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Funny, but I remember her birthmark more clearly than I remember her face.

I have a feeling her birthmark corresponded more closely to your poem than did her face . Wouldn't it be interesting if someone did prophecy according to hers? Don't birthmarks come with various kinds of folklore attached?


~ Lizzy

folklore?

I didn't know, so I went a'lookin. Mostly all I could find was stuff about what caused the birthmark, not much about making prophecies. One of the more common "causes" is that the mother had an unsatisfied wish during her pregnanacy, often a food. Some believe the shape of the birthmark is the shape of the unsatisfied wish. There is a class of birthmarks that are said to resemble strawberries. There is some language where the same word that means wish also means birthmark.

Another is that the mother was frightened or injured, or that she comforted an injured child. The site of the injury becomes the site of the birthmark in the baby. This is usually attributed to the kind of mark I have, though nothing was ever mentioned in my family that would align with this.

For port wine stains, it is usually said that the mother spilled something. Most favoured is Port itself, but some say anything spilled will cause it. Some say the spill has to occur such that it lands on the bulging belly.

You'd think there'd be something about prophecies or interpretations, but look as I may, nada.

Hi Manna ~

Yeah, these are what I meant as examples of 'folklore' surrounding birthmarks; though not necessarily related to prophecy.

One of the more common "causes" is that the mother had an unsatisfied wish during her pregnanacy, often a food. Some believe the shape of the birthmark is the shape of the unsatisfied wish.
. . .

Another is that the mother was frightened or injured, or that she comforted an injured child. The site of the injury becomes the site of the birthmark in the baby. This is usually attributed to the kind of mark I have, though nothing was ever mentioned in my family that would align with this.

. . .

For port wine stains, it is usually said that the mother spilled something. Most favoured is Port itself, but some say anything spilled will cause it. Some say the spill has to occur such that it lands on the bulging belly.

However, I did find interesting the possibility that there might be some form of folklore relating to that [prophecy]. Seems like rich ground untilled, doesn't it?


~ Lizzy