PM (and sometimes AM) Spot for Thoughts

The Oneth Family has been traced back to Worms, Germany so we took a road trip and got off Autobahn 61 at exit 58

We found a charming town with a Key and Dragon Coat of Arms.

Worms holds the symbology of the "key" as well as "the dragon" very sacred in their history and traditions. Apparently a 17th century chronicler told the tale that the "key" in the city arms of Worms, represents "wisdom, reason, and the welfare" provided by the authorities; and "the dragon" as a symbol for "armed vigilance". However, the folk tales of the area tell a different story - as written in the Jewish-German translation by Juspa Schammes (1696: Amsterdam) that a widowed queen who ruled Worms in pre-Christian times had brought great prosperity to the town in her time. But one day, a horrible Lindwurm (Dragon) approached the city walls threatening to flatten the city unless a townsperson was sacrificed to him each day. So the victims were chosen by lot, and one day the lottery chose the queen. To prevent this sacrifice, a courageous locksmith made an iron set of armour with shearing blades from top to bottom, would wear the armour and be offered to the dragon in her stead, if she promised to marry him and make him king. The queen agreed and the locksmith thrown to the dragon. As the dragon attempted to eat the locksmith, the armour sliced and diced the dragon into pieces with every snapping bite the dragon made. The smith was victorious and cut himself out of the carcass and became the rightful king. To honor this victory, the key was added to the city arms and the defeated dragon to bear the shield.

There were narrow cobblestone streets and we found a Woolworth Department store in the shopping plaza!