Page M16 April 11, 1990. This Week ae gid oe THE LAST WORD Triskaidekaphobia, 0 you suffer from triskaidekaphobia? It is a common malady, being a superstitious fear of the number 13. And when unlucky 13 is combined with Friday, as it is this April, it is especially ill-omened. Thirteen is bad news in Europe. In France some homes which should be numbered 13 are called 12 1/ 2, the next one being 14. In By ELIZABETH GORDON This Week Contributor on. Jesus and the twelve apostles, including Judas the Betrayer make up the unlucky number. Of pagan origin is the “Edda”, ancient Icelandic literature, which tells of Balder, best loved of all the Scandinavian gods. When he had dreams of his Italy lotteries bypass 13, as do certain airlines. Even in North America there are skyscrapers with no thirteenth floor, There have been occasions in which a Stranger received a free meal by offering to be the extra person at a party or a restaurant table at which 13 people were seated. However, there is another way of counteracting the curse of 13 at a table. All present must join hands and rise simultaneously. This neutralizes the malignant influence. But if such a pre- caution is not taken, superstition dec- rees that one of the dinner guests will die before the year’s end. How did unlucky 13 get its bad reputa- tion? Explanations differ. Perhaps early man, using his fingers to count upon, tallied 10. His two feet brought the total to 12. Thus 13 was an additional num- ber; a non-rational digit of mystery. Then, too, 12 can be easily div- ided; it is neatly halved, quar- tered, divided in- to thirds and sixths. But divi- sion of 13 cannot be computed as easily. Thirteen had sinister overtones for Christians and pagans alike. Coincidentally, April 13th this year is Good Friday, the day of Christ’s crucifixion. Thirteen sat down to the Last Supper, prior to the betrayal and crucifixi- own death, Frigga, his mother made all creatures on earth swear on oath not to harm her son. She overlooked the seemingly insignificant mistletoe. But the malicious Loki, an Evil Being bent on Balder’s destruction, disguised himself as an old crone and gained Frigga’s confidence. He learned about the mistletoe and tricked the blind god Hodor into shooting Balder with a mistletoe arrow. Balder fell dead. The 11 gods mourned the 12th, Balder. But evil Loki made the total of those present to 13, which passed into Norse mythology as being an unlucky number. When Friday the most unpropitious day of the week combines with date 13, the ill-luck is intensi- fied. Many folk feared Friday. Sailors refused to set sail then. Ships launched on a Friday were ill- LEGAL ACTION _ BARRISTERS Cutting Bench Crimpers Utd. PERSONAL INJURY? If you are in an accident involving personal injury, seek professional advice BEFORE you see the ICBC adjuster. Receive consultation from a lawyer, 24 hours a day. 3841040 PRIVATE, PROFESSIONAL PROBLEM SOLVERS _MORAHAN &@. AUJLA SOLICITORS a common malady omened. Tradition is replete with tales of ships and sailors who met with disaster and death by em- barking on voyages on Friday. A seaman’s verse 2 sums it up: -@E On a Friday she was launched, f On a Friday she set sail, On a Friday (she) met a storm, And was lost in a gale. People of the past refused to begin a new venture on a Friday. The Scotsman of September 6, 1900 recorded the strength of Friday superstition at the turn of the century: A wealthy man funded the building of 10 attractive little row-houses to accommodate elderly indi- # gent women who were living in tumble- down shacks. To his surprise the women refused to pack up their possessions and leave. Finally the reason came to light The designated moving day was a Friday and who would court disaster by moving [— on that day? The women stayed in their & slums until the move was arranged for a Saturday. Ancient beliefs have a way of stayin with us. Not only simple people of early times, but also famous men of our enlightened era have given credence to the Friday bad-luck belief. Winston Churchill never travelled on a Friday, except in emergencies. When he was forced to take a Friday trip, he took with him his “lucky walking stick” to counter- ract possible mis- fortune. Though Friday coinciding with the 13th is con- sidered especially = inauspicious, statistics show no increase in acci- dents and other mishaps on that day. Triskaideka- phobia may, after all, be just a state of mind. ol the cutting edge in hair technology PRICE LIST , Goldstream Gazette, Saanich News, Sidney Review and The Esquimalt News ALWAYS NECESSARY = SERVING YOU FROM 6 GREATER VICTORIA LOCATIONS 1841 FORT ST. 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