Tales of the FOUR-LEAF CLOVER

A widely accepted symbol of good luck, the four-leaf clover traces its origin dating back to ancient times. Eve was said to have carried a four-leaf clover from the Garden of Eden. In fact, the significance of four-leaf clovers pre-dates Christianity, going back to the pagan period, when four-leaf clovers were Celtic charms.

During the period of Celtic dominance covering the western corridor of Europe, the Druids (Celtic priests) elevated four-leaf clovers to the status of Celtic charms, which were allegedly potent against violent male spirits. This marked the origin of the modern belief in their power to bestow good luck.

One of the literary references to draw on the tradition of four-leaf clovers as Celtic charms was in 1620. Sir John Melton wrote, "If a man walking in the fields finds any four-leaf grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing."

Saint Patrick used the three-leaf clovers, called the Shamrock, to preach the "Holy Trinity" to the Irish. It has been said that whenever one finds the four-leaf clovers, "something good always happens". According to Irish folklore, finding a stem of clover with four leaves will bring you good luck; however, finding a clover stem with more than 4 leaves will not bring you even more luck. There is no four-leaf clovers seed to plant. They just appear in the fields of three-leaf clovers. The chance of finding a four-leaf clover is estimated at 10,000:1.

This culture of the four-leaf clovers has spread from Europe to the US, Japan and Korea. The culture has reached Hong Kong and lately, Singapore. There are historic cases linked with the four-leaf clovers. Abraham Lincoln, the late US President was said to carry a four-leaf clover everyday with him, except on the day he was assassinated. Napoleon Bonaparte, the late French emperor, escaped assassination when a bullet whisked past his head. At that moment, he was stooping down to pick up a four-leaf clover.

The mystique of the four-leaf clovers continues today, since finding a real four-leaf clover is still a rare occurrence and an omen of good luck.

There are people who have never found the four-leaf clovers in their lives, but there are people who are sharp enough to find more than a dozen four-leaf clovers. Light and Truth are within one's reach, if you open your eyes and see.