There are many legends surrounding walnuts over the centuries. Let's discover together how these highly nutritious fruits have permeated the history of peoples.
Everyone knows that walnuts, rich in minerals, vitamins, and Omega 3, are a precious source of energy for the body. But not everyone knows that walnuts and their trees have permeated the history of peoples and are the protagonists of myths and legends. Let's start with the name: the walnut tree belongs to the Juglandaceae family. This word derives from the Latin term Jovis Glans, meaning acorn of Jupiter, a symbol of sacredness and a connection with the divine.
Over the centuries, walnuts have been widely referred to as the "witches' fruit": belief has it that in the shade of the walnut tree, witches and sorcerers gathered to dance and cast spells. According to another medieval legend, it was considered the devil's abode, and therefore, anyone who had the misfortune of resting under its branches would awaken in demonic states. Popular tradition also holds that sleeping under a walnut tree causes sickness, exhaustion, migraines, and fever. The same belief also prohibits building stables near a walnut tree, as its roots, which infiltrate the ground, could kill all the animals.
But how much truth is there in this legend? There is a scientific explanation that justifies this popular belief: the leaves and roots of this tree contain a harmful substance, Juglandina, which can even kill nearby trees. This is why the walnut tree grows alone and in isolated areas.
It's also remarkable how the walnut tree has created an adjective in our vocabulary: the word "noxious" derives from the word "nox."
Even in Greek and Latin mythology, the walnut tree is mentioned through the myth of Dionysus and Caria;
Caria, Orphe, and Lycus were the three daughters of the King of Laconia. The beautiful Caria was loved by Dionysus, and this made Orphe and Lycus terribly jealous. So Dionysus punished them by turning them to stone. Caria, upon learning of this, died of grief. To immortalize his love for Caria, Dionysus decided to transform her into a walnut tree. It was up to Artemis to inform the King and Queen of Caria's death. Thus, a temple was built in Laconia to celebrate the goddess Artemis and Princess Caria. It was constructed with walnut columns shaped like female figures and called caryatids.
But there are also positive legends: it is believed that dreaming of walnuts is a harbinger of new surprises that can be used to one's advantage.
Walnuts have a profound symbolic meaning as containers that in many fables and legends hold treasures. Walnuts have protective properties, protecting against bad luck or the evil eye. In southern Italy, popular custom dictates that women carry a walnut in their pockets to ward off illness and the evil eye, and the act of throwing a walnut into the ground contributes to the fertile growth of the land. In the 17th century, there was a school of medicine that believed that similarity in shape could have some influence on cures and therapies: for this reason, walnuts were believed to have beneficial properties for the head and brain because they resembled them.
Now that you know the legends that have developed over the centuries around walnuts, eating them will be even more interesting.
SOURCES
https://padrepeppe.it/noce-frutto-delle-streghe-e-le-sue-leggende
https://www.nucisitalia.it/cera-una-volta-la-frutta-secca-il-mito-oltre-la-scienza/
https://www.fruttaebacche.it/blog/la-noce-streghe-miti-leggende-n244
https://www.rai.it/dl/televideo/ScuolaVolo/Scuola_Volo3/Racconti/3A_Gi1.htm
Manuela Fiorini (2013), I'll Give You a Walnut! History, Legends, and Recipes of the Most Magical Fruit, Modena, Damster Edizioni.
