My Granny was Very superstitious. Drop a spoon, you’ll get a visitor. Stir with
a knife, you’ll stir up strife. Don’t put new shoes on the table or leave an
old calendar on the wall. An itchy palm means you’re coming into money – rub it
on your arse, it’s sure to come fast! Her life must have been fraught with watching
cutlery and itching
What has this got to do with peacocks? Well, she believed
peacock feathers in the house were bad luck. Once, my mum made her a table
cloth decorated with peacocks painted in hobbytex. The first night Granny had it on the
table, she had an argument with Grandpa (not a rare event, I should
add.) Granny blamed the peacocks on the tablecloth and promptly burnt the
table cloth in the wood stove!! I do wonder why Mum made her a table cloth with
peacocks on it in the first place, but perhaps that superstition hadn’t come to
light before? Or perhaps Mum was being controversial.
You see, my Mum, on the other hand, had a bunch of peacock feathers in a
big black vase on the piano all through the seventies and eighties. Yes! Very bohemian
and exotic! Much to Granny's horror!
In Greek Myth, Hera turned her faithful watchful servant, Argus,
said to have many eyes, into a peacock after Hermes had slain him. Which is why the peacock is also
believed to be a bird of protection and safe guarding.
A peacock feather within the home helps to safe guard the house. The feather is a symbol of spirituality, with the feather markings representing the third eye,
rather than the evil eye. Peacock's also represent fidelity, being a monogamist
bird and said to die of grief or remain single if it loses its mate.
But
overall, the peacock is a wondrous beauty. With the sumptuous jewel like
coloured feathers that shimmer in a magnificent arrangement. What’s not
to like?
