Talk:Cold iron

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think {{not verified}} is still required along with {{fiction}}; who knows the scope of cold iron myths? It needs a source. Melchoir 23:50, 14 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Verification

I added some references to more modern usages, but I'm drawing a blank so far with references from legends. I'll go through some old fairy tales for some. Arbadihist 17:23, 24 May 2006 (UTC)

Well, http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/i/iron.html cites this source:

Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft. New York: Facts On File, 1989 [ISBN 0-8160-2268-2]

The "Witching Hours" (a historical research site) http://www.shanmonster.com/witch/wards_tools/iron.html lists the following additional sources:

Briggs, Robin. Witches & Neighbours: The Social and Cultural Context of European Witchcraft. Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk: HarperCollins Publishers. 1996.

Elworthy, Frederick Thomas. The Evil Eye: An Account of This Ancient and Widespread Superstition. New York: Bell Publishing Company. 1989.

Actually, Rudyard Kipling's book Rewards and Fairies mentions the anti-fairy superstition in a story called (appropriately enough) Cold Iron. This is different from the poem of the same name. It gets into Puck and such: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/556

Here's another 19th century reference: http://www.harvestfields.ca/ebook/01/016/01.htm#VI._IRON

Lawrence, Robert Means, M.D.. The Magic of the Horseshoe with Other Folk-Lore Notes. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin, and Company, 1898

--Dunkelza 02:10, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

Thanks! I added those, and I think that I'll remove the "needs verification" label. Arbadihist 16:35, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

Does Rewards and Fairies mention the anti-fairy superstition in the context of cold-worked iron, or just "iron" with the customary epiphet? There seems to be a fair amount of evidence that "Cold Iron" is simply "iron"; the term is old, but the distinction seems to be much more modern. (and may be a modern fantasy invention to not have -all- iron and steel be "Cold Iron"). 38.96.160.226 15:05, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Meteoric Iron

I know of no mythological support for "cold iron" being of meteoric origin. As far as I know, this interpretation of "cold iron" comes from fantasy tole-playing games. I am going to add a {{verify source}} tag. If no one can produce a citation for this assertion within a reasonable amount of time, I think this assertion should be amended or removed.

I can't see anything in here anymore that would warrant this article as being listed with those with unverified statements. However, when I tried to remove the appropiate tag, I couldn't find it anywhere. Any suggestions as to where it's hiding? Arbadihist