|
SUPERSTITION
A to Z
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|
ACORN
|
An
acorn should be carried to bring luck and ensure a long life. |
|
An
acorn at the window will keep lightning out |
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AMBER
|
Amber
beads, worn as a necklace, can protect against illness or cure
colds. |
|
APPLE
|
Think
of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you
twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem
comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying
when the stem fell off. |
|
|
An
apple a day
Keeps the doctor away. |
|
If
you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside,
you will also know how many children you will have. |
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BABY
|
To
predict the sex of a baby: Suspend a wedding band held by a
piece of thread over the palm of the pregnant girl. If the ring
swings in an oval or circular motion the baby will be a girl.
If the ring swings in a straight line the baby will be a boy. |
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BASEBALL
BAT
|
Spit
on a new bat before using it for the first time to make it lucky |
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BED
|
It's
bad luck to put a hat on a bed. |
|
If
you make a bedspread, or a quilt, be sure to finish it or marriage
will never come to you |
|
Placing
a bed facing north and south brings misfortune. |
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You
must get out of bed on the same side that you get in or you
will have bad luck. |
|
When
making the bed, don't interrupt your work, or you will spend
a restless night in it. |
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BEE
|
If
a bee enters your home, it's a sign that you will soon have
a visitor. If you kill the bee, you will have bad luck, or the
visitor will be unpleasant. |
|
A
swarm of bees settling on a roof is an omen that the house will
burn down. |
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BELL
|
The
sound of bells drives away demons because they're afraid of
the loud noise. |
|
When
a bell rings, a new angel has received his wings. |
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BIRD
|
A
bird in the house is a sign of a death. |
|
If
a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly
follow. |
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BIRTH
|
Monday's
child is fair of face;
Tuesday's child is full of grace;
Wednesday's child is full of woe;
Thursday's child has far to go;
Friday's child is loving and giving;
Saturday's child works hard for a living.
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
is fair and wise, good and gay. |
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BIRTHDAY
CAKE
|
If
you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake with the
first puff you will get your wish. |
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BLARNEY
STONE
|
The
Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle
tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is
supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence
(blarney.) |
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BLUE
|
To
protect yourself from witches, wear a blue bead. |
|
Touch
blue
And your wish
Will come true. |
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BREAD
|
Before
slicing a new loaf of bread, make the sign of the cross on it.
|
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A
loaf of bread should never be turned upside down after a slice
has been cut from it. |
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BRIDGE
|
If
you say good-bye to a friend on a bridge, you will never see
each other again. |
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BROOM
|
Do
not lean a broom against a bed. The evil spirits in the broom
will cast a spell on the bed. |
|
If
you sweep trash out the door after dark, it will bring a stranger
to visit. |
|
If
someone is sweeping the floor and sweeps over your feet, you'll
never get married. |
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Never
take a broom along when you move. Throw it out and buy a new
one. |
|
To
prevent an unwelcome guest from returning, sweep out the room
they stayed in immediately after they leave. |
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BUTTERFLY
|
If
the first butterfly you see in the year is white, you will have
good luck all year. |
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Three
butterflies together mean good luck. |
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CANDLE
|
If
a candle lighted as part of a ceremony blows out, it is a sign
that evil spirits are nearby. |
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CALF
|
If
the first calf born during the winter is white, the winter will
be a bad one. |
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CAT
|
If
a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune, but if
it walks away, it takes the good luck with it. |
|
Keep
cats away from babies because they "suck the breath" of the
child. |
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A
cat onboard a ship is considered to bring luck. |
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CHEEKS
|
If
your cheeks suddenly feel on fire, someone is talking about
you. |
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CHILL
|
If
you get a chill up your back or goosebumps, it means that someone
is walking over your grave. |
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CHIMNEY
SWEEP
|
It's
very lucky to meet a chimney sweep by chance. Make a wish when
sighting one, and the wish will come true. |
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CIGARETTES
|
It
is bad luck to light three cigarettes with the same match. |
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CIRCLE
|
Evil
spirits can't harm you when you stand inside a circle. |
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CLOCK
|
If
a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will
be a death in the family. |
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CLOVER
|
It's
good luck to find a four-leaf clover. |
|
Clover
protects human beings and animals from the spell of magicians
and the wiles of fairies, and brings good luck to those who
keep it in the house. |
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COIN
|
