The importance of the apple in jewelry and in lore and in practical
science is not to be minimized. I ask you this. Were it not for the
apple falling on Newton’s noggin would gravity have ever been
discovered? I assure you with great confidence a banana would not
have done the trick.
You want medical advice? You all know the old adage: An apple a day
keeps the doctor away? Probably hogwash. But in case it’s not…
here’s my advice. If you are truly sick and ailing… refrain from
eating that apple. It’s hard enough to try to get a doctor these
days… there’s no need for stumbling blocks.
Among the many Welsh legends… after their deaths kings and other
sundry heroes enter the next world to live in a paradise of apple
trees called Avalon. I am sure you have all heard of Avalon. What I
strongly suspect you do not know is that the word “Avalon” is
probably derived from the Welsh word for apple which is: “Afal”.
Then there is the element of cheap journalism that predates but is
still in tune with today’s news media. The story: The Apple. Extra
extra. Read all about it. Eve gives Adam an apple and now they’re
being kicked out. Too much knowledge… the theory goes… is not a
good thing. Alas… I suspect governments have changed little over
time. I also suspect I might be in a bit of trouble here. Oh well…
to thems wot dare come life’s greatest prizes. Or something like
that.
In Scandinavian mythology the gods keep themselves young by eating
the golden apples of Idun. For the Arabs… the apple has curative
powers. Gamblers cut an apple open to count the seeds in order to
find a lucky number. Maidens twist the stem of an apple once for each
letter of the alphabet and when it breaks the corresponding letter
is known without question to be the first initial of her true love’s
name. Of course… this is little help. Let’s say the stem snaps off
at first twist. You have an “A”. Adam and Aaron and Abel and
Abiathar. Abner and Abie and Aden and Adolf. Well… you get the
idea.
But let us say you are a jeweler. You sitting at your bench. No time
for lunch. At best… you get to munch on an apple. One bite… and
back to work. You look up longingly. No time for another bite. Rush
jobs. I want it now. I want it yesterday. I gave you this job an hour
ago. What are you doing… eating? Still… that apple beckons. And
inspiration… in a crashing crescendo of cataclysmic creationism…
enters into your “keppy”. Yessiree babaloo. You got an idea.
You put together some ruby and crystal rhinestones with an epoxy
leaf and gold-plated metal… and voila… you have an apple with a
chunk bitten off right in the same spot where you chomped a bit off
of that piece of fruit still sitting on your bench where you left it
eons ago.
And then serendipity came sauntering along the highway with very
little to do on one particular day… and she tossed Benjamin a crumb
in the form of a small image of an bejeweled apple brooch… and she
said go… use it… enjoy… Tidbit to your heart’s content. And so
here it is thanks to her. It’s unsigned. It dates back to the
1960’s. It’s worth about 25 bucks.
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits…may I
direct you to my home page at http://www.tyler-adam.com where you
will scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that
says Current Tidbits… and you will see represented on our pages a
nice red apple brooch looking good enough to eat.
And there ya have it.
That’s it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark