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What is Superstition?

According to Webster’s dictionary, superstition is n. any belief that is inconsistent with the known laws of science or with what is considered true and rational; esp., such a belief in omens, the supernatural, etc.

Halloween is traditionally the time when common superstitions, folklore, myths and omens carry more weight to those who believe. Superstition origins go back thousands of years ago. Beliefs include good luck charms, amulets, bad luck, fortunes, cures, portents, omens and predictions, fortunes and spells.

Bad fallacies far outweigh the good, especially around Halloween when myths run rampant. When it comes right down to it, many people still believe that omens can predict our destiny and misfortune — particularly for the worse.

Superstitions & Bad Luck Omens

Black Cats

Black cats have long been believed to be a supernatural omen since the witch hunts of the middle ages when cats were thought to be connected to evil. Since then, it is considered bad luck if a black cat crosses your path.

Broken Mirrors

An ancient myth our ancestors believed was that the image in a mirror is our actual soul. A broken mirror represented the soul being astray from your body. To break the spell of misfortune, you must wait seven hours (one for each year of bad luck) before picking up the broken pieces, and bury them outside in the moonlight.

Ladders

In the days before the gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder and their spirits were believed to linger underneath. Common folklore has it to be bad luck to walk beneath an open ladder and pass through the triangle of evil ghosts and spirits.

Owls

If an owl looks in your window or if you seeing one in the daylight bad luck and death will bestow you.

Salt

At one time salt was a rare commodity and thought to have magical powers. It was unfortunate to spill salt and said to foretell family disarray and death. To ward off bad luck, throw a pinch over your shoulder and all will be well.

Sparrows

Sparrows are thought to carry the souls of the dead and it is believed to bring bad luck if you kill one.

Unlucky Number #13

The fear of the number 13 is still common today, and avoided in many different ways. Some buildings still do not have an official 13th floor and many people avoid driving or going anywhere on Friday the 13th.

Good Luck Superstitions

Horseshoes

To bring good luck, the horseshoe must lost by a horse and be found by you, with the open end facing your way. You must hang it over the door with the open end up, so the good fortune doesn’t spill out.

Another origin of the ‘lucky horseshoe’ is the belief that they ward off witches. Witches, it was once believed, were opposed to horses, which is why they rode brooms and pitchforks instead. By placing a horseshoe over a door, the witch would be reluctant to enter. (Hat tip: Iris)

Four Leaf Clover

Clover is believed to protect humans and animals from evil spells and is thought to be good luck to find a four leaf clover, particularly for the Irish.

Rabbit’s Foot

These lucky charms are thought to ward off bad luck and bring good luck. You mush carry the rabbit’s foot on a chain around your neck, or in your left back pocket. The older it gets, the more good luck it brings.

Wishbones

Two people are to pull apart a dried breastbone of a turkey or chicken and the one who is left with the longer end will have their wish come true.

Common Myths & Folklore

— If the flame of a candle flickers and then turns blue, there’s a spirit in the room.

— If a bird flies through your house, it indicates important news. If it can’t get out, the news will be death.

— If you feel a chill up your spine, someone is walking on your future grave.

— A person born on Halloween will have the gift of communicating with the dead.

— A bat in the house is a sign of death.

— If a bird flies towards you, bad fortune is imminent.

— If your palm itches, you will soon receive money. If you itch it, your money will never come.

— Crows are viewed as a bad omen, often foretelling death. If they caw, death is very near.

— If a person experiences great horror, their hair turns white.

— A hat on a bed will bring bad luck.

— Eat an apple on Christmas Eve for good health the next year.

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Источник: http://www.halloween-website.com/superstitions.htm

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Origins of 13 Common Superstitions

By Kathleen Davis

Even if you don’t consider yourself a superstitious person, you probably say “God bless you” when someone sneezes or find yourself knocking wood. And, though superstitions aren’t logical, the idea of luck and magic can be comforting—especially when so many things are beyond our control. In honor of this unlucky day, we set out to discover the source for 13 common superstitions.

