777 facts about the number 7

page three

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After assembling all the relevant parts – printed inlays, jewel cases, booklets, discs - of the Wrack and Roll CD by Blunt Instrument (Pumf 434), I had seven booklets surplus to requirements.

225

In the biblical tale of Balaam and the Angel, the Mesopatamian priest Balaam sacrifices seven oxen and seven rams upon seven altars dedicated to Baal. This is done in a bid to stop Israeli forces marching on Palestine.

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• Animation
• Feeling
• Speech
• Taste
• Sight
• Hearing
• Smelling

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On Saturday 28th September 2002, I went to have some (saffron yellow) paint mixed so I could touch-up the rust spots on my van. When the guy in the shop gave me a page out of his enormous paint chart book to go and match the shade on the page with that of my van, the page number was seven.

229

The number of my house is 25, the digits of which total seven, and directly opposite is number 34, the digits of which also total seven. If you try and tell me that’s a coincidence I’ll call you a liar.

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In 1916 during Carl Gustav Yung’s ‘Creative Illness’ (an exploration of dreams, fantasy and visions in a suspected near-breakdown condition), the Swiss psychoanalyst wrote a strange text entitled Seven Sermons of the Dead. 

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In Sardian folklore, tales are told of a tiny monk called the Pundaccio. He has seven red hoods but if he loses a single one then he will die.

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• 1st Heaven - Animals
• 2nd Heaven - Vegetables
• 3rd Heaven - Planets
• 4th Heaven - Electrons & Protons
• 5th Heaven - Energy
• 6th Heaven - Yin-Yang Polarisation
• 7th Heaven - The Infinite Universe / Infinite Expansion

235

I received a picture postcard in the mail on September 24th, 1999, featuring a design called Seven Sisters by W. Siti. I then, obviously, forgot about this because I only just found out about it again - by accident - when I was sorting through some correspondence.

Curiously enough, it was from the same person who sent me another relevant postcard (see fact #7 – “There are seven frogs on a picture postcard that I received in the mail on June 20th, 2000.”), and I don’t think he was aware of having sent two seven-related cards. Though I might be wrong, and he may well have sent them specifically because they featured seven of something . . . what am I, a mindreader? You’ll have to ask Robert Dellar for yourself.
(Unfortunately Robert died on 17th Dec 2017, so now we'll never know).

236

During the First World War, a small coven of Witches known as the Seven Sisters reputedly abducted and murdered a schoolboy at the windmill at Newcastle-upon-Tyne within which they lived.

237

‘One of the most devastating explosions the world has ever known’ happened in Bombay on 14th  April, 1944, when a ship carrying 1,395 tons of explosives caught fire and exploded in Victoria Dock. Despite the extensive damage (and 1,376 dead) the docks were restored and working again only seven months later.

238

There are at least seven species of True Social Wasps resident in Britain.

239

The Crime of Armed Trespass (Firearms Act 1968 - Section 20: Having a firearm, to enter or be on any land or water as a trespasser and without reasonable excuse) holds a penalty of seven years’ imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both.

240

A recent expedition to Ebo Forest in Bakossiland, Cameroon, left a zoological team bewildered, when they chanced upon a troop of seven gorillas as these great apes were not thought to live wild for many miles around.

241

In The Boy Who Liked To Kick Pigs (a very odd / cool book by the very odd / cool actor Tom Baker), an encounter between a tin piggy bank, a policeman’s foot and seven bananas led to trouble for Robert Caligari, the story’s twisted anti-hero.

242

In a 2003 poll in Britain the comedy sitcom catchphrase that came seventh in popularity was You Dirty Old Man from Steptoe and Son. (The name Steptoe contains seven letters).

243

Many centuries ago it is claimed that a strange apparition appeared at Dagworthy Castle. Manifesting as a small girl she said her name was Malekin and claimed that seven years previous she had been abducted from her cot by faeries and was compelled to remain with them for seven years more.

