Rumor messages

Rumors are clever hints about most aspect of NetHack. This table provides explanations for the rumors you can find in fortune cookies, random floor engravings, talking artifacts, etc. This table only lists the true ones, so if you see a rumor that isn't in this list, either it is a false rumor, or it comes from a version of NetHack other than 3.4.

Many rumors have multiple meanings. Feel free to fix or add to the explainations.

Rumor	Meaning
A blindfold can be very useful if you're telepathic.	You can see the monsters on your level that have brains if you are blind and telepathic. Telepathy can be gained by eating a floating eye or praying at an altar. Apply a blindfold to become blind.
A candelabrum affixed with seven candles shows the way with a magical light.	A necessary step in performing the invocation on the vibrating square. Apply the uncursed candelabrum to affix seven candles on the vibrating square.
A crystal plate mail will not rust.	A crystal plate mail is made of glass, so it will not rust, corrode, burn, or rot.
A katana might slice a worm in two.	Attacking a long worm in the middle has a chance of cutting it in two, leaving you with two to fight.
A magic vomit pump could be useful for gourmands.	There is no such item, but if you are satiated and need to eat something to gain an intrinsic or other effect, eating something to cause vomiting (like a tripe ration or rotten egg) may allow you to finish. Another option is to cast lots of spells.
A nymph knows how to unlock chains.	Nymphs can steal heavy iron balls chained to you. For best results, drop everything, pick up the iron ball, and hit a sleeping nymph.
A potion of blindness lets you see invisible things.	You can see the monsters on your level that have brains if you are blind and telepathic. Telepathy can be gained by eating a floating eye.
A priest can get the gods to listen easily.	Donating 400 times your level in gold to a priest can decrease your naked AC. For example, if you are level 10, chat with a priest and give him 4000 gold.
A priestess and a virgin you might be, but that unicorn won't care.	There is an old myth that a virgin can tame a unicorn, which will rest its head in her lap. Not so in NetHack.
A ring of conflict is a bad thing if there is a nurse in the room.	Wearing a ring of conflict causes even peaceful monsters to hit you and each other. If a nurse hits you while you are not wearing armor, wielding a weapon, or wearing a ring of conflict, it can increase your hit points and your maximum hit points.
A short sword is not as good as a long sword.	A long sword generally causes more damage.
A succubus will go farther than a nymph.	A nymph can seduce you and steal items. A succubus (or an incubus if you are female) can seduce you and remove armor (even cursed armor) and increase or decrease an attribute, then possibly steal money (if not tame).
A wand can exorcize a past explorer's ghost.	Since ghosts are undead, they can be damaged and scared by a wand of undead turning.
Acid blobs should be attacked bare-handed.	Hitting an acid blob or other acidic monster can damage you and cause your weapon to corrode. Hitting with bare hands will spare your weapon, but you can still take damage from the splash.
Affairs with nymphs are often very expensive.	Nymphs seduce you and steal objects.
Afraid of nymphs? Wear a ring of adornment.	If you are wearing a ring of adornment, a nymph will steal it instead of stealing other stuff.
Afraid of your valuables being stolen? Carry more junk!	When a random item is stolen, if you carry lots of worthless items, the probability that a valuable item will be taken is lower.
Always be aware of the phase of the moon!	If you start playing NetHack when the moon is full, your luck is increased by one. If you play during a new moon, a message says, "Be careful! New moon tonight," but your luck is not affected. Playing on a Friday the 13th will decrease your luck by one.
Always sweep the floor before engraving important messages.	When you engrave in a location that already has an engraving, you can either add to or replace the current message. One way to erase a message is to engrave “_”.
Amulets of Yendor are hard to make. Even for a wand of wishing.	If you wish for the Amulet of Yendor, you will get a cheap plastic imitation.
An elven cloak protects against magic.	An elven cloak gives level 3 magic cancellation, which gives some protection from fire, cold, electric, sleep, poison, paralysis, level drain, and other attacks. Don't confuse this with magic protection, which protects from polymorph, touch of death, death ray, teleport traps, and others. Magic cancellation is usually less valuable than magic protection.
An umber hulk can be a confusing sight.	An umber hulk has a gaze attack which can confuse you if you are not blind.
As Crom is my witness, I'll never go hungry again!	Praying while weak can fill your stomach.
Asking about monsters may be very useful.	The whatis command (from the '/' key), can give you more info on a monster type that may help you defeat it.
Attack long worms from the rear -- that is so much safer!	You can damage and sometimes kill a long worm without taking damage yourself if you attack its tail. But you may cut it into two long worms.
Attacking an eel where there is none is usually a fatal mistake!	Eels are hidden in the water. If you try to attack where there isn't one, instead of attacking you will fall in the water, which may be fatal.
Bandaging wounds helps keep up appearances.	Wearing a mummy wrapping while invisible makes you visible again.
Bashing monsters with a bow is not such a good idea.	Hitting with a bow or other launcher can only do one or two points of damage.
Be careful! The Wizard may plan an ambush!	Even after you kill the Wizard of Yendor, he may cast a spell to surround you with monsters.
Be nice to a nurse: Put away your weapon and take off your clothes.	If a nurse hits you while you are not wearing armor, wielding a weapon, or wearing a ring of conflict, it can increase your hit points and your maximum hit points.
Being digested is a painfully slow process.	Monsters like trappers and purple worms will digest you to death over several turns. Also, wearing a ring of slow digestion will make the monster spit you out.
Blank scrolls make more interesting reading.	They are interesting because you can write any known scroll type on them with a magic marker.
Blind? Catch a floating eye!	Floating eyes can't immobilize you if you are blind.
