This week: Beware the evil eye Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week:
"Walls have ears.
Doors have eyes.
Trees have voices.
Beasts tell lies.
Beware the rain.
Beware the snow.
Beware the man
You think you know."
~Catherine Fisher "Incarceron" |
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Imagine if someone could bring misfortune to their enemies just by looking at them.
The evil eye is a type of curse that is said to be cast by a malevolent glare. Belief in the evil eye dates back at least 5000 years. It is still strong in some areas of the world, especially the Mediterranean area of Europe, Celtic regions of Europe, parts of Asia and Africa, and Central and South America. It also spread to North America with the arrival of European, Asian, and African immigrants.
Belief in the evil eye varied across cultures and at different times. In many cultures, people who had atypical eyes were suspected of being able to cast the curse. In regions where blue or green eyes were relatively rare, people with those eye colors were thought to possess the evil eye. The ancient Romans believed that whole tribes might have the ability to cast the evil eye, sometimes without even being aware that they were doing it.
Charms or protective amulets against the evil eye often take the form of eyes looking back. In parts of the middle east, eye shaped charms painted on glass or ceramic are still hung from doorways or trees or worn around the neck. The name given to this type of charm varies, but it is called a nazar in Turkey. The Eye of Horus, a stylized eye symbol, appeared frequently in Egyptian art and was thought to have protective properties. The hamsa or Hand of Fatima, represents protection in both Jewish and Islamic cultures. It is usually shown as a stylized hand with an eye in the center of the palm.
In "The Evil Eye," a short story by Mary Shelley, a character receives a scar in battle that is rumored to give him the power of casting an evil eye curse. In the novel "Evil Eye" by Etaf Rum, a young woman's misfortunes are blamed on an old family curse. Granny Weatherwax, a witch in Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" series, is believed to be able to cast curses with her icy, blue eyed stare. Although she is a powerful witch, Granny doesn't usually have to use her magic if she wants to teach some miscreant a lesson. She simply stares at the person who becomes so unnerved by her stare that he trips over his own feet or suffers some other misfortune.
Something to try: Write a horror story in which a character possesses the power of the evil eye. |
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Horror/Scary: August 16, 2023 Issue [#12127]
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