Definition of wishing well

The origin of the phrase "wishing well" can be traced back to ancient times, particularly in European folklore and mythology. The concept of a well with magical properties for granting wishes is found in many different cultures, including Greek, Roman, and Celtic mythology. In ancient Greece, there is a reference to a wishing well in the Odyssey, where the protagonist Odysseus offers a sacrifice to the nymphs and asks for their blessings at a sacred spring. Similarly, the Romans had a goddess named Vesta who was associated with water sources and was believed to have the power to grant wishes. In medieval Europe, Christians adapted these concepts to match their religious beliefs. They associated the practice with Saint Patrick, who was said to have used a bowl filled with water to baptize converts. His followers soon began leaving offerings, such as coins or small objects, in the bowl as a sign of their faith, which evolved into the custom we know today of dropping coins into a wishing well. The term "wishing well" itself was coined during the 18th century and became popular after the publication of a poem by Oliver Goldsmith called "The Deserted Village", which contains the line "Where youth grows pale, and spectre thin, / And spectre stern, dreads not the blast, / Meet mayst the wave-worn pilgrim go, / Unmolested to his final rest". This poem celebrates a rural community's wishing well as a symbol of fertility, purity, and life. Since then, "wishing well" has become a common expression used to describe a source of water, typically a man-made structure, that is traditionally thought to grant wishes when coins or objects are thrown into it. The exact reasons why this tradition persists, whether rooted in superstition, artifact, or placebo, remain subject to debate.