Four Thieves Soap

Legend of the Four Thieves 

One of the most popular legends in the Herbal world is the Legend of the Four Thieves.  This story has everything a good mystery needs from expensive jewels to trickery that leaves everyone wondering how they survived!  This particular tall tale takes place in the 15^th century but over the years has been changed to make it more dramatic or relevant when necessary.

During the plagues (the Black Plagues are the most common) a group of 4 brothers began robbing those who passed from the disease.  This was quite easy to do as those who died remained contagious so no one wanted to be near them.  At first the brothers were largely ignored for everyone knew they would eventually pay the price with their own lives but to everyone’s surprise they never got sick and continued to rob graves.  These brothers became legendary and amassed a great deal of wealth.  The one question everyone had on their mind though was what secret did they possess?  Was it trickery?  Magic?

Many years later they were captured.  After much discussion they agreed to share their secret in return for their freedom.  These men were the offspring of a perfumer and an herbalist.  They learned about essential oils from their parents.  They knew the oils that would protect them so they rubbed them on their bodies and used them to clean anything they brought back.  You can find all kinds of mythology on the internet about this legend!

Many essential oil companies, like Young Living, offer their version of this blend at a high price, but the formula is all over the internet so why not make your own? Here’s my favorite blend.

Combine the following oils in a small, glass vial:

10 drops rosemary oil
20 drops lavender oil
15 drops lemon eucalyptus oil
15 drops peppermint oil
25 drops orange oil
15 drops clove bud oil

Looks like I’ll be making soap soon as I have converted it to grams for my favorite soap recipe!

Thanks to Jessie Hawkins for the fantastic recipe!