244

New Testament, Matthew 18: 21-22 – Then came Peter to him, and said: ‘Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times?’ Jesus saith unto him: ‘I say not unto thee until seven times but until 70 times seven.’ (There are seven letters in the name Matthew).

245

A Scottish folktale relates how a man by the name of Johnny Croy wed a Mermaid upon the agreement that after seven years spent living on land he would then return to the sea with his wife for eternity. When the time came, Johnny did indeed accompany his wife beyond the brine along with six of their seven children. The seventh child had been branded with the sign of the cross by Johnny's mother, therefore making its presence unacceptable in Tir Fo Thuinn (the Land beneath the Waves).

246

The Seventh House of the Zodiac is Libra the Scales – a sign governed by Venus-Aphrodite.

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On 9th June 2003 when I attended a fine art exhibition in Preston, UK, one of the exhibits was a battery-operated one-armed bandit which was called an energy transfer machine. When I put a plastic token in and played the game at 8.37pm, I won seven tokens.

249

At the beginning of the track Stereo Sanctity, from the album Sister by Sonic Youth, the word ‘seven’ is inexplicably shouted. Twice.

250

Gary Gilmore, the American double murderer who insisted on his right to be executed for his crimes, was executed by a Utah firing squad on 17th January 1977.

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The cover blurb on the CD sleeve for the soundtrack of cult-biker movie Psychomania reads as follows - "Seven suicides and they roared back as the Living Dead!"

253

In Scottish Lore, Lord Soulis of Hermitage Castle near the Borders was burned to death for practising Black Magic.  However it is said that once every seven years the warlock returns to the castle to communicate with his Familiar spirit, a hideous goblin by the name of Redcap Sly.

254

Sir Walter Parratt (1841 – 1924), the organ virtuoso, made his debut at the age of seven. He also spent 42 (seven times six) years as the organist at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England.

255

Marguerite-Therese, Marquise de Vaubrun, survived for 29 years following the death of her husband Nicolas, Lieutenant general of the French Army, on July 30th, 1675. In all that time she spent seven hours each day sitting gazing intently at her husband’s heart, which she’d had embalmed and placed in a glass case with two lighted candles before it.

256

There are seven known species of Colepidae (Kelp Flies) in Britain.

257

Speaking about the disaster that tragically claimed the lives of seven astronauts when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere on 1st February 2003, hard-line outlaw Muslim cleric Abu Hamza claimed the explosion was God’s punishment on the unholy triad of American, Jewish and Hindu crew because the Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon was working on the Sabbath (the seventh day). Some of the wreckage of the shuttle fell on the town of Palestine in Texas. 

258

There was a gap of seventeen years (almost to the day) between the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on January 28th, 1986 and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

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In the Bible, King David dreamt of seven fat cows and seven thin cows. Joseph (he of the Technicolor Dream Coat) analysed the dream to be a prediction of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine; and he was reputedly right.

261

In Poland if a child dies unbaptised, it is believed that it will then wander the earth for seven years. If at the end of this time the child remains unbaptised it will then become a Faerie creature known as a Latawici.

262

Of all the Ladybird Beetle species, the one most commonly sighted in Britain is the Seven Spot Ladybird.

263

In 1944, the seven siblings of the Ovitz family – all of whom were dwarves – were removed from their Hungarian institute (where they had been placed following their father's death by food poisoning) and taken to Auschwitz. Here they were rescued from the gas chamber by mad Nazi scientist Josef Mengele, who then ghoulishly experimented upon them. All of the Ovitz siblings survived their experiences and the war and later toured Europe under the billing of  The Seven Dwarves of Auschwitz.

264

Seven per cent of the population own eighty-four (seven dozen) percent of the wealth.

265

A violao is a type of guitar, sometimes with seven strings.

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According to Manx lore the wager set for a tailor to spend the night in the ruined church of St. Trinian's at Marown was seven gold sovereigns and a kiss from a maiden of his choice. This sum was so high as the ruins were haunted by a Buggane (a nasty form of supernatural being to be found on the Isle of Man).