Booksellers never read scrolls; they might get carried away.	One way to steal from a shop is to pick up the items, then teleport. You may find a scroll or teleportation in a book shop.
Chemistry 101: Never pour water into acid.	Dipping a potion of acid into water causes and explosion that does 1 to 10 points of damage.
Concise conquest: Control, confuse, conjure, condemn.	Reading a scroll of teleportation while confused, or reading a cursed scroll of teleportation can teleport to another level. If you have teleport control, you can choose the level.
Conserve energy, turn off the lights.	If you leave a dark level and forget to turn your lamp off, it may run out of fuel before you realize that it is on.
Digging up a grave could be a bad idea...	You may find items by digging up a grave, but it can cause several bad effects, such as abusing wisdom, hurting your alignment, or summoning the grave's occupant.
Dilithium crystals are rare indeed.	Dilithium crystals are the rarest and most valuable gems. In Star Trek, dilithium crystals were used in the warp engines.
Dogs are attracted by the smell of tripe.	Tripe rations are dog food. Throwing a tripe ration at a dog or cat will tame it, and carrying a tripe ration will make you pet dog or cat follow you more closely.
Dogs are superstitious; they never step on cursed items.	Your pet won't usually step on a cursed item. If it does, it will do so 'reluctantly'.
Dogs of ghosts aren't angry, just hungry.	Throwing food at a dog can make it tame.
Don't forget! Large dogs are MUCH harder to kill than little dogs.	Large dogs have more hit points and do more damage.
Don't mess with shopkeepers, or you'll get the Guild after you.	Stealing from a shop may bring Keystone Kops.
Dragons never whip their children; they wouldn't feel it!	Leather weapons do no damage to thick-skinned monsters.
Eat your carrots. They're good for your eyes.	Eating a carrot cures blindness.
Eating a freezing sphere is like eating a yeti.	Both can give you cold resistance.
Eating a killer bee is like eating a scorpion.	Both can be poisonous, and can give you poison resistance.
Eating a tengu is like eating a nymph.	Both can give the teleport intrinsic.
Eating a wraith is a rewarding experience!	Eating an unrotten wraith gains you a level.
Eating unpaid leprechauns may be advantageous.	Eating a leprechaun gives you the teleport intrinsic, allowing you to escape from a shop.
Elbereth has quite a reputation around these parts.	If you stand still on a spot with Elbereth engraved, most monsters won't hit you.
Elf corpses are incompatible with the sandman, and at times the gods as well.	Eating an elf corpse can give you sleep resistance. If you are an elf, you are cannibalistic and will hurt your alignment.
Elven cloaks cannot rust.	Items made of cloth can't rust.
Even evil players have a guardian angel.	When you enter the astral plane (the last level of the game) a tame angel appears, unless you wear a ring of conflict, which causes four hostile angels to appear.
Ever fought with an enchanted tooth?	Reading a non-cursed scroll of enchant weapon while wielding a worm tooth turns it into a crysknife.
Ever tried reading while confused?	Reading scrolls while confused changes the effect of the scroll. For example, reading teleport will teleport level, and enchant armor will provide rustproofing or fireproofing.
Ever tried to put a troll into a large box?	Trolls come back to life several times after being killed. If you lock one in a large box or chest, it won't. There are other ways to do it, like throwing the corpse in water or tinning it.
Ever wondered why one would want to dip something in a potion?	Dipping items in potions can have several effects. For example, dipping an uncursed item into holy water blesses it, or dipping it into unholy water curses it. See the Nethack Potions Spoiler for a complete explanation. Dipping a potion into another potion is known as alchemy.
Expensive cameras have penetrating flash lights.	Apply an expensive camera at a nearby monster to blind it. Then you can run away, zap it, or throw things at it safely from a distance.
Extra staircases lead to extra levels.	Some levels have three staircases, rather than the normal two. The extra stairs lead to the mines, sokoban, or Vlad's tower.
Fiery letters might deter monsters.	You can engrave ' Elbereth ' with a wand of fire.
For a good time engrave ` Elbereth '.	If you engrave ' Elbereth ', then stand on the engraving, most monsters won't attack you.
Gems are too precious to be thrown away carelessly.	Throw identified gems at unicorns to increase your luck.
Getting hungry? Stop wearing rings!	Wearing rings slightly increases the rate at which you need food, except for a ring of slow digestion, which greatly decreases it.
Getting too warm? Take off that Amulet of Yendor and stay away from the exit!	If you wear the Amulet of Yendor in the Plane of Earth, the Plane of Air, the Plane of Fire, and the Plane of Water, it becomes warmer as you get closer to the portal that exits the level.
Gods expect the best from their priesthood.	If you want to keep your god happy, keep your alignment high. Don’t dig up graves, kick altars, etc.
Gods look down their noses at demigods.	You ascend to demigodhood at the end of the game, but that’s as far as you can go.
Got a question? Try rec.games.roguelike.nethack.	This is the official Usenet news group for questions and answers about Nethack. One way to get there is from http://groups.google.com.
Grave robbers sometimes get rich.	Up to five cursed items can be found by digging in a grave, but digging a grave can abuse your wisdom and hurt your alignment.
Guy Montag keeps his scrolls in a bag.	Guy Montag is the protagonist in Fahrenheit 451. Keeping scrolls in a bag can protect them from fire, and an oilskin sack can protect them from water.
Handle your flasks carefully -- there might be a ghost inside!	Drinking from a milky potion (even after you have identified it) can make a ghost appear.
Holy water has many uses.	Some of them: cursed items dipped into holy water become uncursed ; uncursed items become blessed; sickness can be cured and wisdom and constitution can be improved by quaffing.