It's
bad luck to pick up a coin if it's tails side up. Good luck
comes if it's heads up. |
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COMB
|
To
drop a comb while you are combing your hair is a sign of a coming
disappointment. |
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COW
|
Cows
lifting their tails is a sure sign that rain is coming. |
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CRACK
|
Don't
step on a crack on a sidewalk or walkway. |
|
Step
on a crack
Break your mother's back. |
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CRICKET
|
A
cricket in the house brings good luck. |
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COUNTING
CROWS
|
One's
bad,
Two's luck,
Three's health,
Four's wealth,
Five's sickness,
Six is death. |
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DANDELION
|
Pick
a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow
the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the
stem. That is the number of children you will have. |
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DOG
|
A
dog howling at night when someone in the house is sick is a
bad omen. |
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DOOR
|
It's
bad luck to leave a house through a different door than the
one used to come into it. |
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DREAMS
|
If
you dream of death it's a sign of a birth, if you dream of birth,
it's a sign of death. |
|
Dream
of running: a sign of a big change in your life. |
|
Dreams
at night are a devil's delight
Dreams in the morning, heed the angels' warning. |
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EARS
|
If
your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you. |
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If
your left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you. |
|
Left
for love and right for spite:
Left or right, good at night. |
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EASTER
|
For
good luck throughout the year, wear new clothes on Easter. |
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ELEPHANT
|
Pictures
of an elephant bring luck, but only if they face a door. |
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EYE
|
If
your right eye twitches there will soon be a birth in the family.
If the left eye twitches there will soon be a death in the family. |
|
To
cure a sty, stand at a crossroads and recite
Sty, sty, leave my eye
Take the next one coming by. |
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EYELASH
|
If
an eyelash falls out, put it on the back of the hand, make a
wish and throw it over your shoulder. If it flies off the hand
the wish will be granted. |
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FINGERNAILS
|
It
is bad luck to cut your fingernails on Friday or Sunday. |
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Fingernail
cuttings should be saved, burned, or buried. |
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FISH
|
A
fish should always be eaten from the head toward the tail. |
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Dream
of fish: someone you know is pregnant. |
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FISHING
|
Throw
back the first fish you catch then you'll be lucky the whole
day fishing. |
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If
you count the number of fish you caught, you will catch no more
that day. |
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It's
bad luck to say the word "pig" while fishing at sea. |
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FLAG
|
It
brings bad luck for a flag to touch the ground. |
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FLOWER
|
First
Flower of Spring: The day you find the first flower of the season
can be used as an omen:
Monday means good fortune,
Tuesday means greatest attempts will be successful,
Wednesday means marriage,
Thursday means warning of small profits,
Friday means wealth,
Saturday means misfortune,
Sunday means excellent luck for weeks. |
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FOOT
|
If
the bottom of your right foot itches, you are going to take
a trip. |
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FORK
|
To
drop a fork means a man is coming to visit. |
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FRIDAY
|
A
bed changed on Friday will bring bad dreams. |
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Any
ship that sails on Friday will have bad luck. |
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You
should never start a trip on Friday or you will meet misfortune. |
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Never
start to make a garment on Friday unless you can finish it the
same day. |
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FROG
|
A
frog brings good luck to the house it enters. |
|
The
dried body of a frog worn in a silk bag around the neck averts
epilepsy and other fits. |
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GOOD
FRIDAY
(The Friday before Easter)
|
A
child born on Good Friday and baptized on Easter Sunday has
a gift of healing. If a boy, he should go into the ministry. |
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Cut
your hair on Good Friday to prevent headaches in the year to
come |
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A
person who dies on Good Friday will go right to heaven. |
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Shed
no blood on Good Friday, work no wood, hammer no nail. |
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HAND
|
If
the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be
getting money. |
|
If
the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be
paying out money. |
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HORSESHOE
|
A
horseshoe, hung above the doorway, will bring good luck to a
home. In most of Europe protective horseshoes are placed in
a downward facing position, but in some parts of Ireland and
Britain people believe that the shoes must be turned upward
or "the luck will run out." |
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A
horseshoe hung in the bedroom will keep nightmares away. |
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ITCH
|
If
your nose itches you will soon be kissed by a fool. |
|
If
your nose itches
Your mouth is in danger.
