Plants and Knots

The boys go out with knots, and the son of kings with bells.

[Aramaic] What [are these] knots? Ada Mari said [in the name of] R. Naḥman bar Barukh, [in the name of] R. Ashi bar Avin, [in the name of] R. Judah: pu’ah [madder-plants] tied together.

Abaye said: An expert told it to me: Three [knots] restrain, five heal, and seven even compensate witchcraft. R. Aḥa bar Jacob stated: And [what is it] that does not see the sun and moon and does not see rain and does not hear the sound of iron, the sound of a rooster, the sound of steps? R. Naḥman bar Isaac said: A pu’ah [which] has fallen into a pit [i.e., wild, not cultivated].

Translated by Markham J. Geller and Lennart Lehmhaus.