Horses trust their riders, even when not so deserved.	You can ride a horse onto a trap.
Hunger is a confusing experience for a dog!	When a tame dog or cat is hungry it becomes confused and may hit you.
I once knew a hacker who ate too fast and choked to death.	Eating when satiated can cause you to choke and die. If you are "having a hard time" getting it down, stop eating.
I smell a maze of twisty little passages.	There are several levels that are mazes, rather than the standard levels with rooms and passages. This phrase is from the games Adventure or Zork.
I wish I never wished a wand of wishing. (Wishful thinking.)	Zapping a wand of wishing allows you to wish for an item, but if you wish for a wand of wishing, you will usually get one with zero charges.
I wouldn't advise playing catch with a giant.	Giants throw boulders at you.
I'm watching you. -- The Wizard of Yendor	After you kill the wizard, he keeps re-appearing.
Ice boxes keep your food fresh.	Place a corpse in an ice box to keep it from rotting.
If you are being punished, it's done with a deadly weapon.	If you are chained to a heavy iron ball, you may want to wield it because even though it hits less often, it will do heavy damage when it does hit.
If you kill the Wizard, you get promoted to demi -god.	Kill the Wizard of Yendor to get the Book of Dead so you can perform the invocation so you can get the Amulet of Yendor so you can ascend.
If you need a wand of digging, kindly ask the minotaur.	The maze levels often have a minotaur with a wand of digging.
If you want to hit, use a dagger.	Daggers hit more often than many other weapons, but other weapons often do more damage.
If you want to rob a shop, train your dog.	You can train your dog or cat by throwing food at it when it drops items at your feet. You can steal from a shop by entering with your pet, waiting for it to pick up items, then leaving. Sometimes the pet will drop the items outside the shop.
If you're lost, try buying a map next time you're in a shop.	A scroll of magic mapping can map the level.
Inside a shop you better take a look at the price tags before buying anything.	If you don't have enough gold to pay for the items you pick up in a shop, you can just drop them again. But if you use or damage shop items, the shopkeeper will demand payment before you can leave. If you don't have enough money, you may have to sell some of your own items.
It is bad manners to use a wand in a shop.	Zapping a wand in a shop may damage the shop items, hit the shopkeeper, or make a hole in the floor or wall.
It is dangerous to visit a graveyard at midnight.	Undead creatures do extra damage between midnight and 1:00 am according to the computer's clock.
It is not always a good idea to whistle for your dog.	Blowing a whistle can wake sleeping monsters.
It is rumored that the Wizard has hired some help.	The wizard can cast a create monster spell.
It is the letter 'c' and not 'e' that changes status to statue.	Cockitrices and chickitrices can turn you and others to stone. Floating eyes can temporarily freeze you. In the ASCII version of nethack, cockitrices and chickitrices are represented by ‘c’, and floating eyes by ‘e’.
It might be a good idea to offer the unicorn a ruby.	Throw identified gems at unicorns to increase your luck.
It would be peculiarly sad were your dog turned to stone.	You get a sad feeling when a pet dies.
It's a `d' eats `d' world.	'It's a dog eat dog world' is a saying that means that if you don't do it to them, they will do it to you. If you eat a dog or cat, you will aggravate monsters. In the ASCII version, ‘d’ represents a dog.
Keep your armors away from rust.	Metal armor can rust in water or rust traps.
Keep your weaponry away from acids.	Metal weapons can corrode if you hit an acid blob or other acidic monster.
Kill a unicorn of your color and you kill your luck.	Killing a unicorn of your own alignment damages your luck. If you are lawful, don't kill white unicorns, if neutral, gray, and if chaotic, black.
Leather is waterproof. Ever see a cow with an umbrella?	Leather weapons or armor won't rust. Also, oilskin sacks protect from water damage.
Leprechauns are the most skilled cutpurses in this dungeon.	If a leprechaun hits you while you have gold in your inventory, or while you are standing on gold, he will steal some and then teleport. Drop your gold and move or put it in a bag before attacking, or, if it's too late, throw your gold away from the leprechaun.
Lizard corpses protect against cockatrices.	If a cockatrice hits you and makes you start slowing down, eat a lizard corpse (or an acidic corpse) quickly, or you will turn to stone. Lizard corpses never rot, so you can always carry one with you. Don’t keep it in a bag, though, because you may not have time to get it out.
Money lost, little lost; honor lost, much lost; pluck lost, all lost.	There is more gold in the game than you could ever spend or carry. Keep your alignment good. Don't loose your courage (but never be afraid to run away).
Most monsters can't swim.	Staying in or over water can protect you from many monsters, but expose you to others.
Music hath charms to affect the stubborn drawbridge.	To lower the drawbridge on the castle level, play the five-note passtune on a musical instrument. You can learn the passtune by sacrificing or praying on an alter, or through trial and error as in the MasterMind game. Notes can be in the range A - G. Choose five notes. Any note in the right sequence causes a gear to turn. A correct note in the wrong sequence causes a tumbler to click.
Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.	Playing a wooden flute may calm snakes. A magic flute may put monsters to sleep. A harp may calm nymphs. A magic harp may charm monsters.
Never attack a guard.	If you stay in a vault for too long, the vault's guard will appear and tell you to drop your gold. Attacking him may be murder. He's pretty strong.
Never ride a long worm.	This works in Herbert's Dune, but not in NetHack. “You can’t saddle such a creature.”
Never use your best weapon to engrave a curse.	Engraving with a weapon can dull the weapon.
No easy fighting with a heavy load!	Fighting while burdened decreases your effectiveness.
