Friday the 13th -- Oct 13, 2006 and Oct 13, 1307

[bobbieinok]

On Friday October 13 1307 Jacques DeMolay, the head of the Knights Templar, was arrested along with other Templars by the King of France. He and others were later burned to death.

According to some, this arrest is the source of the superstition that Friday the 13th is unlucky. Others contend that this event was little know until Holy Blood, Holy Grail and its successor book about the Templars and most especially the DaVinci Code.

[TlalocW]

1. Actually...

The Norse gods were giving a feast for one of their own, the beloved Balder, when Loki, the mischief-maker of the gods, arrived at the feast and through his actions, Balder died. There had been 12 gods at the feast before Loki showed up.

Just to flesh it out a bit more, Balder's mother had gotten all the plants, animals, and other objects of the world to swear never to harm her son, except mistletoe which seemed unlikely to be able to do so. So as part of the festivities, the gods had some fun by hurling things against Balder who was essentially impervious. Loki arrived, uninvited and disguised, and tricked someone into throwing mistletoe against Balder, who died from the poison.

TlalocW

[Jackpine Radical]

4. "Someone" was the blind god, Hodr, whom Loki tricked

into firing an arrow made of mistletoe at Baldr.

[Jed Dilligan]

2. I heard it was from English custom.

The hangman worked on Friday and was paid 13 shillings.

[Richard D]

3. 13 people . . .

. . . at the last supper is what I've heard.

In Kabbalistic tradition, 13 is a very good number.