Fwd: three time's a charm

[Geoffrey Nunberg]

Can anyone help this person -- she's doing a story on the Eagles'
third appearance in the NFC championship. I found a number of
mentions of this saying in various forms in folklore journals -- my
guess is that it must refer to the idea that a spell or charm has to
be repeated three times to be effective.

Please copy her on the answer.

Geoff

>From: "Laker, Barbara" <lakerb at phillynews.com>
>To: nunberg at csli.stanford.edu
>Subject: three time's a charm
>Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 16:46:21 -0500
>
>Dear Mr. Nunberg:  Thanks so much for talking to me today. I'm
>looking for the origin of the expression, "Three time's a chearm."
>I'm searching for its roots, folklore, etc.
>
>Thanks so much.
>Barbara Laker
>Reporter, Philadelphia Daily News
>215-854-5933