The Truth Behind The Superstition That Carrying A Buckeye Around Brings Good luck
Buckeyes are the small, shiny, dark brown nut with a light tan patch that comes from the official state tree of Ohio, the buckeye tree. It earned its name from its close similarity to the eye of a deer and a common saying goes that, carrying a buckeye around for good luck. Read on for the origin of this superstitious belief.
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For decades now, people have been carrying around buckeyes for good fortune. Just like a four-leaf clover and a rabbit's foot, the nut is still popularly recognised as a superstitious symbol.
But what really are the Buckeyes?
Buckeyes are nuts that grow on trees and belong to the same family as the horse chestnut. They are known for their spiny shells which may just allude to the dangerous substance contained within them.
The foliage and fruit contain tannic acid that’s poisonous to cattle and humans. It is popularly believed that only half of a buckeye is poisonous and only squirrels know which half which explains why they sometimes eat only a portion of the buckeye.
But the danger associated with eating a buckeye didn't stop people from keeping them around for good fortune. The practice can be traced back to Germans and Dutch, who believed that carrying a horse chestnut would cure common ailments like headaches, rheumatism, arthritis, and bring winning hands in card games. They also spread them around their homes to keep spiders away, as the insects abhor the oil.
However, the horse chestnuts soon turned scarce, causing people to choose the buckeye as a substitute.
It is already the 21st century, but there is still no logical correlation between carrying a buckeye and the relief of ill fortune or illnesses. But, don't let that stop you from carrying some around; just make sure to keep them away from your pets and children!
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