North Dakota’s Craziest Legend and/or Superstition
In case you don't own a calendar, a phone, or you're just some weirdo who doesn't believe in the concept of numbered days of the month, Friday is July 13th, or as many know it: 'Friday, the 13th.'
It's not just a title of the movies that made Jason Voorhees famous. Friday, the 13th is widely known as being somewhat of a superstitious day and/or unlucky day. Maybe you don't believe that or maybe you don't want to. Or maybe your plan for tomorrow is to lock yourself in your home all day in hopes of nothing possibly going wrong for you on the outside world.
Our friends at 24/7 Wall St. decided to find out what the craziest legends and/or superstitions are in every state.
For North Dakota, apparently, if you kill a snake, you'll need to cut its head off and bury it far from its body to keep it from coming back together.
This 'legend' is debunked by the immutable laws of snake anatomy. A snake cannot grow itself back together again, regardless of how far apart the remains of its disassembled body are. However, a snake's head can still bite for up to about an hour after it has been decapitated from its body. This is due to the fact that snakes have a low metabolism, which means their vital organs can remain alive for longer periods of time.
There you have it, snakes cannot regenerate, but their head will bite even after it has been decapitated. Therefore, good luck if you intend on spending your Friday, the 13th in the North Dakota wilderness on a snake hunting expedition. As Michael Scott once said in an episode of 'The Office (Beach Day),' "Watch out for snakes."