...from
the Pen of the Puca
By Katharine Clark, Puca by Lauren Curtis
Over the last few years, the 'ol Puca has told you about many mystical and unusual creatures, from those that are part of your every day world--like dogs, cats, and horses--to the residents of the mythical realm--such as the phoenix and the mermaids. However, our next magical being is as close to you as “humanly” possible. Pick up a mirror and take a good, long look... deeper... deeper... “Eye” wonder if you can guess where I'm going with this. Hmmm... you're right! It's the nostril!
No--sorry. Only kidding. It's the eye.
No. I'm serious. It IS the eye.
There are very few body parts so linked to the magical world that they become their own entity. In cultures around the world, that human organ is the eye. It is thought capable of bringing luck or misfortune, and also warding against the very evil it causes: Everyone's heard of the “Evil Eye,” but this may be a bit of a misconception. The folk belief is that harm can be placed on a person or animal by looking at it intensely. If that intense stare is linked with feelings such as envy, then it can cause the object of attention to sicken, and even die.
Most of the Evil Eye's effect is related to dryness: withering (as in fields), and dehydration (as in animals and humans). Think of some of the accusations hurled at the “witches” of old, or people thought to have this power. Due to their glance, children would stop nursing, cows would stop giving milk, crops would waste away in the fields. Men would even claim that it interfered in their role in reproduction.
This intense gazing was called “Overlooking.” A person did not have to be a witch, wizard or Druid--or even consciously intend to do harm--to have this ability. There were certain folks thought to have a natural tendency towards this mystical gift: those with light or blue eyes. (We'll speak of this later.)
Myths, stories and beliefs in the Evil Eye show up everywhere. For us Irish, the story of Balor features a giant with a poisonous eye, capable of killing entire armies with a mere look. According to the myth, Lugh (the sun god) threw a limed ball into Balor's eye, forcing it through the back of his head, where it focused on--and destroyed--his own warriors. (Well, that's one way to deal with it!)
The “cure” for the Evil Eye varies. In some cultures, the weapon of choice was fish. Yep, I said fish. It is a magical concept that the cure for a spell or curse can be found in its opposite. If the Evil Eye's power lies in dryness, then the cure must be wetness--and there's nothing wetter than a fish!
Of course, there are other means of protection. In Naples, a sprig of rue was thought to keep folks safe from overlooking. It's interesting that the rue plant bears eye-shaped fruit.
In some places, color is an important defense. In middle eastern countries, where the Evil Eye is taken as a fact, blue-eyed people are rare. They are thought to be the ones most likely to have the ability to harm with a look. If the cure is the opposite of the curse, then the opposite of blue is red. In Jewish traditions, a red thread left on a baby's pillow will protect it from harm. Meanwhile, many charms from the Mediterranean are made of red materials.
Classically, the people most at risk from the Evil Eye are babies and the newly born. When in public, people tend to notice and praise them, and such admiration could attract unwanted attention and envy. In the Islamic world, the blessing of Allah is invoked when a child is admired a bit too much. That is thought to turn aside any negative effect.
In other traditions, after praising a child, a person could spit on the ground three times to remove any potential threat. This is done by the Irish. (We also believe that the curse can be banished by taking three swallows of water that was passed over silver. Oh! Or you could drink your own urine... yeah. That curse thing isn't sounding so bad, at this point...)
Again, in the Jewish culture, you can spit of the ground three times, throw salt, say “peh-peh-peh” or immediately say the phrase “Kein ayin hara” (No Evil Eye).
In Turkey, the ward against the Evil Eye is... an eye! Discs and balls of concentric blue and white circles are found on prows of ships, tails of planes, hanging on doors, and in cars. Called “nazar,” you can even buy them as protective jewelry, baby crib charms, and wedding favors! (The blue eye was suppose to reflect the Evil back to its origin).
In Italy, the usual protection is the red coral horn, as well as a red fist with index and pinky fingers extended. These are said to represent human reproductive organs, and considered “wet,” contradicting the dryness of the Evil Eye.
Again, in Jewish tradition, the fish is an accepted cure, and is often depicted in the palm of an open hand, called a “hamsa.” At times, an eye is also shown in the open palm for the same reason.
The Egyptians also believe in “an eye for an eye” when protecting themselves against Overlooking. They use the right eye of the sky god Horus, in his guise as a falcon. This is called the “wadjet” or “udjat.”
Finally, in Buddhism, the eye of the Buddha himself protects one from harm.
So, “seeing” how the “Evil Eye” seems to be a worldwide phenomena, does it really exist? Can a person intentionally or accidentally harm another by visually focusing on them? It's hard to say. As followers of Pagan paths, we know that using a visual focal point assists in magic. We also know that thoughts and words have power. Concentrated thought is the basis of prayer, and deliberate words are the underpinning of spells.
But Puca, I hear you saying, does a mere stare from a blue-eyed person bring a withering death? Put it this way: I come from an island full of blue-eyed people, and I've been stared at ALOT in my time, and I'm still standing. Of course, I do imbibe in the recommended cure...
...silvered water.
Oh! Hey... you didn't think...? Listen, Puca is old and mythical, but he's nobody's fool.
Happy Mabon, Everyone!