268

In the 2000AD comic strip Nemesis the Warlock book one, the seven chapters of Terminators are named as The Inquisition, New Druids, Dervishes, Outriders, Assassins, Dark Brethren and Berserkers.

269

In an episode of Monkey, which I’ve never seen, the Princess who married the Yellow Demon went missing from her father’s court for seven years before again contacting the King. And the water-demon (kappa) Sandy has a birthmark consisting of seven moles on his arm. 

270

According to Celtic Christian legend, in the early days of St. Patrick's ministry, a host of Demons descended upon Ireland in the form of a monstrous murder of crows. Their reign of destruction and terror only ceased when an Angel intervened and banished all Demons from setting foot on Irish soil for a period of seven years, seven months, seven days and seven nights.

271

(27. 2. 2003) Tesco Computers for Schools voucher scheme: “Over £77 million worth of computing equipment has been donated to schools nationwide since the scheme began in 1992”.

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An Irish folk-tale describes how one young woman ran off one night in the direction of the strange, alluring music that she could hear. She didn’t return home until seven years had passed, and by this time all her toes had worn away from non-stop dancing with the Daoine Sidh (people of the hollow hills; the faeries).

274

Drew Barrymore was seven years old when she rocketed to stardom in the film ET.

275

A picture I received by e-mail under the title ‘Biker Grannies’ depicted seven women around a motorcycle, all with their middle fingers raised in an offensive gesture. (They’re all old enough to know better!)

276

The aquatic larvae of the 'Lace-Wing’ Sisyridae family have seven pairs of abdominal gills.

277

In numerology, seven is said to represent reflection, virginity, the inner rhythms and completeness. In Occult number magic the following is also considered significant – the cycle of the moon is 28 days, divided into 4 phases each lasting seven days, whilst the sum of the first seven numbers (1+2+3+4+5+6+7) is 28.

278

In Greek myth, King Minos of Crete demanded the annual tribute of seven young men and seven maidens from Athens in recompense for the death of his son Andreogeous. The seven sacrificial youths would be sent wandering into the labyrinth where they would eventually be found and devoured by the Minotaur (the monstrous horned offspring of Minos' wife's dalliance with a bull.)

279

In swamp movie Southern Comfort a unit of eight US territorial soldiers discover seven bear-traps that the Cajuns put in the marsh to get them. (In a following scene one of the soldiers is skewered on a mental-looking booby-trap . . . and then there were seven. For a little while, at least).

280

"But they are dead. Those Two are Dead. - Their Spirits are in Heaven! - 'Twas throwing words away; for still - The little Maid would have her will - And said 'Nay, We are seven!'"
- William Wordsworth: from We are Seven.

281

A beautiful maiden was said to have resided in Hill Hall, Theydon Bois, Essex in the 16th Century. Seven local brothers were soon to become extremely enamoured with the lady who, flattered by the attention, could not decide which of the youths to take as a husband. One day all seven came a courting at once and in their frustration and fury a quarrel arose. Within a short time the situation dramatically escalated and, in the presence of the shocked young woman, the seven brothers bloodily slaughtered each other. Despite vigorous scrubbing, it is said that many years passed before the stains of their battle were finally removed.

282

A Montana man, who changed his name to Jack Ass in 1997 to make a point against the dangers of drink-driving, has recently filed a law-suit for an intended £7 million against the bad-boy stunt show, Jackass, for apparent defamation of character.

283

Travelling by coach is seven times safer than travelling by private car.

284

Korean Airlines Flight 007 – a Boeing 747 – was shot from the sky by a Russian Sukhoi SU15 interceptor on 1st September, 1983, because it had strayed into Russian air space. All 269 people on board died. The Airplane had been completed in 1972 for Lufthansa, and sold to Korean Airlines seven years later.

