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One of the vampire "traits" I've come across in my reading is that vampires feel the compulsive need to untie every knot they come across and count every single grain of rice presented to them.

I personally do not believe this is the case, and I'm sure not many of you out there do. But my question is, what could have provoked this belief? Why would one think that vampires have these particular compulsions? What's the connection?

Any and all information on the subject is appreciated.

It's all just myth.

You throw a bunch of rice seeds at a vampire and all you're going to do is piss em off. Toss a rope with a bunch of knots in it at a vampire and they may tie you in a knot!

There was recently a thread titled "Vampire OCD" which delt with this subject. I do not, however, recal it touching on where this part of the vampire legend came from.

I did some internet searches and found many referances to the cumpulsive nature, untying knots, counting rice or seeds, but no links to where it came from.

Hopefull someone will have some information on the origins of this peculiarity in the vampire mythos.

looks more like OCD then reality to me....sorry no offence but indeed more a myth or a simple mental disorder.

I know, but WHY would someone make up that myth? There's got to be more reason to it than "because they felt like it". lol that's what I'm trying to get at.

it might not be made up, it might be simply misinterpreted behavior, ppl wont notice when a person is "normal" to their way of juging, then they won notice the OCD, but when they dont consider a person normal then they blamed the vampire or other non "normal" to their jugement

From posting in the "Vampire OCD" thread I can give an incite into the beginning of this myth. Several vampire's of today and ages past, is that vampires have an obsession with having even number of things or odd. That is why having seeds of any kind thrown on the ground or at the vampire will cause him to stop chasing you. As far as the rope with knots goes, vampires have a tendency to have to have all things in order and be nice and neat. Therefore, the robe with a knots in it will cause the vampire chasing you to stop and untie all of the knots to make the robe straight and neat. A lot of it though, like Sonneillon said, is all myth because the vampires' OCD is not severe, in most cases, to get them to stop chasing their victim and correct the method of distraction. There were two different OCD threads going at one time, one of them was in the main forum and the other was in The Sandbox. I would look through them and see if anyone else has made any comments on there about the beginnings of these myth's, but all of this is just my personnal opinions and impressions on these myth's. Carpe Noctem

Knot work is used in a lot of magical rituals, from curses to charms to weather work. It's probably related to that usage, as it's a lot older than vampire myths.

A good link for those unfamilier with the vampire ocd origin.

Counting

I can just see a big and strong vampire sitting crosslegged on the floor counting rice ...lol that just tickles me.

Its so true i have this compulsive trait to clean.. its horrible.. at work im obssessed and alays cleaning and picking shit up and yelling at others who dont pick up after themselves and at Home or friends houses.. luckily my Best Friend knows its just me and LMAO isnt the most cleanest person so is greatful in my efforts but yeah it is a Horrid trait ..but Ya know i guess cleaning isnt all that bad a Compulsion to have could be worse LMAO

This is dumb I think.


If this ever happend, than it is based on some story where someone imprisoned a three year old vampire, observing him how he counts all these lil tingies in different colors.

I have heard of this but have never seen actual proof..I have always felt it is a myth, and a way to make vampires appear weak.

Yes, the actual counting each seed and to untie each knot is all myth, like Sonneillon said, but it does have a sliver of truth behind it in this day and age due to the discovery and documentation of OCD and the simple fact that minor OCD traits and behaviors are exhibited by those who live the vampyric lifestyle. It does help to read all of the posts that are before yours as to see what all others have said so that you don't say the same thing that they said or take the conversation down a completely different path than what it is already on. Carpe Noctem

First I think it might be a myth...and second maybe back then some one who was believeed to be a vampire had O.C.D? It's just a guess but it would be pretty funny if that was the case ^.^

Sounds like Rainman the Vampire.

Definitely, definitely 1,286 grains of rice. I'm an excellent driver - slow around the driveway at midnight in Dragula...

I wonder if he still screams and hits his head at the sight of blood...

I have seen this used in a vampire movie actually, I believe it to be either Dracula II: ascension or Dracula III.

A frightened human tosses a handful of rice towards Dracula and he simply glances at it before stating the exact amount of grain falling to the floor, the human then proceeds to toss a very fine very knotted length of rope at him in which Dracula, without stopping, unties and lies straight on the floor within seconds.

Though I have seen this used and have read about it many a time I doubt it's truth or effectiveness.

OCD and vampirism are unrelated...just a myth.

I seen that somewhere -- I think people make up false defenes to help them cope with things . --

Hrm.. I'd say it is someone wishful thinking to find a flaw for the fantasy/movie version of a vampire,
so myth.

id also have to agree with it being a myth,
maybe its just something mentally

i have to agree with the OCD tendencies; i know many vampires who have to count things.