1. The Number 13

The belief that the number 13 is unlucky is said to be the most common superstition. This fear is so widespread that many apartments and hotels omit the 13th floor, and some planes have no 13th row. Avoiding the number 13 is thought to stem from Christianity—there were 13 guests at the Last Supper, for example, and some believe that if you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil’s luck.

2. Black Cats

Although in the U.S. we believe that having a black cat cross your path is bad luck, it’s not the same the world over. In Egypt, for example, all cats are considered lucky—this dates back to ancient times, when cats were considered sacred. Our modern-day fear of black cats may stem from the Middle Ages, when it was believed that a witch could take the form of a black cat.

3. Breaking a Mirror

The belief that you’ll have seven years’ bad luck if you break a mirror is said to come from the Romans, who were the first to create glass mirrors. But long ago many cultures, including Greek, Chinese, African and Indian, believed that a mirror had the power to confiscate part of the user’s soul. The thinking was that if the mirror was broken, the person’s soul would be trapped inside.

4. Walking Under a Ladder

It makes sense that you shouldn’t walk under a ladder for safety’s sake, but superstition advises against it for other reasons. First, an open ladder forms a triangle, and triangles were once considered a symbol of life, so walking through that shape was considered tempting your fate. It is also thought that because it has three sides, the triangle symbolizes the Holy Trinity, and “breaking” it by entering the triangle is bad luck.

5. Throwing Salt over Your Shoulder

The belief that you should toss a pinch of salt over your left shoulder to get rid of bad luck originates from the legend that the devil is always standing behind you, so throwing salt in his eye will distract him from causing trouble. Nowadays, most people only do this after spilling salt—which is thought to be bad luck, because salt was an expensive commodity long ago and folklore linked it to unlucky omens in order to prevent wasteful behavior.

6. Opening an Umbrella Inside

According to superstition, bad luck will “rain” on you if you open an umbrella indoors. One explanation comes from the days when umbrellas were used as protection from the sun; opening one inside was an insult to the sun god. Another theory: An umbrella protects you against the storms of life, so opening one in your house insults the guardian spirits of your home, causing them to leave you unprotected.

7. Saying “God Bless You” After a Sneeze

Considered a polite response to a sneeze, the phrase “God bless you” is attributed to Pope Gregory the Great, who said it to people who sneezed during a bubonic plague. Aside from the idea of protecting against the spread of disease, “blessing” someone after they sneezed originated from the erroneous beliefs that the soul escapes the body during a sneeze and the heart momentarily stops as well. Therefore, saying “God bless you” was a way of welcoming the person back to life.

8. Carrying a Rabbit’s Foot

The superstition can be traced as far back as the seventh century BC, when the rabbit was considered a talismanic symbol, and the left hind foot was a handy way to benefit from the rabbit’s luck. Additionally, the Chinese consider it a sign of prosperity. In some cultures, the rabbit’s foot is believed to promote reproduction, so women carry one around to boost their odds of getting pregnant.

9. Knocking on Wood

Knocking on wood, or simply saying “knock on wood” after making a hopeful statement, is rooted in the idea that you’re tempting fate by acknowledging your good fortune. It’s thought that the expression comes from the ancient belief that good spirits lived in trees, so by knocking on something wooden, a person was calling on the spirits for protection.

10. Crossing Your Fingers

It’s a near-universal sign of wishing for something, but there are many theories about its origin. One is that when Christianity was illegal, crossing fingers was a secret way for Christians to recognize each other. Another is that during the Hundred Years’ War, an archer would cross his fingers to pray for luck, before drawing back his longbow with those same fingers. Yet another, even older, theory is that crossed fingers were used as a gesture to ward off witches and other evil spirits.

11. Horseshoes

There are several theories here. The first is that the devil appeared at the door of a blacksmith, who agreed to remove a shoe from his hoof if he promised never to enter a place where a horseshoe is hung over the door. The second belief is that witches rode on broomsticks because they were afraid of horses, so a horseshoe is a good charm to scare them off with.

