This morning, I woke up with a stye in my eye. I don’t recall having one of these buggers since I was teenager. But, it’s here and now I get to deal with it. I shared my dilemma on Facebook, asking friends What do I do? A supportive conversation followed, with some sharing advice on how to treat a stye. My sister said I should probably just hide under the covers for a few days. A couple of others suggested a hot compress (which really helps ease the swelling and pain, by the way) and a few more friends shared some over-the-counter remedies that have worked for them. I also heard some old wives tales about what causes a stye in the first place. Years ago, I had been told by a friend, If you watch a dog poop, you’ll get a stye in your eye. Well, I happen to have 2 dogs, so chances are….. Another common myth mentioned was, If you pee in the street, you’ll get a stye in your eye.

This got me thinking about the legends that are passed down through the generations. My mother-in-law used to say that if you have a wart, you should wash it with a dirty dishcloth and then bury the dishcloth in the backyard. Your wart will magically disappear in a few days!

Do you know why these types of stories are called “Old Wives Tales?” It was advice that women shared, so men didn’t believe them because it came from a woman. This sounds like it might be a myth. I’m checking into it further. 😉

Below, are my top 10 favorite wives tales from the dozens that I found online. (Various sources….mainly forums where people wrote in and shared their family favorites.)

• Sitting on cold surfaces causes diarrhea.
• When a baby has the hiccups, it means they are peeing.
• If you try to keep from sneezing, you’ll have a stroke.
• Don’t sing while you’re eating rice or you’ll become a widow.
• If you happen to see a hen about to lay an egg, pray to it, so that all your child births will be as quick and easy as laying an egg.
• If you have a bad chest cold, you need to put red flannel on it.
• Seeing an ambulance is very unlucky unless you pinch your nose or hold your breath until you see a black or a brown dog.
• If someone is sweeping the floor and sweeps over your feet, you’ll never get married.
• It is bad luck to cut your fingernails on Friday or Sunday.
• The dried body of a frog worn in a silk bag around the neck keeps a person from going crazy.

Test these out yourself, my friends. You just never know!  Personally, I’m going to be hunting frogs.
I’d love to read your comments if you have entertaining myths to share!