Superstitions Online » Archive
Cattle, Cows and Oxen
Scattering primroses on the ground and hanging a piece of mountain ash or rowan to the door protects cattle from witches. Tarring cows behind the ears and at the root of the tail prevents witches from stealing their milk. You’ll have bad luck in your dealings if you see a woman before a man while driving cattle to market. It’s bad luck to strike cattle with your hand instead of a stick. It’s bad luck to make an offer for an animal that isn’t for sale. On Christmas Eve cattle acquire human speech. You should tell cattle about deaths in your family. If a cow breaks into the garden there will be a death in your family. Giving a piece of mistletoe tot he first cow who gives birth after New Year brings good luck to the whole … Read entire article »
Bulls
Bulls are immune from being struck by lightning. Keeping a bull’s heart stuck with pins in the chimney will keep witches away. Bull’s testes were once thought to be aphrodisiacs. … Read entire article »
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Boars
The devil may take the form of a boar during the meetings of covens. … Read entire article »
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Beavers
If you see a beaver storing food logs, short lengths of aspen or birch with the bark still on, there will be an icy winter. … Read entire article »
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Bears
Breeding: Bears breed only once in seven years and when they do they bring bad luck to all other breeding animals. Bears lick their newborn cubs into bear shape. Food: Bears gain their sustenance by licking their paws. Health cures: Bears teeth can be worn as charms against toothache. Sleeping on bearskin cures backache. Use bear fat to protect garden tools and vegetables from mildew or to ease aches and pains and cure baldness. Boiled bears’ fur wrapped around the feet cures fits. Eating a bear’s heart endows you with courage. If a child rides on a bear’s back he will never catch whooping cough. … Read entire article »
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Bats
Indoors: It’s luck if a bat falls on you. It’s an unlucky sign of a death in the family to bring a bat into the house. If a bat flies into a house it is a sign that ghosts are about and maybe the ghost let the bat in. It’s a bad omen if a bat appears during a wedding ceremony Flying: A bat flying 3 times around a house is a death omen. Bats flying around in the early evening is … Read entire article »
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Badgers
Keeping a badger’s tooth about your person brings good luck and makes you unbeatable at gambling games. … Read entire article »
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Ambulance
When you see one, protect yourself from bad luck by pinching your nose or holding your breath until you see a black or brown dog. “Touch your toes, touch your nose, Never go in one of those. Hold your collar, do not swallow, until you see a dog.” … Read entire article »
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Aircraft, Airplanes and Flying
Before flying: Touching wood is good luck as long as you touch a living tree and not something made from “dead” wood such as a chair, table or desk. It’s unlucky to use the words “crash” or “prank”. During flight: It’s unlucky to carry real flowers on board. Keep mean spirits calm by neatly crossing the seatbelts in vacant seats. On landing: Keep your good luck going by offering a personal sacrifice – empty your pockets on the ground after … Read entire article »
Apples
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. Apples are … Read entire article »
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