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Ruby & Sapphire
Ruby: One Hindu legend says that
these red varieties of corundum were created when a maharani (a queen) was
stabbed to death by a jealous courtier. Her blood stained the colorless
diamond she wore and all others like it. Other early myths held that
rubies gave off heat, and a gem placed in a bowl of water would bring it
to boil. In places where rubies were mined, people believed that the
gems had to ripen like fruit, and those that did not have a strong
coloration had been removed too early. The red coloration of this gem gave
rise to many beliefs that they could heal problems with the heart and
blood. Attributed to the red planet, Mars, rubies were said to ward off
plague, banish foolish thoughts, make the wearer prudent, and also
guarantee marital happiness. Some also believed that rubies would preserve
the freshness of youth if rubbed on the face.
Sapphire: Over the years,
sapphires have always been held in high regards, and many have attributed
great powers to these stones. Some believed that sapphires could protect
them from sorcery and plots of their enemies. Others that a little
powdered sapphire in milk could cure ulcers. It was often held that the
stones could also heal and protect the eyes. In the Orient, they were
thought very potent against poison, so much so that people believed they
could instantly kill venomous animals. A Persian legend believed that
sapphires were made of the last drops of amrita, the elixir of
immortality. In medieval Europe, sapphires were advertised as charms
against plague, smallpox, and headaches. They were also used as love
gifts, ones that would turn pale if the lover was ever unfaithful.
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