Ancient English folklore continues to intrigue, showcasing our ancestors’ deep respect for nature, a sentiment often overlooked in modern times. Despite the passage of time, certain age-old myths and legends persist, such as the superstition surrounding the sight of a lone magpie.
Another peculiar belief once widespread in Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland revolved around a specific plant. Blackthorn, a native British tree that bears sloes in the fall, was traditionally considered off-limits for cutting on two specific dates each year.
Both May 11 and November 11 were deemed unlucky days for harvesting blackthorn due to its mystical significance in Celtic mythology. Referred to as the ‘wishing thorn’ or wild plum, this tree stands out with its unique appearance in hedgerows, urban woodlands, and parks.
According to Irish Stick blog, blackthorn was revered as protection against fairies, particularly the moon fairies known as lunantishees. Cutting down a blackthorn on November 11 or May 11 was thought to invite curses from these mythical beings, whereas harvesting it during a full moon was believed to bring inspiration to musicians, poets, and strength to warriors.
Similar enchanting folklore surrounds the hawthorn tree, often considered a relative of the blackthorn. Hawthorns were commonly planted as living tributes to the departed and were closely associated with fairy lore, sometimes seen as a passage to the mystical ‘Otherworld’.
While hawthorns bloom beautifully in spring like blackthorns, ancient superstitions warned that cutting one down could result in immediate death. The belief that felling blackthorn on specific dates would anger the fairy folk might explain why these trees still dot the countryside, seemingly untouched by time.
Even during the spring bloom of hawthorns, plucking a flowering branch and bringing it indoors was considered extremely unlucky in the past, a superstition that likely lingers in the minds of some individuals today.