You'll kiss a fool,
And meet a stranger.
Rub an itch to wood
It will come to good. |
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IVY
|
Ivy
growing on a house protects the inhabitants from witchcraft
and evil. |
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KNIFE
|
A
knife as a gift from a lover means that the love will soon end. |
|
A
knife placed under the bed during childbirth will ease the pain
of labor. |
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If
a friend gives you a knife, you should give him a coin, or your
friendship will soon be broken. |
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It
will cause a quarrel if knives are crossed at the table. |
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It
is bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one
who opened it. |
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Knife
falls, gentleman calls;
Fork falls, lady calls;
Spoon falls, baby calls. |
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LADDER
|
It
is bad luck to walk under a ladder. |
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LADYBUG
|
If
a young girl catches a ladybug and then releases it, the direction
in which it flies away will be the direction from which her
future husband will come. |
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It
is bad luck to kill a ladybug. |
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Ladybug,
ladybug, fly away home.
Your house is on fire,
Your children all roam. |
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LEAF
|
If
you catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn you will
not catch a cold all winter. |
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LETTUCE
|
Lettuce
is believed to have magical and healing properties, including
the power to arouse love and counteract the effects of wine. |
|
Lettuce
promotes child bearing if eaten by young women, and certain
types of salad can bring on labor in pregnant women. |
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LIE
|
Cross
my heart and hope to die,
Cut my throat if I tell a lie. |
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LIZARD
|
To
dream of a lizard is a sign that you have a secret enemy. |
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MANDRAKE
|
Mandrake
is a mysterious plant believed to have powers of preventing
sterility in men and animals, causing barren women to bear children,
and compelling love. |
|
Mandrake
is thought to have aphrodisiac and fertilizing properties. |
|
Clairvoyants
use mandrake to increase their visions to enable them to see
strange and wonderful things. |
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MILK
|
It's
bad luck to let milk boil over. |
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MIRROR
|
To
break a mirror means 7 years bad luck. |
|
It
is unlucky to see your face in a mirror by candlelight. |
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A
mirror should be covered during a thunderstorm because it attracts
lightning. |
|
If
a mirror in the house falls and breaks by itself, someone in
the house will die soon. |
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MISTLETOE
|
Mistletoe
in the house protects it from thunder and lightning. It also
cures many diseases, is an antidote to poison and brings good
luck and fertility. |
|
A
girl standing under a mistletoe cannot refuse to be kissed by
anyone who claims the privilege. |
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MOTH
|
A
white moth inside the house or trying to enter the house means
death. |
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NOSE
|
If
your nose itches, someone is coming to see you. If it's the
right nostril, the visitor will be a female, left nostril, male. |
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ONION
|
An
onion cut in half and placed under the bed of a sick person
will draw off fever and poisons. |
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A
wish will come true if you make it while burning onions. |
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OPAL
|
Unless
you were born in October, it's unlucky to wear opals. |
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OWL
|
It
is bad luck to see an owl in the sunlight. |
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PENCIL
|
If
you use the same pencil to take a test that you used for studying
for the test, the pencil will remember the answers. |
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PEPPER
|
If
you spill pepper you will have a serious argument with your
best friend. |
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PHOTOGRAPH
|
If
3 people are photographed together, the one in the middle will
die first. |
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RABBIT'S
FOOT
|
A
rabbit's foot will bring luck and protect the owner from evil
spirits if carried in the pocket. |
|
RAINBOW
|
A
rainbow in the Eastern sky,
The morrow will be fine and dry.