Nurses are trained to touch naked persons: they don't harm them.	If a nurse hits you while you are not wearing armor, wielding a weapon, or wearing a ring of conflict, it can increase your hit points and your maximum hit points.
Nymphs can unlink more than your chain mail.	Nymphs can steal a heavy iron ball chained to you if you carry it. For best results, drop everything else first.
Once your little dog will be a big dog, and you will be proud of it.	Monsters, including pets, gain experience as they kill other monsters or quaff potions of gain level. Little dogs turn into dogs, then large dogs. Kittens turn into housecats, then large cats. Ponies turn into horses, then war horses.
Only female monsters can lay eggs.	Some female monsters can lay eggs, including you, if you are a female monster.
Opening a tin is difficult, especially when you attempt it bare handed!	Opening cursed or uncursed tins takes time. Wielding some weapons, like daggers or athames, makes it take less time. Of course, a tin opener is helpful.
Orcs and killer bees share their lifestyle.	They both come in groups.
Orcs do not procreate in dark rooms.
Plain nymphs are harmless.	If you cancel a nymph, she will look plain and won't be able to seduce you and steal stuff.
Playing AD&D may be helpful.	NetHack is roughly based on Dungeons and Dragons.
Playing Gauntlet might be enlightening in some situations.	Gauntlet is a fantasy role playing arcade game for up to four players. Some phrases in NetHack originated in Gauntlet, such as "Wizard needs food badly."
Playing billiards pays when you are in a shop.	Shopkeepers avoid being in the direct line of fire of a wand or spell, but you may be able to bounce one off a wall.
Polymorphing a shopkeeper might make you safer.	Polymorphing a peaceful monster or shopkeeper angers it. You may polymorph it into something nasty.
Polymorphing your dog probably makes you safer.	If you zap a wand of polymorph at your pet, or make it step on a polymorph trap, you may change it into something more powerful.
Potions don't usually mix, but sometimes...	You can dip potions into other potions to transform them, or cause other effects. This is called alchemy.
Psst ! It's done with mirrors!	Showing a mirror to a monster may frighten it. Showing it to a nymph may make the nymph take the mirror, rather than stealing some other item. Breaking a mirror (like by kicking, throwing, or with a wand of striking) hurts your luck. You can kill medusa if you have reflection.
Put on a ring of teleportation: it will take you away from onslaught.	Teleporting can be a good way of getting out of trouble.
Rays aren't boomerangs, of course, but still...	A boomerang may return to you when thrown. Ray wands, such as wands of fire and death, can bounce off walls.
Read the manual before entering the cave -- you might get killed otherwise.	There is no one NetHack manual, but the Help system is, um, helpful, and there are many spoilers. And you will get killed a lot. Dying isn’t something to be ashamed of, but dying the same way twice may be.
Reading Herbert might be enlightening in one case.	Some items in NetHack are based on Frank Herbert's Dune series, such as long worms and crysknifes.
Reading Tolkien might help you.	Many items in NetHack are based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series, such as red-eye shields and white-hand shields.
Reading scrolls after drinking booze can give confusing results.	Drinking a potion of booze causes confusion. Several scrolls have different effects if read while confused. Teleportation becomes level teleportation. Enchant armor or weapon provides protection from fire, rust, etc. See the NetHack Scrolls Spoiler for details.
Riding a dragon can be an uplifting experience.	Several types of tame monsters can be ridden. You'll have to put a saddle on it first. Dragons can fly over water and traps. Don't try to ride a cockatrice!
Rust monsters love water. There are potions they hate, however.	?
Sacks protect contents from temperatures up to 452 degrees fahrenheit.	452 degrees farenheit is the temperature at which paper is supposed to burn. Place scrolls and spellbooks in sacks to protect them from fire.
Scrolls fading? It's not the heat, it's the humidity.	Getting a scroll or spellbook wet can cause the ink to fade, making it blank. You can use a magic marker to write on a blank scroll or spellbook, turning it into any known type.
Shopkeepers accept credit cards, as long as you pay cash.	Credit cards are for picking locks, not for paying shopkeepers.
Shopkeepers can spot a tourist a mile away with those Hawaiian shirts.	If you are wearing a visible Hawaiian shirt, a shopkeeper will charge you more. Wearing it under other armor is fine.
Shopkeepers can't tell identical twins apart.	If you get killed on a level with an angry shopkeeper, then play a new game as the same character and encounter that bones level, the shopkeeper will still be angry. Try taming.
Shopkeepers don't read, so what use is engraving in a shop?	Shopkeepers aren't scared by an engraved Elbereth.
Shopkeepers have incredible patience.	A shopkeeper will wait forever for you to pay. He just won't let you leave the shop until you do.
Shopkeepers might raise their prices for tourists.	If you are wearing a visible Hawaiian shirt, a shopkeeper will charge you more. Wearing it under other armor is fine.
Shopkeepers value money more than revenge.	After robbing a shop, you can return and pay to pacify the shopkeeper.
Some monsters can be tamed. I once saw a hacker with a tame dragon!	Many monsters can be tamed with a scroll of taming or a spell of charm monster. Also, your pet may be polymorphed into almost any monster type.
Someone once said that what goes up < might come down >.	'<' is historicaly the symbol for up stairs, and '>' is the down stairs. Most levels have at least one of both.
Someone's been spiking the pits!	Some pit traps have spikes in the bottom that cause additional damage. Some spikes are poisoned and may cause instant death if you aren't poison resistant.
Sometimes monsters are more likely to fight each other than attack you.	If you wear a ring of conflict, monsters may attack each other. But peaceful or tame monsters may also attack you.
Spinach, carrot, and jelly -- a meal fit for a nurse!	Eating tins of spinach and lumps of royal jelly increases your strength. Carrots can cure blindness.
