Folktale Origins Of Wishing Wells

By | May 2, 2019

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Wishing well at Ramona marriage place old town, San Diego, California, 1930. Source: (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

In the mall, in the park, or in your neighbor’s front yard, we see wishing wells in a lot of places and we all know what we are supposed to do…drop a coin in and make a wish. But how did this custom start and what was the original meaning of it? Did our ancestors truly believe that they had to pay for their wishes? And what is the significance of a well? Let’s dive deep into the folklore of wishing wells. 

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Source: (psiloveyou.xyz)

Wishing Wells and Sacred Water

Since water is the key to life, finding sources of fresh water was important to our ancestors. Occasionally, fresh water sprang from unexpected places, like from underground springs or rivers. For many cultures, particularly ancient European cultures, underground springs were viewed as special, sacred waters that were given to mankind as a gift from the gods. To thank the gods for their gift, they would drop small tokens of their appreciation into the spring. Later, coins were used.