12. Four-Leaf Clovers

Universal symbols of good luck, four-leaf clovers exist—they’re just hard to find. Legend says that when Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden, Eve snatched a four-leaf clover as a remembrance of her days in Paradise. Since then, lucky attributes have been assigned to all four leaves of the rare plant—each associated with St. Patrick and the Holy Trinity in Irish legend.

13. Bird Droppings on Your Head

It sounds like a recipe for the ultimate bad hair day, but many people the world over believe that if a bird lets loose on you, good things are coming your way. One idea is that it’s a sign of major wealth coming from heaven, based on the belief that when you suffer an inconvenience (albeit a pretty gross one), you’ll have good fortune in return.

Из песни Des’ree «Life»

Life, oh life

Oh life, oh life

I’m a superstitious girl

I’m the worst in the world

Never walk under ladders

I keep a rabbits’ tail

I’ll take you up on a dare

Anytime, anywhere

Name the place, I’ll be there

Bungee jumping, I don’t care

Из песни Stevie Wonder «Superstition»

Very superstitious,

Writing’s on the wall,

Very superstitious,

Ladders bout’ to fall,

Thirteen month old baby,

Broke the lookin’ glass

Seven years of bad luck,

The good things in your past

[Chorus]

When you believe in things

That you don’t understand,

Then you suffer,

Superstition aint the way

The Folk Sayings and Superstitions of Great Britain and Russia

The modern humans daily face difficulties and obstacles on the way to his goals, dreams and desires. They are fighting against the circumstances which have worked out bad for you, for the sake of new victories and achievements. The centuries-old history of all countries and nations all over the world keeps a lot of means for attracting good luck and superstitious rituals created to alleviate the difficult life path. Despite of the revolutionary discoveries in science and amazing inventions, the vast majority of people remember and believe in the magical power of numbers 13, black cats and other old signs.

There are several signs and superstitions that are known both in Russia and the UK. Most of the prejudices are associated with the mirrors. For example, the Russians and the British for the same reasons are afraid of breaking the mirror. The old folk saying is as follows: «The one who breaks the mirror, will be followed with a series of failures for seven years.» It is believed that evil spirits from the looking-glass will begin to hunt the culprit, who destroyed their house.

The superstitions about the happiness and good luck are sometimes identical too. In both countries, the bride throws a bouquet to the lucky girl, who will marry next according to the folk saying. Both Russian and English people believe in the magic power of the ladybug. Letting the bug fly, in Russia people say: «Ladybird, fly to heaven, bring me bread, black and white, but not burnt», and in the United Kingdom: «Ladybird, fly to heaven and give me happy times.» But some folk sayings and superstitions have opposite explanations in the two countries. In Russia left palm is itching to money, in England it promises a loss of money. However, if somewhere in London your way has been crossed by a black cat, do not rush to get upset, in this country it’s to luck. Contradictory attitudes of representatives of the two countries regards to the spiders. For the English to see the spider is to a great financial benefit, but in Russia these insects are not liked.

Перевод

Современный человек ежедневно сталкивается с трудностями и препятствиями на пути к своим целям, мечтам и желаниям. Он вступает в схватку со сложившимися не в его пользу обстоятельствами ради новых побед и свершений. Многовековая история всех стран и народов мира хранит множество средств для привлечения удачи и суеверных ритуалов, созданных для облегчения трудного жизненного пути. Несмотря на революционные открытия в науке и удивительные изобретения, подавляющее большинство людей помнят и верят в магическую силу цифры 13, черных кошек и в другие старые приметы.

Существует несколько примет и суеверий, которые известны и в России, и в Великобритании. Большая часть предрассудков связана с зеркалами. К примеру, русские и англичане по одним и тем же причинам бояться разбить зеркало. Старая примета гласит: «Того, кто разобьет зеркало, будет преследовать череда неудач в течение семи лет». Считается, что злые духи из Зазеркалья начнут охоту на виновника, уничтожившего их дом.