Tainted meat is even more sickening than poison!	Poison decreases strength. Eating old meat can kill you if you don't cure yourself in a few moves (pray, extra healing, etc.).
Telepathy is just a trick: once you know how to do it, it's easy.	Eating a floating eye gives you telepathy. You can also get it from your god at an altar. When blind, you can see monsters on your level.
The Leprechaun Gold Tru$t is no division of the Magic Memory Vault.	Many levels have gold vaults, small 2x2 rooms with no doors. Leprechaun rooms are rooms mostly filled with leprachauns. If you like chaos, try wearing a ring of conflict in one!
The Wizard finds death to be quite an experience.	The wizard comes back to life to attack you again after you kill him.
The best equipment for your work is, of course, the most expensive.	The more expensive an item is in a shop, the more likely it is to be valuable. For example, if an unidentified lamp costs $15 in a shop, it is a normal lamp, but if it costs $45, it is a magic lamp. Also, an unidentified scroll that costs $20 is an identify scroll, but if it costs $300 it is charging, genocide, punishment, or stinking cloud.
The gods don't appreciate pesky priesthood.	Don't pray too often or you will anger your god. You can find out if you can safely pray with a potion of enlightenment or by sacrificing at an altar (you won’t feel ‘hopeful’ if praying is OK.)
The gods will get angry if you kill your dog.	Killing your pet does serious damage to your alignment. It takes a while for your alignment to recover, or sacrifice a non-co-aligned unicorn.
The magic marker is mightier than the sword.	A magic marker is one of the most valuable items you can have, since with it you can turn a blank scroll into any scroll, or a blank spellbook into any known spellbook. There is a chance of writing unknown spellbooks.
The moon is not the only heavenly body to influence this game.	The phase of the moon affects your luck. Some monsters act differently at night, such as gremlins can steal intrinsics at night. There are several other aspects affected by time. See the time, date, and moon phase spoiler. Also, nymphs and succubi /incubi can affect you because of your attraction to their heavenly bodies.
The orc swings his orcish broadsword named Elfrist at you. You die...	Although there is no named weapon named Elfrist in the game, the named artifact Orcrist is an Elven broadsord that does special damage to orcs.
The secret of wands of Nothing Happens: try again!	When a wand has 0 charges, there is still a chance that another zap will rest one additional charge, after which the wand turns to dust. Hint, to repeatedly zap a wand with no charges, adjust it to inventory slot 'z', then hold down the 'z' key.
There has always been something mystical about mirrors.	Breaking one hurts your luck. Showing one to a nymph may save you from losing something valuable. Floating eyes can freeze themselves. Medusa turns herself to stone. Monsters might be frightened. Several other things can happen.
There is a Mastermind deep in the dungeon.	You may have to play MasterMind to open the drawbridge on the castle level. Or just bring a wand of striking and a way to levitate. Also, watch out for master mind flayers.
There is a big treasure hidden in the zoo!	Zoo rooms have lots of gold.
There is more magic in this cave than meets the eye.	Magic traps can be hidden. Being blind shows you monsters if you have telepathy.
There is no harm in praising a large dog.	You can tame a dog or cat by throwing it food. Or you can chat with it, but that is neither harmful nor helpful.
There is nothing like eating a mimic.	You will change into a gold piece for a while.
There once was a Knight named Lancelot who liked to ride with his lance a lot.	Knights are good at riding horses and using lances.
They say a gelatinous cube can paralyze you...	When one touches you, you can freeze for a short while, unless you have free action.
They say that Juiblex is afraid of a wand of digging.	A wand of digging is useful for escaping most monsters that engulf you. It won't keep Jubilex from making you sick, though.
They say that Medusa would like to put you on a pedestal.	If you look at Medusa, you will be turned to stone, if you aren't prepared.
They say that Vlad lives!!!... in the mazes.	Vlad is a vampire that lives in a tower and has the Candelabrum. He is a wimp.
They say that ` Elbereth ' is often written about.	Engrave it on the floor for protection from most monsters.
They say that a bag of holding can't hold everything.	Putting a wand of cancellation in one causes you to loose the bag and its contents, so never put an unidentified wand in one. Don't put a bag of holding in a bag of holding. Also, some items can't be placed into a bag, like the candelabrum.
They say that a blessed tin of quasit meat is a quick meal.	Eating a quasit gives you teleportation, but it doesn't increase your speed. Any blessed tin opens quickly.
They say that a cat avoids traps.	Pets avoid traps.
They say that a cave spider will occasionally eat cave spider eggs.	It would probably have to be tame and starving.
They say that a clever wizard can have stats: 18/** 24 18 24 24 24.	With the right armor, rings, etc. For example, a ring of +6 ring of gain constitution raises your constitution from 18 to 24.
They say that a clove of garlic makes a good talisman if handled right.	Hitting an undead monster while wielding the clove scares the monster.
They say that a cursed scroll of teleportation could land you in trouble.	A cursed scroll of teleportation can cause a level teleport, which may take you deeper in the mine than you are prepared for.
They say that a diamond is another kind of luck stone.	Throwning gems at a unicorn boosts your luck.
They say that a dog can be trained to fetch objects.	Tame pets can pick up items and then drop them. Throwing food at it when it drops something at your feet trains it to do that more often. This is a safe way to steal from shops.
They say that a gelatinous cube makes a healthy breakfast.	Eating a gelatinous cube has a 10% chance of granting fire, cold, sleep, or shock resistance, but since it is acidic it will cure petrifiying and do some damage.
They say that a giant gets strong by eating right, try it!	Eating a giant corpse boosts your strength.
