Wishboneshave long serve as a symbol fortune and encouraged young children to play with their food . One of the most iconic images of the holiday is that of two house member or friends ( usually kids ) fighting over the almost atomic number 39 - shaped os .
As each battle to snap the bone and get the bigger piece , the one who comes out winning ensures good luck and that his or her wish will come rightful . But what ’s behind this rather funny piece offolklore ?
Origins of the Wishbone
The furcula , or " wishing bone , " of a turkey , duck’s egg or chicken is the fusion of the snort ’s clavicles right above the breastbone . Although today we mostly hear about playing the wishing bone plot with turkey bones during the holidays , the root of wishbone as lucky charm go all the fashion back to ancient times .
Around 700 B.C.E. , the Etruscans believed birds were oracles that could tell the future . Whenever the Etruscans slaughtered a chicken , they would allow for the furcula in the sun to dry out , preserving it in hopes of gaining some its divining office . Villagers would then pick up the furcula and softly stroke it while make a indirect request , giving it its more common name : the wishbone .
Legend has it that the Romans then picked up on this superstition . However , chickens were scarce , and therefore , so were the wishbone . hoi polloi had to recur to crack the off-white in one-half so there were enough to go around .
by and by , the Romans passed the wishing bone - crack tradition to the British , who then carried it over with them to Plymouth Rock . As this Modern land was abundant with idle turkeys , people began using turkey wishbone for luck .
How to Wish on a Wishbone
What are the rules around cracking a wishbone ? How do you make a wishing on it ? Typically , you dry out the wishbone for a few days until it ’s brickle — otherwise , you will have a heavy time snap it correctly . When it ’s ready , two multitude hook their little finger fingers around each final stage , make a wish and pull . Whoever finish up with the bigger piece will have their wish occur rightful .
More complicated interpretation of this include a British version in the seventeenth century in which someone would balance the wishbone on their nose , make a wish and then shake off it off . Then it would be pulled apart . Or taking it further , the victor would then put a impoverished piece of the wishing bone in each fist and permit the other person choose a clenched fist . If the other person take the longer small-arm , they would get their wish instead . Complicated , we know [ source : Meikle ] .
Some people wear wishing bone jewellery or carry modest one as good fortune charms , just like afour - leaf cloveror arabbit ’s foot . It seems , though , that the unbroken wishing bone is only the promise of good luck . It must be break for your wish to come true — which , by the way , might be the origin of the idiomatic expression " getting your lucky break . "
Wishbone in Popular Culture
Several television receiver show have show quality cracking wishbone together . However , when it comes to children ’s programing , the term " wishing bone " is mostly splendidly tied to a Jack Russel terrier .
In the 1990s , " Wishbone , " a PBS TV show , featured a trivial blackguard name Wishbone that made his way into works of classic literature , including " The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , " " Northanger Abbey " and " Oliver Twist . " in the beginning , the show ’s creators hoped to have the series roll around a prosperous weenie , but they finally scrapped the idea , choose to set the episodes inside the world of Bible .
" When I get , the idea was that he was a golden dog diagnose Wishbone , " showrunner and head writer Stephanie Simpson toldTexas Monthly . " Whenever you beat close to him , he made good thing pass off for you . I went off and tried to publish a narrative with that idea in nous and did n’t get very far . have a weenie that was lucky made everything befall too easily . "
