Eating a boiled egg and then turning the empty shell upside down in the egg-cup, bashing the shell with a spoon until it cracks - while shouting 'Kill the Witches'! I never thought it was strange until I watched my son teaching it to my 2 year old grandson.
We did this as 1950's children. I had forgotten!
As to which end to start from, but are you a 'Big Ender' or a 'Small Ender'?
If your shoes squeak it means that they haven't been paid for.
There might be a certain logic to that, if you're paying on an installment plan: the newer the shoes, the more likely they are to be a) not fully paid for, and b) squeaky, due to not being fully broken in.
I vaguely remember that the big endian, small endian dispute is mentioned in Gulliver’s Travels, where it is code for opposing views on transubstantiation. Perhaps we should revisit Swift’s “a modest proposal” which could apply to a number of contemporary situations.
Was also told about smashing egg shells. In retrospect curious how I leant this as came from a middle class English family. As mentioned in this discussion, I also greet Magpies when we meet. Also can't remember how this came about from my youth 60 years ago.
Regarding the 'big ender' v 'small ender' debate - it seemed logical to my child brain that the more conical end would fit more securely in the egg-cup while I was eating. The Killing of Witches was just random spoon bashing!!
I vaguely remember a superstition which involved holding your collar when you saw a hearse (or ambulance) until you saw a - what? Anyone know? Is it peculiar to Norfolk maybe?
I vaguely remember a superstition which involved holding your collar when you saw a hearse (or ambulance) until you saw a - what? Anyone know? Is it peculiar to Norfolk maybe?
My parents use to do that in the car - until we saw a 4-legged animal. That was in Essex so not Norfolk specific.
We said "hold your collar, never swaller (swallow), never catch the fever" - and held on till we saw a black cat. It was passed on by my cousins who were at school in Hertfordshire.
Right enough about Hertfordshire. You had to hold your collar when an ambulance went past, though I don't remember the hearse or the black cat requirement. Who remembers the Daimler ambulances with the big bell on the front? No flashing lights or sirens back then.
Comments
We did this as 1950's children. I had forgotten!
As to which end to start from, but are you a 'Big Ender' or a 'Small Ender'?
There might be a certain logic to that, if you're paying on an installment plan: the newer the shoes, the more likely they are to be a) not fully paid for, and b) squeaky, due to not being fully broken in.
My parents use to do that in the car - until we saw a 4-legged animal. That was in Essex so not Norfolk specific.