Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Babies with Three Nipples Not Permitted to Live!

A little while ago, I received the most interesting email yet regarding third nipples.

I had written a post and sent out a few queries to people asking for information on how people with superfluous nipples were viewed in other cultures: witches, gods, devils, magicians, shamans, freaks... Even Google was no help. (Believe me, I've searched.)

Anyway, I got this email in reply. I'm not sure what part of Europe she's talking about, but based on her email address I'd guess Spain, Portugal, or Italy.

Regarding your question: According to Grandma, this belief goes back to Europe.

There was a very strong belief that people born with three nipples or more, were witches/warlocks. The belief was so strong, that when a baby was born, if it had more than two nipples the midwife would have to kill it!

If it was later discovered that the child had been permitted to live, the townspeople would go and hunt down the midwife and burn her alive. Mother and child would also suffer the same type of death.


Well, no wonder that some people are still reluctant to show their three nipples in public. Thank goodness times have changed. If Kate Hudson can walk around happy with her six toes, then we can wiggle our nipples at the world with pride.

And screw those angry townspeople. Pitchforks don't scare me.

4 comments:

oh, monossílabo said...

I'm portuguese, I have a third nipple, I'm proud of it and no one ever tried to burn me.

I've never heard of that witch/warlock thing before, but it kind of makes sense that it happened in the middle age, by the time of the Inquisition.

Anyway, it never came to my mind that people could be ashamed of having a third nipple til I found this blog, because I've always seen mine as a very interesting (actually, I can hardly see it since my breats got in the way) and never felt the need to hide it.

It is very useful to make conversation (ahah!) and I named it Wally (or Waldo), because people always end up asking where it is.

Oh, and my sister has a spare one, too. We are now thankful for being born in the last century.

PANCHENKUNGA said...

tibetans seems to say that it can even be a good omen...
but during inquisition time, tibet was known as the devil land, full of demons and, worshipers ...
extra nipples is also a way to recognize special abilities within the nyingma(ancient) tradition.
birthmarks was a sine qua non condition to proof extraordinary visionnary destiny within the tulku(incarnation or rebirth)system...

Anonymous said...

i so meant to post one of the comments that i left up there on this one..
lol.
don't ask how i did it, but i did.

and for finalss

NUBIN

Anonymous said...

oh wow thats crazy i just found out that my 3 month old son has a third nipple ... i was like how in the world did he get that?? but readin all this im not scared or worried or freaked out anymore =] didnt know there was other people out there with the same thing =]