Curious Facts in the History of Insects; Including Spiders and Scorpions.: A Complete Collection of the Legends, Superstitions, Beliefs, and Ominous Signs Connected with Insects; Together with Their Uses in Medicine, Art, and as Food; and a Summary of Their Remarkable Injuries and Appearances.Cowan, Frank
History
Curious Facts in the History of Insects; Including Spiders and Scorpions.: A Complete Collection of the Legends, Superstitions, Beliefs, and Ominous Signs Connected with Insects; Together with Their Uses in Medicine, Art, and as Food; and a Summary of Their Remarkable Injuries and Appearances.
Cowan, Frank
Insects
“If a person be alone, and an insect or reptile fall before the face,
but the individual see it only without touching it, it denotes that some
heavenly being will bestow great blessings on him. If it fall to the
right side, it denotes that all his friends, wherever scattered abroad,
shall again meet him in peace. If it fall behind the person, it denotes
that he shall be slandered and maliciously talked of by his friends and
acquaintances. If in falling it strike the face, it denotes that the
individual will soon be married. If it strike the right arm, it denotes
that the individual’s wishes, whatever they are, shall be accomplished.
If it strike the left hand, it denotes that the individual will lose his
friends by death. If it strike the foot, it denotes that whatever
trouble the individual may have had, all shall vanish, and he shall
reach the summit of happiness. If, after touching the foot, it should
crawl upward toward the head, it denotes that the individual shall be
raised to high office by the rulers of his country. If it crawl to the
right side, it denotes that the person shall hear bad tidings of some
absent friend. If the insect or reptile fall without touching the body,
and immediately flee toward the northeast, it denotes deep but not
lasting trouble; if toward the northwest, it denotes that the person
shall receive numerous and valuable presents; if toward the southeast,
it denotes that he shall receive great riches, and afterwards go to a
distant land; or that he shall go to a distant land, and there amass
great wealth.
“If an animal, insect, bird, or reptile, cross the path of any one as he
walks along, the animal coming from the right, let him not proceed--some
calamity will surely happen to him in the way. If the animal come from
the left, let him proceed--good fortune shall surely happen to him. If
the animal proceed before him in the same road in which he intends to
travel, it denotes good fortune....
“I now beg to interpret the signs of the night. If at midnight an
individual hears the noises of animals in the house where he resides, I
will show him whether they indicate good or evil. If any insect cry
‘click, click, click,’ he will possess real treasures while he abides
there. If it cry ‘kek, kek,’ it is an evil omen both to that and the
neighboring houses. If it cry ‘chit, chit,’ it denotes that he shall
always feed upon the most sumptuous provisions. If it cry ‘keat, keat,’
in a loud, shrill voice, it denotes that his residence there shall be
attended with evil.
“I now beg to interpret with regard to the Spider. If a Spider on the
ceiling utter a low, tremulous moan, it denotes that the individual who
hears the noise shall either change his residence or that his goods
shall be stolen. If it utter the same voice on the outside of the house,
and afterward the Spider crawl to the head of the bed, it denotes
troublesome visitors and quarrels to the residents.”[1263]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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