It was believed that mandrakes, which were highly valued for their medicinal properties, would let out a haunting scream capable of killing those nearby, so the best way to pull the root was to use a rope and a dog (that would inevitably die) while covering your ears.
The safe way to uproot a mandrake, 16th century (first picture), 12th century (second picture), 15th century (third picture), 14th century (fourth and fifth pictures), 16th century (sixth picture)