They say that a grid bug won't hit you when you cross it.	Grid bugs can't move or attack on a diagonal.
They say that a lembas wafer is a very light snack.	A lembas wafer weighs less than half of a food ration's weight, but gives almost as much nutrition and you can eat it much faster.
They say that a loadstone has a strange attraction and is not bad luck.	Loadstones are heavy, can't be dropped when they are cursed, and are usually generated cursed. They are so heavy that they can't be kicked far, so you may want to kick gray stones before picking them up. Other gray stones may be luckstones, flint, or touchstones.
They say that a lock pick by any other name is still a lock pick. ?
They say that a lucky amulet will block poisoned arrows.	An amulet versus poison grants poison resistance.
They say that a mirror will freeze a floating eye but you can still see it.	Apply a mirror at a floating eye will cause its own gaze to freeze, but since you can still see it, hitting it will still freeze you.
They say that a neutral character might get Giantslayer.	Most artifact weapons come with a specific alignment. Your god may give you an artifact of the correct alignment at an altar. Giantslayer is an example of a neutral artifact.
They say that a polymorph trap is magic and magic protection prevents it.	If you trigger a polymorph trap while magic resistant, you will "feel momentarily different."
They say that a potion of healing can cancel a potion of sickness.	Dipping healing into sickness creates fruit juice. Dipping sickness into healing explodes, causing damage. Also, quaffing a potion of sickness can cause you to lose hit points. Quaffing healing potions can cause you to gain hit points.
They say that a potion of monster detection sometimes works both ways.	Quaffing a cursed potion of monster detection aggravates monsters, probably waking sleeping monsters near you.
They say that a sink looks different from high above the floor.	If you are levitating and move over a sink, you fall to the floor, even if you are wearing a cursed ring of levitation or cursed boots of levitation.
They say that a summoned demon could improve your game.	?
They say that a tin of wraith meat is a rare dining experience.	Wraith corpses can't be tinned.
They say that a unicorn might bring you luck.	Throwing gems at unicorns increases your luck.
They say that a wand of cancellation is like a wand of polymorph.	Polymorph can change items into other items of the same class. Cancellation can turn potions into water and make scrolls and spellbooks blank.
They say that a wand of locking can close more than just doors.	You can lock chests and large boxes.
They say that a wand of polymorph can change your game.	Piling up items and zapping them with polymorph can change them into other items of the same class. This is called polypiling, and is one way to get items you need.
They say that a wizard is even more powerful the second time around.	The Wizard of Yendor can summon a duplicate of himself, leaving you with two powerful wizards to fight. Also, after killing him, he comes back from the dead to fight again.
They say that a xorn knows of no obstacles when pursuing you.	Xorns can move through rock, walls, doors, boulders, etc.
They say that abusing a credit card could shock you sooner or later.	Credit cards can pick locks, but the locks on a chest or large box may be trapped with one of several different traps, one of which can be an electric charge.
They say that amulets, like most things, can be deadly or life saving.	A cursed amulet of strangulation is a good way to die. An amulet of life saving keeps you from dying.
They say that an altar can identify blessings.	Drop an item on an altar to discover its blessed/ uncursed /cursed status.
They say that an ooze will bite your boots and a rockmole will eat them.	A gray ooze can rust metal objects, a black ooze corrodes iron and copper, and a rockmole can eat them. Some boots are made of metal.
They say that an unlucky hacker was once killed by an exploding tin.	Cursed tins can explode when opened.
They say that antique dealers are always interested in precious stones.	You can sell gems at general shops and jewelers.
They say that bandaging one's wounds helps to keep up one's appearance.	Wearing a mummy wrapping while invisible makes you uninvisible.
They say that booze can be diluted but not cancelled.	You can dilute a potion of booze by dipping it in water, but zapping it with cancellation turns it to fruit juice. Most potions when canceled become water.
They say that by listening carefully, you can hear a secret door!	Applying a stethoscope to a hidden door discovers the door.
They say that carrots and carrot juice may improve your vision.	Eating a carrot cures blindness.
They say that cave spiders are not considered expensive health food.	Eating a cave spider may grant poison resistance. Cave spiders aren't poisonous.
They say that demigods must leave behind their prized earthly possessions.	When you win the game and ascend and achieve demigod status, you leave the game and can have your possessions identified.
They say that disturbing a djinni can be a costly mistake.	Quaffing a smoky potion may release a djinni, which may grant a wish and disappear, may be tame and stay as a pet, may be peaceful, may just disappear, or may attack.
They say that dragon scales can be quite enchanting.	If you wear dragon scales and then enchant them with a scroll of enchant armor, they turn into dragon scale mail, which is good armor.
They say that dropping coins into a fountain will not grant you a wish.	No, but drinking from a fountain may attract a water demon that may grant a wish, or may attack. Also, dipping in a fountain may cause you to lose some gold.
They say that dwarves lawfully mind their own business.	Any lawful character should not attack peaceful monsters.
They say that eating a bat corpse will make you batty, for a while.	Eating a bat corpse can stun you for several turns.
They say that eating a cram ration is a smart move.	Cram rations provide the same weight-to-nutrition ratio as a food ration, but you can eat it quicker.
They say that eating blue jelly is cool if you don't fight the feeling.	Eating a blue jelly may grant cold or poison resistance.
They say that escaping a dungeon is only the beginning of the end.	If you take the up stairs from level 1 with the Amulet of Yendor in your possession, you arrive at the plane of earth. From there you go the plane of air, then fire, water, and finally the astral plane, where you can sacrifice the Amulet to win the game.
They say that feeling an unexpected draft of air is sort of a breakthrough.	If a monster breaks through a door on your level, you may "feel an unexpected draft."
