Wishing well
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the song by Free, see Heartbreaker. For the song by Morphine see Like Swimming
A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the idea that water contained deities or had been placed there as a gift from the gods, since water was a source of life and often a scarce commodity.
Water was seen to have healing powers and therefore wells became popular with many people drinking, bathing or just simply wishing over it. People believe that the guardians or dwellers of the well would grant them their wish if they paid a price. After uttering the wish, one would generally drop coins in the well. That wish would then be granted by the guardian or dweller, based upon how the coin would land at the bottom of the well. If the coin were to land 'heads-up,' the wish would be granted. If the coin landed 'heads-down,' the wish would not be granted.
The tradition of dropping pennies in ponds and fountains stems from this. Coins would be placed there as gifts for the deity in thanks.
In November 2006, the "Fountain Money Mountain" report that each year, tourist throw away just under 3 million pounds a year into wishing wells[1].
There are separate songs named Wishing well by Terence Trent D'Arby, Bob Mould and Monte Montgomery.
A celebrated wishing well, the Upwey Wishing Well, is situated just north of Weymouth, England.
[edit] External links
- A wishing well at WellOfWishing.com
- Magic and Holy Wells
- Holy Wells
- Wishing Well at The Pagan Library
- Wishing Wells And Superstitions
- Interactive Wishing Well at Best Click Channel
- [2]
This article relating to a European myth or legend is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
