Many years ago, I was told of an old German birth ritual by Stephen McNallen. I've since asked him about this and he has forgotten the source. I'm curious about the ritual itself and if anyone here might have heard about it, or ideally know of a source.
Immediately after birth, the newborn is forced to taste salt from the tip of a sword. The understanding being that this would be their *first* experience outside the womb, essentially a kind of harsh greeting into the world...both bitter and dangerous.
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