They say that finding a cursed gray stone is always bad luck.	An unidentified gray stone is either a loadstone, a luckstone, a touchstone, or a flint stone. A cursed loadstone is very heavy and can't be dropped. A cursed luck stone is decreases your luck. A cursed flint stone may misfire when fired or slip when thrown. A cursed touchstone won’t identify gems.
They say that gaining a level is an experience that can raise your sights.	If a potion of gain level is cursed, it lifts you through the ceiling. Otherwise you gain an experience level.
They say that garter snake meat rarely tastes good but it's still healthy.	Garter snakes aren’t poisonous, but eating one can grant poison resistance.
They say that gauntlets of dexterity have a hidden enchanted touch.	Wearing gauntlets of dexterity can make casting spells easier.
They say that going to heaven is just another way of escaping the dungeon.	Going up from level 1 lets you escape the dungeon, unless you have the amulet of yendor, which lets you eventually get to the astral plane where you can win.
They say that golden nagas are law-abiding denizens as long as you are too.	Golden nagas are lawful, so they will be peaceful if you are lawful.
They say that gremlins can make you feel cooler than you are now.	Gremlins can steal intrinsic during the hour of midnight, so they can steal your fireproof or coldproof intrinsic.
They say that grid bugs only exist in a strictly Cartesian sense.	Grid bugs can’t move or attack on diagonals, so they can only move vertically (y-axis) and horizontally (x-axis).
They say that hackers often feel jumpy about eating nymphs.	Eating a nymph makes you feel “jumpy” and gives you the teleportitis intrinsic.
They say that having polymorph control won't shock you.	You could polymorph yourself into a shockproof monster, such as a shocking sphere.
They say that if it's hard getting your food down another bite could kill.	If you have a hard time getting your food down and you continue eating, you could choke over your food and die.
They say that if you don't wear glasses why bother with carrots?	Eating a carrot cures blindness. Wearing lenses protects from ravens and spat venom, and makes reading spellbooks better.
They say that if you notice a loose board beneath you, don't step on it.	Levitating over a squeaky board won’t trigger it.
They say that if you start at the bottom the only place to go is up.	Some levels have no down stairs, such as the bottom-most levels of the quest, mines, and the dungeons. <bookmark>
They say that if you teleport to heaven you're presumed to be dead already.	Level teleporting to levels above 1 ends the game.
They say that in a shop you can be charged for old charges.	If you die on a level with an angry shopkeeper, leave a bones file, then find that bones file on a subsequent game, the shopkeeper will still be angry.
They say that in lighter moments you could think of ways to pass a stone.	Loadstones are very heavy and usually cursed: once you pick it up you can’t drop it. You can tell if a gray stone is a loadstone before picking it up by seeing how you can kick it. There are several ways to get rid of one if you pick one up, such as getting a nymph to steal it, reading a scroll of remove curse, praying, etc.
They say that in the dungeon breaking a mirror can be seven years bad luck.	Breaking a mirror such as by throwing it, kicking it, zapping it with a wand of striking, etc., decreases your luck.
They say that in the dungeon you don't usually have any luck at all.	There are many ways to increase or decrease your luck.
They say that in time a blessed luckstone can make your god happy.	Carrying a blessed luckstone raises your luck and keeps good luck from timing out.
They say that it is easier to kill the Wizard than to make him stand still.	You’ll likely have to kill him several times. He’ll teleport in to attack you wherever you are.
They say that it only takes 1 zorkmid to meet the Kops.	Stealing even a cheap item from a shop can bring the Keystone Kops.
They say that it's a blast when you mix the right potions together.	Dipping one potion in another may cause an explosion. Dipping acid into water or any other potion always does.
They say that it's not blind luck if you catch a glimpse of Medusa.	If you see Medusa you turn to stone. Try wearing a blindfold.
They say that killing a shopkeeper brings bad luck.	Killing a shopkeeper is murder and murder decreases your luck.
They say that monsters never step on a scare monster scroll.	Many monsters won’t step on a scroll of scare monster.
They say that most monsters find flute recitals extremely boring.	A magic flute can put monsters to sleep. A wooden flute can make snakes peaceful.
They say that mummy corpses are not well preserved.	Mummy corpses are always tainted.
They say that naturally a wand of wishing would be heavily guarded.	There is one in the castle.
They say that no one notices the junk underneath a boulder.	When a level is created, items may be randomly generated under boulders, but it isn’t any more likely than at any other spot. It’s a good idea to move boulders to check underneath, especially in Sokoban. Also, you can stow items under a boulder to keep them safe from all but the strongest monsters, like giants.
They say that nobody expects a unicorn horn to rust.	Unicorn horns aren’t metal, so they are rustproof.
They say that nobody knows if an explorer can live forever. Do you?	You can live forever, but that would be very boring.
They say that nothing can change the fact that some potions contain a djinni.	Quaffing a smoky potion may release a djinni, which may grant a wish, especially if the potion is blessed.
They say that nothing can change the fact that some potions contain a ghost.	Quaffing a milky potion may release a ghost.
They say that nymphs always fall for rock'n'roll, try it!	A wooden harp will pacify a nymph.
They say that once an Olog-Hai is canned it never shows its face again.	Trolls come back to life several times. One way to stop this is to tin their corpses.
They say that once upon a time xans would never scratch your boots.	Maybe in a previous release of Hack or NetHack ?
They say that only an experienced wizard can do the tengu shuffle.	At level 8, wizards gain teleport at will if they have teleportitis. At level 17 they gain teleport control.
They say that only chaotics can kill shopkeepers and get away with it.	Chaotic players aren’t penalized for murdering peaceful humans.
