We're a little more on the ball at CF this week -- actually posting our Thursday blog on a Thursday! Madness, I know.
We're going to pick right up where we left off last week with a look at a few more wacky plant superstitions. Crazy, the things some people will believe (Or...are they? *Spooky music*)
1: Never Say Thank You For Flowers
Here at Clare, we're not sure we like this one. It's our job to deliver flowers up and down the country, and if nobody ever said 'thank you', then it would start to seem like a bit of a ... thankless task. But despite this, some ol' folks will tell you that you oughtn't offer your thanks when someone gives you flowers
Quite where this crazy talk comes from we're not sure -- it could be that like a lot of our superstitions it all comes back to the Devil. If he hears you saying thanks for flowers then he knows you've been given something you like -- and he might just decide to take it straight back, the big meanie. A different version of this superstition holds that it's just gifts of seeds which you shouldn't say thanks to: if you do, the story goes, they'll never bloom. But you can always avoid the whole problem with some cunning wordplay: instead of 'thank you!', just say 'I appreciate it'. The Devil will be completely foxed.
2: How'd You Like These Apples?
Apples are obviously one of the most significant fruits in our folklore, going all the way back to tales of the Garden of Eden (although early version of this story just talked about a 'fruit': 'apple' is a modern translation!). But did you know some of the weirder superstitions about this tasty snack...?
Lots of folklore is pretty morbid, and tales of apples are no exception. One nasty tale says that an apple with red spots means that the roots of the tree grew into the body of a murdered person...! But there are nicer stories too. Next time you close into an apple, count the number of seed in the core -- according to one old wives' tale, this is your lucky number. What happens if you try again and get a different number, it's probably best not to ask...
Puzzles!
Let's make today's brain teaser flower related...
All of my flowers except two are roses. All of my flowers except two are tulips. All of my flowers except two are daisies. How many flowers do I have?
There are two possible answers here, see if you can get them both!
Answer (highlight to view):
Alternate Solution #1
Three: one rose, one tulip, and one daisy.
Alternate Solution #2
Two, neither of which are roses, tulips, or daisies.