Приметы к счастью тоже иногда совпадают. В обеих странах невеста бросает букет счастливице, которая согласно примете выйдет замуж следующей. И русские и англичане верят в волшебную силу божьей коровки. Отпуская жука, в России говорят: «Божья коровка, улети на небо, принеси мне хлеба, черного и белого, только не горелого», а в Соединенном Королевстве: «Божья коровка, лети на небо и одари меня счастливыми временами».

Но некоторые приметы и суеверия в двух странах имеют противоположные объяснения. В России левая ладонь чешется к деньгам, в Англии это сулит потерю денег. Однако, если где-нибудь в Лондоне, вашу дорогу перебежала черная кошка, не спешите расстраиваться, в этой стране это к удаче. Противоречивое отношение у представителей двух стран и к паукам. Для англичан увидеть паука – к большой финансовой выгоде, а в России этих насекомых недолюбливают.

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На английском языке Перевод на русский язык SuperstitionsСуеверияMany people are superstitious. They believe in unproven and mysterious facts. Moreover, they are afraid of them. For example, when a black cat crosses their path, they say it’s for bad luck. Or, when they walk under the ladder, it also brings bad luck. It goes without saying that number 13 is an unlucky and evil number. In Britain people avoid having houses or flats of number 13. They don’t even have the 13th floor or room number in hotels. The unluckiest day is considered to be Friday the 13th, although some people simply have fun on this day, turning the superstition into an amusing game. There are millions of superstitions in the world. Each country has its own examples. For instance, Russians believe that carrying an empty bucket is not good or bumping into a person with an empty bucket in the street. Taking out anything from home at night, especially the trash is also not good. Empty bottles on the table are a bad sign. Other forbidden acts are giving watches and knives as presents. Watches are believed to lead to parting, while knives lead to conflicts and quarrels. There are other more pleasant superstitions. During Christmas young girls get together and hold fortune-telling nights. They use some old-fashioned techniques to predict the important things in their life, for example, the date of a wedding, the name of a future husband, etc. Other pleasant superstition is connected with spiders. It is not common to kill spiders in the house, because these insects are believed to bring good luck and money. There are many other omens and superstitions in the world, but they all depend on the degree of your belief. Some people refuse to believe in such things unless there is a scientific reasoning behind it.Многие люди суеверны. Они верят в недоказанные и загадочные факты. Более того, они их побаиваются. Например, когда черная кошка переходит им дорогу, они говорят, что это к невезению. Или, когда они проходят под лестницей, это тоже к несчастью. Само собой разумеется, что число 13 несчастливое и зловещее. В Великобритании люди избегают иметь дома или квартиры под номером 13. Они даже не имеют 13-х этажей или номеров в гостиницах. Самым опасным днем считается Пятница 13-е, хотя некоторые люди просто веселятся в этот день, превращая суеверие в забавную игру. В мире миллионы суеверий. Каждая страна имеет свои собственные приметы. Например, россияне считают, что нести пустое ведро не хорошо, как и встречать человека с пустым ведром на улице. Ночью ничего нельзя выносить из дома, особенно мусор. Пустые бутылки на столе — дурной знак. Другие запрещенные действия, это дарить часы и ножи в качестве подарков. Полагают, что часы приводят к расставанию, а ножи приводят к конфликтам и ссорам. Существуют и другие, более приятные суеверия. Во время рождественских святок молодые девушки собираются и устраивают ночи гаданий. С помощью старомодных методов они узнают о важных событиях в своей жизни, например, дату свадьбы, или имя будущего мужа и т.д. Другое приятное суеверие связано с пауками. В доме не принято убивать пауков, потому что считается, что эти насекомые приносит удачу и деньги. В мире есть много других примет и суеверий, но все они зависят от степени вашей веры. Некоторые люди отказываются верить в такие вещи, если они научно не мотивированы.