They say that only female monsters can lay eggs.	You could polymorph into a female monster and lay your own eggs. The hatchlings will be tame.
They say that playing a horn really bad is really good.	If you improvise, you may produce a frightful sound and scare nearby monsters, but will abuse your wisdom.
They say that rubbing a glowing potion does not make it a magic lamp.	You can’t rub lamps.
They say that scalpels become dull because they're not athames.	Athames don’t get dull from engraving, and they can engrave up to 19 letters per turn.
They say that shopkeepers don't like pick-axes.	They won’t let you in their shop if you have one visible.
They say that shopkeepers don't mind you bringing your pets in the shop.	Bringing a pet into a shop is one way to steal. When the pet picks up an item, it may carry it out or to the entrance.
They say that shopkeepers don't usually mind if you sneak into a shop.	You can teleport in without angering a shopkeeper.
They say that shopkeepers often have a large amount of money in their purses.	True, and there are several ways to separate them from it.
They say that shopkeepers often remember things that you might forget.	If you get killed on a level with an angry shopkeeper, then play a new game as the same character and encounter that bones level, the shopkeeper will still be angry. Try taming.
They say that sinks and armor don't mix, take your cloak off now!
They say that sinks run hot and cold and many flavors in between.	Drinking at a sink may give you hot or cold water, and that may give you damage if you don’t have fire or cold resistance, respectively.
They say that snake charmers aren't charismatic, just musical.
They say that soldiers are always prepared and usually protected.
They say that some eggs could hatch in your pack, lucky or not.
They say that some fire ants will make you a hot meal.
They say that some horns play hot music and others are too cool for words.
They say that some humanoids are nonetheless quite human.
They say that some shopkeepers consider gems to be family heirlooms.
They say that some shopkeepers recognize gems but they won't tell you.
They say that some stones are much much heavier than others.
They say that some yetis are full of hot air.
They say that something very special would be in a well-protected place.
They say that speed boots aren't fast enough to let you walk on water.
They say that teleport traps are the devil's work.
They say that tengu don't wear rings, why should you?
They say that tengu never steal gold although they would be good at it.
They say that that which was stolen once can be stolen again, ask any nymph.
They say that the Delphic Oracle knows that lizard corpses aren't confusing.
They say that the Hand of Elbereth can hold up your prayers.
They say that the Leprechaun King is rich as Croesus.
They say that the Wizard of Yendor is schizophrenic and suicidal.
They say that the experienced character knows how to convert an altar.
They say that the gods are happy when they drop objects at your feet.
They say that the idea of invisible Nazguls has a certain ring to it.
They say that the lady of the lake now lives in a fountain somewhere.
They say that the local shopkeeper frowns upon the rude tourist.
They say that the only door to the vampire's tower is on its lowest level.
They say that the only good djinni is a grateful djinni.
They say that the thing about genocide is that it works both ways.
They say that the unicorn horn rule is if it ain't broke then don't fix it.
They say that the view from a fog cloud is really very moving.
They say that the walls in shops are made of extra hard material.
They say that there are at least 15 ways to lose a pair of levitation boots.
They say that throwing glass gems is the same as throwing rocks.
They say that trespassing a boulder is probably beneath you.
They say that unicorns are fond of precious gems.
They say that prayer at an altar can sometimes make the water there holy.
They say that what goes down the drain might come back up.
They say that wielded, a long sword named Fire Brand makes you feel cooler.
They say that wielded, a long sword named Frost Brand makes you hot stuff.
They say that wiping its face is impossible for a floating eye.
They say that with a floating eye you could see in the dark.
They say that you are lucky if you can get a unicorn to catch a ruby.
They say that you are what you eat.
They say that you can find named weapons at an altar if you're lucky.
They say that you can safely touch cockatrice eggs but why bother?
They say that you can't break an amulet of reflection.
They say that you don't always get what you wish for.
They say that you should always be prepared for a final challenge.
They say that you should ask a dwarf to let you into a locked shop.
They say that you should pray for divine inspiration.
They say that you should religiously give your gold away.
They say that you will never get healthy by eating geckos.
They say that zapping yourself with a wand of undead turning is stupid.
They say the Wizard's castle is booby-trapped!
They say the gods get angry if you kill your dog.
They say the gods get angry if you pray too much.
They say there is a powerful magic item hidden in a castle deep down!
Those who wield a cockatrice corpse have a rocky road ahead of them.
Throwing food at a wild dog might tame him.
To a full belly all food is bad.
Trolls are described as rubbery: they keep bouncing back.
Try the fall-back end-run play against ghosts.
Try using your magic marker on wet scrolls.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
Valkyries come from the north, and have commensurate abilities.
Vampires hate garlic.
Vault guards never disturb their Lords.
Vegetarians enjoy lichen and seaweed.
Visitors are requested not to apply genocide to shopkeepers.
Watch out, the Wizard might come back.
Water traps have no effect on dragons.
What is a cockatrice going to eat when it gets hungry?
Who needs an apron if they're made of glass?
Why do you suppose they call them MAGIC markers?
Why do you think they call them mercenaries?
Why would anybody in his sane mind engrave " Elbereth "?
Wishing too much may bring you too little.
You can't bribe soldier ants.
You can't leave a shop through the back door: there isn't one!
You may discover a fine spirit inside a potion bottle.
You may want to dip into a potion of bottled blessings.
You might be able to bribe a demon lord.
You might trick a shopkeeper if you're invisible.
You should certainly learn about quantum mechanics.
You're going into the morgue at midnight???
Your dog knows what to eat; maybe you should take lessons.
Zap yourself and see what happens...
Zapping a wand of undead turning might bring your dog back to life.