Your Wishes Await
by Joe Schofield
Title
Your Wishes Await
Artist
Joe Schofield
Medium
Photograph
Description
The wishbone is the third member of the great Euro-American lucky charm triumvirate -- the other two being the horseshoe and the four-leaf clover. Sometimes called the "merrythought" in the British Isles, the wishbone is a bone overlying the breastbone of fowl, but most especially the chicken and the turkey. It is the custom to save this bone intact when carving the bird at dinner and to dry it over the stove or by the fire (or, sometimes, to dry it for three days in the air, three being a fortuitous magical number) until it is brittle.
Once the merrythought is dry, it is given to two people (usually children), who pull it apart until it cracks and breaks, each one making a wish while doing so. The person who gets the "long half" of the wishbone will have his or her wish "come true." If the wishbone breaks evenly, both parties get their wishes. In some families it is said that the wish will only come true if it is not revelaed to anyone. (The belief that a wish must be kept secret to ensure its fulfillment also occurs in "first star" and birthday candle wishing rituals).
In its intact form, the wishbone itself does not confer good luck, but it holds the promise of luck to the one who gets the longer half. Because of its association with conviviality and festive dinners, the wishbone has a long history of use in holiday cards.
Uploaded
January 4th, 2013
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Comments (56)
Luther Fine Art
Congratulations! Your fantastic photographic art has been chosen as a Camera Art Group feature! You are invited to archive your work in the feature archives discussion in the Camera Art Group.
Christopher James
Congratulation.....your wonderful work has been featured in the 1000 Views on 1 Image Group l/f/p
Marie Neder
The Wish Entanglement Particle - yeah - Sometimes wishes have to be really thought out cuz you know what they say about getting something you wished for -
Donnalynn Morin
Each piece stands alone, but toeghter they art art. I smways got yhe bigger piece I think Joe let me. We still do this and I still have my wishes and dreams. I just can't express them. What a wonderful husband you are.
Ann Johndro-Collins
Awesome subject matter artfully composed...great title too...excellent, Joe...v/f!