What's up with the Acorns?

Symbolism is an amazing thing and fascinates me as I move between cultures. It gets really exciting when there are parallels between cultures, shared meanings of similar symbols. Where'd that come from? Consider pineapples as symbols of hospitality, turtles as creativity, fish hooks as wisdom and providence, ferns as new life, forever unfurling.

Walking under many oak trees this time of year in North America will not find so much symbolism as pain, but look, anyway, at the acorn symbol.

Acorns appear only on adult trees, and thus are often a symbol of patience and the fruition of long, hard labor.

For example, an English proverb states that Great oaks from little acorns grow, urging the listener to wait for maturation of a project or idea.

A German folktale has a farmer trying to outwit Satan, to whom he has promised his soul, by asking for a reprieve until his first crop is harvested; he plants acorns and has many years to enjoy first.

The Norse legend that Thor sheltered from a thunderstorm under an oak tree has led to the belief that having an acorn on a windowsill will prevent a house from being struck by lightning; hence the popularity of window blind pulls decorated as acorns.

In ancient Japan, (Jōmon period), acorns were an important food. Acorns were harvested, peeled and soaked in natural or artificial ponds for several days to remove tannins, then processed to make acorn cakes.

In Korea, an edible jelly named dotorimuk is made from acorns.

A motif in Roman architecture and popular in Celtic and Scandinavian art, the symbol is used as an ornament on cutlery, jewelry, furniture, and appears on finials at Westminster Abbey.

In the 17th century, a juice extracted from acorns was administered to habitual drunkards to cure them of their condition or else to give them the strength to resist another bout of drinking.

Young lovers may place two acorns, representing themselves and the object of their affection, in a bowl of water in order to predict whether they have a future together; if the acorns drift towards each other they are certain to marry (they will, if placed closer to each other than to the edge of the bowl).

In some cultures, it is said to be a good luck symbol if one carries acorns in one's pocket.

Any nut puns forthcoming from Converation@Intersections readers?