285

A Scottish folk-tale from the Isle of Islay relates how when a Faerie Water-Bull was born into conventional domestic cattle stock, a local Wise-Woman prescribed that the ferocious beast be locked alone inside a house for the period of seven years.

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In Maori myth the Sky Father and Earth Mother parented seven sons.

287

There are seven spikes on the crown of the Statue of Liberty in New York.

288

A seven-pound cod (fish) can produce seven million eggs at one time.

289

Not counting live recordings or compilations, the Doors released seven albums as a band before lead singer Jim Morrison apparently sailed away in a Parisian bathtub.

290

An Alpine folk-tale relates how one morning a simple cowherd suddenly lost seven dairy cattle without trace. He searched the mountain for hours to no avail. So, at a loss as to what to do, he mimed the actions of feeding, milking and leading the beasts to fresh pasture. By nightfall the seven cows were returned to him but by their side were seven new calves. All were led by a tiny Erdluitle (earth dwarf).

291

Another Alpine tale tells how one night a servant-girl became lost in a forest. Deep into the woods she ventured upon a little cottage, which she entered to be greeted by seven dwarves. They offered her food and board on condition that she slept with one of them. Reluctantly she agreed and bunked up with the eldest dwarf. The next morning there was a knock at the door and a woman from the girl’s village entered. She was there on business with the dwarves but became enraged and disgusted to see the naked girl in the dwarf’s bed. The girl protested that the embraces of a dwarf seemed better than starving or freezing to death in the forest, but the woman just called her worse than muck and stormed out. She soon returned with two village men who proceeded to bludgeon all seven dwarves to death and burn down the cottage. The servant-girl escaped with her life but her reputation was forever ruined.

292

There are seven families of the insect order Saltatoria (Grasshoppers & Crickets) reported in Europe.

293

In 1993, Turkish television news featured a cat named Cingene (Gypsy) that apparently possessed the ability to speak (without Esther Rantzen jaw-manipulating type shenanigans). Cingene’s vocabulary, however, only seemed to extend to seven individual words. (There are seven letters in the name Cingene and the word Turkish).

294

In the chapter entitled April 2005: Usher II of the U.S. published version of The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, there are seven rooms of the Masked Ball. The seventh room is the sinister black velvet room. (2+0+0+5 = 7).

295

Trip-hop combo Portishead have a song entitled Seven Months.

296

1777, during the American Revolution, is a date still remembered as ‘the year of the three sevens’.

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In The 12 Brothers by the Brothers Grimm, to break the spell that transformed the brothers into ravens, their sister must remain speechless and not laugh for a period of seven years. 

298

Under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1937 & 1965: should a person's spouse disappear without trace or contact, then that person is legally entitled to marry again after seven years have passed upon presumption of death.

299

On 9th June 2003 when I attended a fine art exhibition in Preston, UK, there was an exhibit of one huge shopping trolley made from seven regular-sized ones.

300

A Corsican Folk-tale relates how a man spied on his beautiful new wife taking her dinner, after she warned him never to watch her eating. Peeking through a keyhole he was horrified to observe her pouring her food into a hole in her back. Confronting her, he discovered that she was not human, but a Fee (a feral faerie breed). He cast her out of his house and home but, on her departure, she issued a curse that for the next seven generations no more than three of his male heirs would live at any one time.

301

Charles-Jean-Baptiste Sanson succeeded to the post of chief executioner of the French capital (with the title Master of Paris) at the age of seven, when his father died in 1726. Unable to wield the heavy sword, Charles-Jean-Baptiste was given an assistant to carry out his duties until he attained the grand old age of twelve, whereupon he was able to carry out his duties himself.

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'Even yet at Seven Isle Bay is told the Ghostly tale; of a weird unspoken sail; She flits before no earthly blast; With the red sign fluttering from her mast'
- The Ghost of the Schooner Breeze, Whittier.