A rainbow in the West that gleams,
Rain tomorrow falls in streams. |
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RAVEN
|
To
kill a raven is to harm the spirit of King Arthur who visits
the world in the form of a raven. |
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RED
|
A
red ribbon should be placed on a child who has been sick to
keep the illness from returning. |
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ROBIN
|
A
wish made upon seeing the first robin in spring will come true
- but only if you complete the wish before the robin flies away. |
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ROCKING
CHAIR
|
If
you leave a rocking chair rocking when empty, it invites evil
spirits to come into your house to sit in the rocking chair. |
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ROSEMARY
|
Rosemary
planted by the doorstep will keep witches away. |
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SALT
|
Bad
luck will follow the spilling of salt unless a pinch is thrown
over the left shoulder into the face of the devil waiting there. |
|
Put
salt on the doorstep of a new house and no evil can enter. |
|
Salty
soup is a sign that the cook is in love. |
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SCISSORS
|
If
you drop scissors, it means your lover is being unfaithful to
you. |
|
SEA
GULL
|
Three
seagulls flying together, directly overhead, are a warning of
death soon to come. |
|
SHOES
|
Do
not place shoes upon a table, for this will bring bad luck for
the day, cause trouble with your mate and you might even lose
your job as a result. |
|
It's
bad luck to leave shoes upside down. |
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SLEEP
|
You
sleep best with your head to the north and your feet to the
south. |
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SNEEZE
|
Place
a hand in front of your mouth when sneezing. Your soul may escape
otherwise. |
|
The
devil can enter your body when you sneeze. Having someone say,
"God bless you," drives the devil away. |
|
If
you sneeze on a Monday, you sneeze for danger;
Sneeze on a Tuesday, kiss a stranger;
Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter;
Sneeze on a Thursday, something better;
Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow;
Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow.
Sneeze on a Sunday, and the devil will have domination over
you all week. |
|
One
for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a letter
Four for a boy.
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a secret, never to be told |
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SPARROW
|
Sparrows
carry the souls of the dead, it's unlucky to kill one. |
|
SPIDER
|
Seeing
a spider run down a web in the afternoon means you'll take a
trip. |
|
A
spider is a repellent against plague when worn around the neck
in a walnut shell. |
|
STARS
|
All
wishes on shooting stars come true. |
|
Star
light, star bright
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight. |
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SWAN
|
A
swan's feather, sewed into the husband's pillow, will ensure
fidelity. |
|
THIRTEEN
|
If
13 people sit down at a table to eat, one of them will die before
the year is over. |
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TONGUE
|
If
you bite your tongue while eating, it is because you have recently
told a lie. |
|
UMBRELLA
|
Dropping
an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in
the house. |
|
It's
bad luck to open an umbrella inside the house, especially if
you put it over your head. |
|
VALENTINE'S
DAY
|
If
a woman sees a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it
means she will marry a sailor. If she sees a sparrow, she will
marry a poor man and be very happy. If she sees a goldfinch,
she will marry a millionaire. |
|
VEIL
|
A
bride's veil protects her from evil spirits who are jealous
of happy people. |
|
WATERMELON
|
A
watermelon will grow in your stomach if you swallow a watermelon
seed. |
|
WEATHER
|
Red
sky at night,
Sailor's delight.
Red sky at morning
Sailors take warning |
|
Rain,
rain, go away,
Come again another day.
