to relate to St. George who is traditionally seen as protector of justice (See Mystical WWW Morris Dancing). It has been known for Pace-eggers to walk away with a couple of 'scratches' when the exchanges have become a little too over-enthusiastic as you might expect! Today Pace-egging is still common place in some communities.

Egg Tapping

The second game is short but does allow those with rather wackier tendencies to let go and expel any negative energies that have pent up. For children or adults, the idea is to take a fresh egg and bash it against their opponent's forehead. There is no prize, it's just the enjoyment of taking part. If you're a masochist of course you could engage in the solo sport by smashing it against your own forehead. And why not!

Egg Rolling

How the hare saved Noah

Special eggs

Hares lay eggs?

Eggs have been used in a range of remedies for different types of sickness whilst also being seen as wonderfully tasty and highly prized delicacies.

Bile
Take the yolk of a newly-laid egg and some honey with a little wheat flour and mix them together. Spread the mixture on a rag and lay it on when cold.

Rheum (for the eyes)
Roast an egg and then cut out the yolk. Take a spoonful of cumin seed and a handful of bear's foot; bruise them gently and put them into the hole of the white of egg. Lay this on the neck by binding it to the neck for twenty-four hours. Repeat the process.

Cholic
Take the white of four -five eggs and beat them. Spread the egg on a piece of leather and then sprinkle a spoonful of pepper and a spoonful of ginger over the egg. The ginger should be beaten and sifted finely. Take the piece of leather and place this over the navel.

The Legendary History

Two cowboys were lost out on the prairie and in desperate need of water and food. One of the cowboys began to suffer from exhaustion and delirium declaring that more than anything else he craved oysters. Whilst continuing to stumble on across the prairie his companion began to fear the worse for his friend but just as the delirious man was on the point of giving up fortune smiled upon them as his friend came upon an abandoned bird's nest full of eggs. He immediately gave these to his friend who in his pathetic state believed the eggs to be oysters and ate them. After swallowing the eggs whole he fell into a contented sleep. When he awoke it was as though he had miraculously been cured of his temporary sickness as his health and wits seem to be regained. The two cowboys were able to press on until they successfully concluded their journey.

In case you find yourself in desperate need of the recipe here it is but please remember it is only recommended as a cure for the dreaded hangover blues.

The Prairie Oyster Recipe
1 egg
Worcestershire sauce
Vinegar
Tabasco sauce
Salt & Pepper

'The Birds' : Aristophanes

Extract revealing 'The Birth of Eros'

'There was Chaos at first, and Darkness, and Night,
And Tartarus vasty and dismal;
But the Earth was not there, nor the Sky, nor the Air,
Till at length in the bosom abysmal
Of Darkness an egg, from the whirlwind conceived,
Was laid by the sable plumed Night.
And out of that egg, as the seasons revolved,
Sprang Love, the entrancing, the bright,
Love brilliant and bold, with his pinions of gold,
Like a whirlwind, refulgent and sparkling.'

'Basilisk', also known as a 'Cockatrice' or 'Basilicoc', are strange and dangerous beasts according to classic mythology taking the form of serpents normally but are also known to be half serpent and half cockerel. The basilisk were believed to be hatched from eggs by a toad that have been laid by a seven year old cockerel (See Mystical WWW Mystical Birds : Cockerel). These creatures were thought to be the offspring of the Devil. Due to these associations it was traditionally thought to be a highly prized creature, especially for sorcerers. The basilisk was reputed to be able to kill anything by simply breathing upon it or by looking at it. In 1474, in Basle, a cockerel that was thought to have laid such an egg. It was tried and convicted of sorcery, then burnt at the stake along with the egg.

In 1538, a 'cockatrice' was reputed to have hatched in the cellars of Wherwell Priory, Hampshire (UK), and is said to have devoured several people before being destroyed. A weathercock was made in its image and placed on the church spire as a warning to the Devil.

According to Japanese mythology, the 'Tengus' is a tireless and malicious goblin-like creature that lives deep in the forests. Some are shaped like men, others have egg-shaped heads and are also hatched from eggs. The chief tengu, it is reputed, willfully broke Buddha's laws but was forgiven after completing a penance.

The moral : the man had not only lost his source of riches but an extremely valuable friend all because of his selfish greed.

'Humpty Dumpty'

Most people will know Humpty Dumpty as a human egg but may not know how and why he became so popular. There is one main theory but others have included for a broader overview.

During the reign of King Charles 1 the Royalists were garrisoned at Oxford, in England. The Civil War between the Royalists and Roundheads was raging and King Charles was in need of a new weapon so the service of a Dr. Chillingworth was engaged.