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In Iran in 2002, nine-year-old Farideh won seven commendations in a beauty contest. They were for:

• Health
• Beauty of Eyes
• Beauty of Cheekbones
• Beauty of Legs
• Beauty of Head
• Affection for Owner
• Beauty of Humps

(It may be worth mentioning that Farideh is actually a camel).

306

The Dracae are French River Faeries who shed their true purple globular forms to manifest as beautiful women in order to seduce and perhaps drown mortal men. However the Dracae may also abduct human girls for a period of seven years, in which time they must act as midwives and wet-nurses to the Dracae’s progeny.

307

In a Coum Transmissions performance art piece entitled Omissions, performed at KK Centrum, Antwerp, Belgium in 1975, seven part-filled milk bottles comprised part of the performance environment.

308

“He ignored his terror and ran for a pay phone, dialling seven familiar digits with shaking hands.”

309

On the seventh week following Easter the Russian Rusalkies (water nymphs) gather feathers and straw to build their underwater nests.

310

In the Celtic wonder tale Cold Feet and the Queen of the Lonesome Island, the eponymous hero meets a hag whose finger and toenails are made of steel, each weighing seven pounds. He grew so large that, by the age of seven, he could no longer fit in his mother’s house, and on his adventure to the Lonesome Island he met a man who was seven hundred years old.

311

There are seven known species of the Coniopterygidae family (small Lace-Wing type insects) resident in Britain.

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The plant Silverweed provides nourishment for some Faerie Troops. Their name for this food is Seventh Bread.

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The Welsh poem (The English title of which is I shall praise the sovereign or The Spoils of Annwn) first credited to the Celtic Bard, Taleisin [though now thought to be of a medieval or later origin] describes seven expeditions to Otherworld fortresses.

319

Amongst Australia's most notorious convicted killers are James Miller who claimed the lives of seven victims in the 1970s and Ivan Millat, the Backpack Murderer, who killed seven tourists between 1989 & 1992.

320

To protest against Student Loans a bloke called Mark McGowan plans to roll a monkey nut along the ground with his nose for seven miles between Goldsmiths College and Downing Street. (I can't remember when I made a note of this, so he might have done it by now . . . or he might have seen sense and not bothered).

321

Apu, in the episode of The Simpsons about Valentines Day, sent his wife Manjula seven days worth of valentines.

322

Ancient Rome was built on seven named hills:

• Palatine
• Capitoline
• Aventine
• Caelian
• Esquiline
• Viminal
• Quirinal-Colline

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The strange orchid-mimicking South American arachnid Epicadus Heterogaster  is commonly known as the Seven-Spined Crab Spider.

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Speaking anthropologically rather than biologically the Chukchi people of Siberia are said to have seven genders. That’s one gender for each of the letters in either of the words Chukchi or Siberia.

327

The opening line to Germaine Knight's version of the Mabinogion tale - Pwyll & Rhiannon (which she retitled Queen Mare and her Consort and published in her Pagan family magazine - The Triple Spiral) reads as follows - "Mead Moon, the seventh full moon sine Yule, shone bright in the Midsummer sky . . ."

328

Rhiannon (as mentioned above) is a tragic heroine of Welsh Celtic myth an considered by some to be a Horse-goddess. She is also said to be frequently accompanied by seven blackbirds.

329

There’s a 1980 LP record by Jon Anderson called Song of Seven. The last track on side two is called Song of Seven.

330

There are seven known species of Machiladae (insects belonging to the Bristle-Tail family and fairly similar to Silverfish) in Britain.

331

Sefkhet -Abwy, the Egyptian Goddess of Writing & Libraries was also known as 'she who has seven horns' (due to her seven pronged crown).

332

Ingmar Bergman’s film entitled The Seventh Seal is probably best remembered for the scene where a knight plays chess with death himself.

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Mrs Violet Peek of Denver, Colorado, is the mother of seven children – each born on a different day of the week. At least, this was the case in 1969 when the book from which this fact came was published.