Twice in my life, I have had my fortune told by soothsayers. Once, at an esoteric conference in Washington, DC that my college roommate and I visited for lack of something better to do on a Sunday when we should have been studying for finals. As I innocently passed her booth, a babushka clad lady who looked otherwise sane, grabbed my hand, turned it over and demanded to know if the guy with us was my boyfriend. Undeterred by my doubtless shocked expression, she explained she didn’t want my money (she normally charged 20 bucks a reading). Obviously, this was an emergency, and it was her civic duty to warn me in a hushed voice and the most alarmed manner that the gentleman in question was completely wrong for me but there would be someone else in my future who I knew in a former life. And the gentleman in question shouldn’t fret because he and I would meet again in another life on Venus.
Heart metal figure on spoon being melted over a candle
The second time was a Palestinian student who was in the States and studying medicine. She claimed to read coffee grinds and offered to read mine. Always a sucker for a good coffee, I obliged. She told me she saw me dancing with someone I got along with well and for my future she saw lots
Bleigiessen figure 2014-2015 – a dragon? A boat? A swan?
of cows. Concerned I might be wasting thousands of dollars on a college education to harvest the land, I inquired further. She explained that cows meant a good fortune and my concerns about a future filled with wake-up calls with cow teats was unfounded.
Needless to say, I’ve become a bit skeptical about fortune telling. But alas, my romanticism perseveres over my skepticism and as well as being a sucker for a good coffee, I love the idea that someone can examine your hand and read some lines, or peer into a coffee cup and interpret your grinds or decipher the figure you’ve melted, and predict what lady fate has in store for you.
My fortune from last year – a bird – my hopes should have been fulfilled this past year – though he also kinda looked like a dragon
From December 26 – December 31, in addition to all the good luck charm kiosks you’ll witness springing up throughout Vienna’s first district, (Good luck charms defined , Pigs and why they’re lucky), you’ll also be seeing “Bleigießen” packages at the stands, and your local Billas and other grocery stores. (note for smart shoppers: the packages at Libro cost 2.49€, at Billa 2.99€ – same stuff). And though you may know that “Blei” means “lead” and “gießen” “to pour”, you might still not get why hanging amongst pigs, horseshoes, four leaf clovers, and chimney sweeps, are packages of rather bloated metal versions of these exact same figures along with a metal spoon with a wooden handle and a long list of objects and meanings
Time to fortune tell. Because in Austria, you won’t get a fortune cookie at a Chinese restaurant, but you won’t need to. You can tell your fortune for the coming 364 days every New Year’s Eve through the Austrian tradition of Bleigießen.
Me – New Year’s Eve in Vienna – pleased about a successful Bleigiessen no doubt (or maybe just some good Glühwein)
And no worries about subjecting yourself to lead poisoning by engaging in the holiday fun. It’s no longer lead being melted into indiscernible figures foretelling Austrian and Austriaficianado futures, it’s tin.
WHAT YOU NEED:
1) Package of Bleigießen figurines and Bleigießen spoon.
2) Bowl of water
3) flame (either candle or that nice little Bunsen burner kind of pot you use for the fondue)
4) Interpretation list (see below)
5) good friends
6) a creative, open mind
HOW TO:
Holding spoon with figure over candle
Sometime around 10 pm (give yourself time afterwards to go into the city) on New Year’s Eve, after you’ve amply stuffed yourself either with the mandatory fondue or raclette accompanied by some Austrian Vetliner, Zweigelt or Glühwein, you’re ready to get down to business. First you select your preferred tin figurine, place it on the spoon and place the spoon over a
Dropping hot liquid metal into bowl of water
flame. Let the metal totally melt and then toss into the bowl of water. Be careful with the tossing, the metal drips can get all over the place. Also, practice a bit a turn of the wrist can mean the difference between “watch out for thieves”, and “a baby is looming.” Try to keep your toss in one place, shorten the distance. Then use your imagination to interpret what your figure most closely resembles.
