Current superstitions : $b collected from the oral tradition of English speaking folk
General
Current superstitions : $b collected from the oral tradition of English speaking folk
Folklore -- England; Folklore -- United States
641. "I have known a young lady form a habit of stooping in consequence
of keeping the eyes fixed on the ground, in the streets of New York city,
in order not to miss the good fortune that might come of picking up a
pin. The pin must be thrust into a tree or post, in order to keep the
luck as long as it remains fast."
_New York, N.Y._
642. Find a pin and let it lie,
You'll want a pin before you die.
_Alabama._
643. See a pin and let it lie,
You'll want that pin before you die.
_Peabody, Mass._
SALT.
644. It is unlucky to pass salt across the table.
645. Spilling salt is unlucky; throw some over your left shoulder, or
burn a pinch to avert ill luck.
_Northern Ohio._
646. It is bad luck to spill salt unless it is burned.
_Virginia._
647. If you spill salt, throw some over your left shoulder, and then
crawl under one side of the table and come out on the other, to prevent
bad luck.
_Bucks Co., Pa._
648. Spilling salt at table is ill luck to the one towards whom it is
spilled.
_Iowa._
649. If you spill salt, you will have a whipping.
_New England and Canada._
SWEEPING.
650. If the broom is moved with the rest of the household furniture, you
will not be successful. The broom should be burned while standing in the
corner, being watched meanwhile, to prevent the house from taking fire.
651. Never sweep the floor after sunset; it is bad luck.
_Alabama._
652. Carrying ashes out of the house after sunset is bad luck.
_Virginia._
653. It is ill luck to sweep dirt out of doors after sunset.
_Virginia._
654. Dirt must not be swept out of doors after dark, or it will bring
disaster to the master of the house. This belief is common among negroes
and superstitious whites.
_Chestertown, Md._
655. Sailors are unwilling that their friends should sweep after dark,
because in that case their wages will be swept away by sickness or
otherwise.
_Westport, Mass._
TURNING BACK.
656. It is unlucky to turn back for anything after you have set out to go
anywhere.
_Prince Edward Island._
657. Returning to the house for something and starting again without
sitting down is bad luck.
_Virginia._
658. It will prove unlucky if you return for a forgotten article after
you have left the house; but if you seat yourself before leaving the
house again, the misfortune will be averted.
_New York._
659. To avert ill luck or disappointment that will come if a person comes
back to a house for something forgotten, he must sit down a minute.
_General in New England._
660. To go back into the house for something after starting on a journey
is unpropitious. To have it brought out is all right.
_Iowa._
661. If you have to go back to the house after something forgotten, you
must not sit down, but stand a moment or two, or else it is bad luck.
_Cape Breton._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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