Dr. Chillingworth was an inventor of war machines and persuaded King Charles to try out a machine that had been previously used on the Continent by the Romans. Gloucester (England) was to be the testing ground as it was a Roundhead stronghold. Knowing that the River Severn had to be crossed before the army could breach the city walls Dr. Chillingworth realized that a machine had to be able to avoid a loss of life at this stage of the attack if the Royalists were to be triumphant. A wheeled contraption was invented that could roll downhill gathering momentum reaching enough speed to be able to reach the other side of the river. After considering the machine invented by the Romans known as a tortoise (or as the troops called it the 'humpty dumpty') Dr. Chillingworth invented a machine which he believed would bring success.

Unfortunately the machine had to be heavily laden with troops if, once inside the city walls, the attack was to be successful. The Roundhead's spies were everywhere and received information about the machine and how it could cross the river prior to launch. By the time the Royalists were ready to launch the machine the Roundheads had widened the river. The Royalists were unaware of this and 'Humpty' was propelled forward but as you might expect collapsed mid-stream drowning many of the men.

Hence, today we can see the nursery rhyme details the story of the battle and the result.

Traditional Nursery Rhyme

'Humpty Dumpty lay in the beck,
With all his sinews around his neck;
All the King's surgeons, and all the King's wrights,
Could not put Humpty Dumpty to rights.'

Humpty Dumpty it is clear was not only part of folklore but also an historical fact being a seventeenth-century war machine, an egg and brandy drink - a 'Humpty-dumpty' (bound to fall over with this), and also a nickname for an excessively overweight person which is perhaps linked to the overloaded war machine. 'Humpty Dumpty' was also a children's nursery game for girls in which the player's would sit with the skirts clasped tightly to the ankles. The idea was to fall backwards and right yourself without falling over again (here again perhaps is a link with the war machine.

Modern Nursery Rhyme

'Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses and all the King's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.'

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'The Witch's Boat'

This is a traditional Slavonian Gypsy tale that tells of a gypsy girl who was extremely inquisitive about the world around her. One day she came up with an idea to eat an egg and to leave the shell on the riverbank to see what would happen.

She sat and waited until dark by the riverbank. At nightfall her curiosity was answered. A witch came and whispered a magic word, and magically the shell of the egg turned into a beautiful boat. the witch got into the boat and took the witch down river and across the ocean to a foreign land. The girl wondered at what she saw and decided she would do the same. Remembering the magic word and went away. The next time the girl ate another egg she went down to the riverbank and whispered the magic word. Just as before a magic boat appeared. In she climbed and sailed off down the river and across the ocean to strange new lands.

Time passed but soon the girl returned with many exotic flowers and strange new fruits from travels which she sold to her neighbours. Many times the girl would travel away and return with fantastic flowers and fruit. The gypsy girl did not know that one of her neighbours was extremely jealous of her success and was a very wicked woman. She had watched the girl return from her travels by hiding down by the riverbank in the bushes. Deciding that she too wanted riches the woman watched the girl climb out of the boat and go away. As quickly as she could she climbed into the gypsy girl's boat and instructed the boat to take her away to lands where there was much gold and silk. Unfortunately the woman did not know the magic word so as soon as she had told the boat what to do the boat began to sink. Panicking in case she would drown the woman exclaimed 'In God's name get on with you!'. As soon as the woman said this the boat turned back into an eggshell. The spell had been broken and the woman sank into the water. The sea began to turn and roll, and the woman drowned.

The moral of the story : that no amount of riches are worth dieing for and that negative energies are extremely dangerous.

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'THE TWO RATS, THE FOX AND THE EGG'

Written by La Fontaine this fable tell the tale of two very hungry rats.

Whilst out looking for food two very hungry rats at long last discovered an egg. Relieved at finding the egg the rats were very happy, knowing that the egg would normally satisfy their current hunger pangs being only small animals. Having decided that the best way to attack the egg was for one rat to start either side, the two starving rats began to attack the egg.

Just as they were about to break the shell disaster struck. Master Fox appeared! Immediately the rats realized that they would have to do something quickly or the Master Fox would eat the egg and they would lose their meal, (because as we all know eggs are a favourite meal of foxes!). They had to think quickly. How could they save the egg? They couldn't carry it away as the only way that would be possible would be for each of the rats to hold the egg between them with their front feet. Nor could they roll the egg as it might break, or pull it as there was nothing for them to get hold of. The hazardous task seemed as though it was about to defeat them.

Luckily necessity provided the two rats with the idea. They decided that rather than eat only a little of it, and rather than risk losing it they decided that they would aim to get the egg to their home. Master Fox as yet had not seen them so they hatched a plan. One rat would lie on his back and take the egg in his arms whilst the other rat would pull him by the tail towards their home. After a couple of unsuccessful pulls on the tail, the rat gradually started to move.

The moral : that 'some animals', it appears, at times of need 'have more brains than humans'. We can assume that the two rats then had the luxury of eating the egg in the pleasure of their own rat holes, undisturbed after a such exhausting travels.

Perhaps this fable will remind you of the old proverb that 'necessity is the mother of invention'

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