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Ostrich Eggs in Churches

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Ostrich eggs are suspended in several Eastern churches as symbols of God’s watchful care. It is said that the ostrich hatches her eggs by gazing on them, and if she suspends her gaze even for a minute or so, the eggs are addled. Furthermore, we are told that if an egg is bad the ostrich will break it: so will God deal with evil men.

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“Oh! even with such a look, as fables say

The mother ostrich fixes on her eggs,

Till that intense affection

Kindle its light of life.”


Southey: Thalaba.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Osprey or Ospray (a corruption of Latin ossifragus, the bone-breaker)
Ossa
Osseo
Ossian
Ostend Manifesto
Oster-Monath
Ostler
Ostracism
Ostrich
Ostrich Brains
Ostrich Eggs in Churches
Ostrich Stomachs
Ostringers, Sperviters, Falconers
Oswald’s Well
Othello (in Shakespeare’s tragedy so called)
Othello’s Occupation’s Gone (Shakespeare)
Other Day (The)
Othman, Osman, or Othoman
Otium cum Dig. [dignitate]
Otos
OTrigger (Sir Lucius)