WHAT YOUR MELTED BLOB MEANS:
Figurines for Bleigiessen
Anchor – help is on the horizon
Angel – Good will come to you
Antlers – Misfortune in love
Anvil – Care in career
Apple – trust will be broken
Axe – Disappointment in love
Bag – Unexpected luck
Ball – Keep your bad mood to yourself
Balloon – free yourself from your reins
Included list in Bleigiessen pacakage of fortunes told
Barge – Luck in your plans
Basket – Lucky in love
Beaker – conserve your energy
Bee – A wedding is looming (gotta love that the wedding “looms”)
Beetle – Nice love experience
Bell – An inheritance will be within reach
Belt – a friendship will deepen
Bird – Your hopes will be fulfilled
Boat – a voyage is on the horizon
Bomb – You’ll escape danger
Bottle – Happy times are on the way
Bridge – new obligations are coming
Broom – A conflict is looming
Bucket – contentment in relationships
Bush (not the former Pres) – Recognize the abilities of others
Butterfly – boundless luck awaits
Cake – A celebration is on the horizon
Camel – new tasks
Candlestick – A light will turn on
Car – promises an undertaking or a risk
Carnation – friends, pleasure, will come your way
Castle – Wishing for change
Cat – you will be spoilt
Chapel – Your strive for peace and quiet
Chicken – Careful of fire
Chimney sweep – Lucky in love
Chrysanthemum – Someone needs your help
Church – You will soon found a household
Clover – contentment and luck
Column – A wish remains unfulfilled
Cone – Care in transactions
Cow – Healing
Crib – Offspring are on their way
Cup – luck and health
Cylinder – Important things await you
Dagger – You will be victorious
Dancer – Don’t take life so seriously
Eagle – success in career
Ear – keep your opinions to yourself
Egg – You family will grow (surprise this one wasn’t “A baby is looming”)
Elephant – You have a lot of power for understanding
Eye Glasses – You will grow very old (hopefully not in a year’s time)
Falcon – someone is jealous of you
Feather – you’re at home with change
Fence – You will clarify a misunderstanding
Field– luck and contentment
Fish – people are talking about you
Fist – You feel beaten
Flag, waving – Head and heart are in different places
Flask – don’t tease anyone
Flowers – new friendships develop
Fork – Arguments and disputes
Frog – You’ll possibly win lots of money
Gallows – Protect yourself from false friends
Garden – A new love will cross your path
Gate – You will change residences
Goat – Expect an inheritance
Goblet – happy future
Gondola – An adventure will come your way
Goose – your luck is fragile
Guitar – secret longings
Hammer – You will go your own way
Hat – Good news
Heart – luck and health will come your way
Hook – obstacles block your path
Horseshoe – A good transaction awaits
Hose – You will be taunted
House – Your plans will bring success
Island – You are lonely
Jug – Inconveniences
Keys – Leave others their secrets
Ladder – You will be promoted
Lantern – Something will come to light
Ladder, broken – Make quicker decisions
Lips – sensual hours await
Lion – you will find friends
Lizard – A great ill will quickly clear
Marten (Marder – the weasel looking devilish creature in the Alps that likes to sneak into your engine and bite through all the cables and hoses and anything else rubbery (like brake lines!)) – protect yourself from thieves
Mask – show your true face
Messenger – a letter with important news will arrive
Moon – Honor awaits you
Mound – Success demands lots of work
Mushroom – You will be lucky in love
Nail – Better times are coming
Nest with eggs or birds – A happy home life awaits you
Oven – wealth is on the horizon
Owl – protect yourself from a horrible environment
Ox – you will win over powerful friends
Palms – a distant trip in a foreign land is on the horizon
Palm Trees – A long held dream will be fulfilled
Parrot – you talk too much
Pig – Lucky in play
Pipe – Careful! Danger ahead
Pistol – You will be disappointed in love
Plane – Much success in open competitions
Plate – You can be generous
Plow – You must work harder
Porcupine – Someone is envious of you
Pulpit – You are self-opinionated
Rhino – that which you pursued will be yours
Rocking chair – Make a decision
Rocks – A lot of work awaits you
Rose – joyful times are coming your way
Ruins – save up for the future
Sailboat – Good developments in your job
Saw – A decisive change is coming
Scale – plan ahead and you will be successful
Scissors – An important decision awaits
Sickle – Do not sneer at the small joys of life
Sheep – someone will try to use you
Shell – great responsibility awaits you
Shoe– You have a lot to do
Shuffle – earning a living is hard work
Sled – Use your connections
Slippers – You will soon marry
Sloth – All your dreams will come true
Snake –Someone is envious of your success
Spear – Someone wants to fight with you
Spider – Luck is dangle on a silk thread
Spike – Your dreams will come through
Sponge – cleanse your soul
Spoon – People are talking about you
Statue – You overestimate yourself
Steps – New challenges await you
Stick – Your life will change
Stork – A trip is on the horizon
Surfer – you will weather stormy waters
Sword – A decisive change
Table – You will be invited to a party
Teacup – You will receive a visit from a lady
Tent – an adventure awaits you
Tower – Believe in yourself
Train – Departure of a friend
Tree – your abilities will grow
Triangle – financial improvement
Trumpet – good prospects for the future
Tunnel – You will recuperate from a terrible shock
Umbrella – Avoid troubles
Urn – Don’t hang on the past
Vase – You will be popular
Vice – Be content, with what you have
Wall – Your perseverance pays off
Watch – time is money
Wedding ring – You will soon marry – or have an affair!
Weights – Success in career
Wheel – Big changes
Whip – You need a strong hand (must have been penned by Nietzsche)
Wreath – Amends in circle of friends
Wrench – hold tight to your good fortune
Zeppelin – Everything will work out
) was written in 1791, shortly before Mozart’s death – maybe I like it so much because for many years I tried my hand at playing clarinet and still have a soft spot for my old instrument despite my own obvious lack of talent.