An easy out when you are trying to cut your vampire movie to 120 minutes. Or you novel to 200 pages. You carry it so far then you need to end it. True vampires would laugh at this shit.

I personally think that if their are true vampires out their and they have to count ever seed that is thrown at them and untie every knot from a rope then i would think by now they would have learned how to do it fast, but most likely thoes are just myths...

I don't think it's a sign of a vampire to have O.C.D. If thats the case I am a vampire. I think things get made up by those who don't understand. Like rumors, to make something sound bad or weird.

You need to split the OCD from thr Vampiric myth. Yes ok, some Vampires may have OCD, so do other people. I think what is at the heart of many of the myths is extrordinary/bizarre behaviour, with very little explaination.

Now that can be applied to almost anything...

Vampires and OCD is indeed a myth, in my opinion. Even though I am a Vampire and have OCD, but I have some Vamp friends that do not have OCD. So as a general rule you can't say Vampires and OCD are fact.

Very true; I am vampiric and I am not ocd either.........

But however, the reasoning be hind the myths is simple.........

It is proven that vampires have a heightened level of organization, thus the idea that knots and/or grains of rice may leave a vampire in a state of disorganized compliance,,,,,,,, Thus produces some of the myths in question........

And in answer to your question, micahuzamaki, no not just anyone can turn you........

It takes an experienced vampire to make the proper transformation applicable...

i've heard of it but havenoclue where it came from. i would gues it comes from the folklore of how vampirestendto like things in order.

It's not vampires..
It's a myth about sookunas (sp?)
My teacher told us about it...
Rice is used for them not to enter your house, they must first count each grain of rice then they can enter to feed from you.

in my belief it comes from the days of mens fear driving them to try and desroy anything not purly human

the vamps of the age may well have made this sort of thing up as a way to throw the "hunters" of track and give the vampires a sence of who was out there hunting them down in the area were they had lived

just a personal view

The mind set of fear is always a stimulant for adding fables into folklore. If the stereotypical vampire was as high and mighty as the books say, they would have no need for such compulsions.

Spirits however, are a differant matter entirely, as even sound may cause a spirit to reject its intended target.

yeah unless the vampire was an OCD victim in their mortal life..i dont think they would take the time to count and analyze everything..

I've heard of this before..
I think it was on the History Channel special "Vampire Secrets".

I think it had to do with immortality in some way. Oh, now you've got my interests.. =/

it could be that one let another borrow something and was worried it may disappear.

lol I would hope that they aren't like that.

ummm just putting this out there and i may be totally off base but....

knots are often associated with solidifying power or forming a bong wether it is between people or to keep power at bay. it may be they feel threatened by this.
also Vampires are believed to have been remenants of the spirits of suicide victims. perhaps they unties knots in a vain attempt to free themselves from the eternity on earth they have created for themselves.

im not sure about the rice/seeds, though it may have something to do with the fact it is food (which is said the Vampire can no longer taste) or the fact it can grow into and create more living organisms, wHich the vamipre cannot. it can only create the dead

The rice part of it I don't really get. Never heard of it in my life. But the knot untying could be linked to the myth that vampires can't cross knotted rope. So they feel the need to untie all knots so they can cross.

Thats kool never heard that before ya sounds all very strange to me

I am not sure of the of the reasoning behind the knot, but the grains are not just with regard to rice, any granular be it sand, rice or seed is said to force the compulsary act of counting amongst true vampyres. I read an old church document at the Serbian Orthodoxii Monastary which bore testimony. Whether anyone believes it is their own choice. One story was how a peasant farmer was approached by an "odd" sort of man before dawn the peasant dropped his seed for csirkas (chicken) and fled when he returned later he found a pile of ash near a pile of seed where the man was. Could just be a mid evil crop circle, but I do not now if I would want to take the chance; especially since I have at times caught myself counting grains...

ahh its crap to me, just have to agree with several above, cant really add much more to this one

I don’t believe this to be true. None of the folks that I know that believe themselves to be vampires have this trait. Most of them are pretty much lacking the initiative to count anything they don’t have to. I think this myth probably stems from people describing vampires as physically seeing things differently than the rest of us. My guess would be that people assumed vampires might think rice looks cool or something. Most if not all the myths and legends about vampires were just created by the author of a book or story at some time.

It could have come from people looking for a way to give vampires flaws, but personally I think it may stem from the fact that vampires, in legend, tend to appear fastidiously neat - perfect hair, tidy clothes...have you ever seen a vampire who's got day-old blood down his shirt?

I believe its just a myth. I don't see a connection at all. Anybody can have OCD.

I rather agree with Sonn's statement.

that myth cames from people trying to better understand OCD.

The only thing I can think of is that some one that was thought to be a vampire had OCD for knots. That is all there is to it.