Rain on the green grass
Rain on the hillside,
But not on me. |
|
WOOD
|
Knock
three times on wood after mentioning good fortune so evil spirits
won't ruin it. |
|
WINDOW
|
All
windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the
soul can leave. |
|
WISH
|
If
you make a wish while throwing a coin into a well or fountain,
the wish will come true. |
|
Wish
I may,
Wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight. |
|
If
you tell someone your wish, it won't come true. |
|
WISHBONE
|
Two
people pull apart the dried breastbone of a chicken or turkey
until it cracks and breaks, each one making a wish while doing
so. The person who gets the long half of the wishbone will have
his or her wish come true. |
|
X
|
The
number of Xs in the palm of your right hand is the number of
children you will have. |
|
YAWN
|
A
yawn is a sign that danger is near. |
|
Cover
your mouth when you yawn, or your soul can go out of your body
along with the yawn. |
|
|
Wedding
SUPERSTITION
|
|
WEDDING
DAY
|
Certain
days of the week, and certain months of the year are better
than others for a wedding. |
|
Monday
for health,
Tuesday for wealth,
Wednesday best of all,
Thursday for losses,
Friday for crosses,
Saturday for no luck at all |
|
Married
when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind & true,
When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll
know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden & for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last. |
|
FOR
A LUCKY BRIDE
|
Something
old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue,
And a lucky sixpence
In her shoe. |
|
Married
in White, you have chosen right
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Blue, you will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Brown, you will live in the town,
Married in Pink, you spirit will sink. |
|
WEDDING
DAY
|
|
|
Good
Omens:
|
seeing
a rainbow
having the sun shine
meeting a black cat
meeting a chimney sweep |
|
WEDDING
DAY
|
|
|
Bad
Omens:
|
a
pig, hare, or lizard running across the road
seeing an open grave
meeting a nun or a monk foretell barrenness |
|
OTHER
BELIEFS
|
If
the groom drops the wedding band during the ceremony, the marriage
is doomed. |
|
The
new bride must enter her home by the main door, and must not
trip or fall - hence the custom of carrying the bride over the
threshold. |
|
The
spouse who goes to sleep first on the wedding day will be the
first to die. |
|
WEDDING
CAKE
|
If
a single woman sleeps with a piece of wedding cake under her
pillow, she will dream of her future husband. |
|
|
Death
SUPERSTITION
|
|
BIRD
|
A
bird in the house is a sign of a death. |
|
If
a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly
follow. |
|
CANDLE
|
Light
candles on the night after November 1. One for each deceased
relative should be placed in the window in the room where death
occurred. |
|
CEMETERY
|
You
must hold your breath while going past a cemetery or you will
breathe in the spirit of someone who has recently died. |
|
CLOCK
|
If
a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will
be a death in the family. |
|
You
will have bad luck if you do not stop the clock in the room
where someone dies. |
|
CORPSE
|
If
a woman is buried in black, she will return to haunt the family. |
|
If
a dead person's eyes are left open, he'll find someone to take
with him. |
|
Mirrors
in a house with a corpse should be covered or the person who
sees himself will die next. |
|
DOG
|
Dogs
howling in the dark of night,
Howl for death before daylight. |
|
DREAMS
|
If
you dream of death it's a sign of a birth, if you dream of birth,
it's a sign of death. |
|
If
you touch a loved one who has died, you won't have dreams about
them |
|
DYING
|
A
person who dies on Good Friday will go right to heaven. |
|
A
person who dies at midnight on Christmas Eve will go straight
to heaven because the gates of heaven are open at that time. |
|
All
windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the
soul can leave. |
|
The
soul of a dying person can't escape the body and go to heaven
if any locks are locked in the house. |
|
EYE
|
If
the left eye twitches there will soon be a death in the family. |
|
If
a dead person's eyes are left open, he'll find someone to take
with him. |
|
FUNERAL
|
Funerals
on Friday portend another death in the family during the year. |
|
It's
bad luck to count the cars in a funeral cortege. |
|
It's
bad luck to meet a funeral procession head on. |
|
Thunder
following a funeral means that the dead person's soul has reached
heaven. |
|
Nothing
new should be worn to a funeral, especially new shoes. |
|
Pointing
at a funeral procession will cause you to die within the month |
|
Pregnant
women should not attend funerals. |
|
GRAVE
|
If
the person buried lived a good life, flowers will grow on the
|
