M N S S I G N S , O E AN D S UPERS T IT I O N S B" ASTRA CIELO M M . “ “ Author o f Fortunes and Dreams " S i ns omens and redictions g , p , A re n o t all c tions fi , A n d many fac ts does history cite h ” r v tha I ri t . To p o e t am g g — M TH E ASCOT. NEW " ORK GEORGE S ULL" COMPA NY CONTENTS C H A PTER PA GE 3“ I Popular S up erst1t 1o n s I II - . Wedding S uperstitions 7 Lucky Periods for Marr1ages I I — - Bridal Cake-a Bridesmaids 1 2 S hoes and Weddings I 4 R I III . ings . 7 Engagement and Wedding Rings éo k I D S 2 g V . Lucky and Unlucky ays and easons 3 ’ New Year s S uperstitions, 29 ’ April Fool s Day 3 1 A scension Day 32 Easter S uperstitions 33 ’ t s E ve S . John 35 Candlemas Day 36 ’ Da 6 S t . Valentine s y 3 ’ Hallowe en Customs 38 Harvest S uperstitio ns 39 Christmas 4 0 S G o r V. igns of ood Bad Luck 43 The S ign of the Cross 46 K nocking on Wood 48 c an d U u O 0 VI . Lu ky nl cky mens 5 Christening Customs 51 Beliefs Concerning Children 52 Beliefs Concerning Eggs 54 Charms and Amulets 59 Mascots 64 T“ Horseshoe Lore 65 1: P in S uperstitions 67 V C H A PTER II Th I V . e nfluences o f Mythical Beings Witches VIII . S igns Connected with the Body S neezing S n pitti g o M T Wart s . oles, eeth, , etc Yawning . Tingling and Itching S tumbling and Falling Cutting Nails and Hair Personal Appearance Clothes S uperstitions On A rising ' S C an d H quinting, rippled, unchback Persons Death and Corpses The Evil Eye Household Beliefs Looking- glass Omens S pilling o f S alt K nife S uperstitions Candle S uperstitions " Concerning Ladders " D . ivination The Mystery o f Numbers Lottery Numbers and Usages P redictions o f Wealth Divination by Letters Divination by Books P recious S tones Color S uperstitions CON TEN TS C H A PTER PAGE " I P . lant S uperstitions 1 1 5 " II I . Bird ( and nsect) S upe rstitions 1 1 6 I O nsect mens . 1 1 8 Bees . 1 1 8 " A P n III . nimal orte ts 1 20 9? Howling o f Dogs 1 22 M Black Cats 1 23 " I M V . eteorological Beliefs 124 Weather S igns and Portents 12 5 C M 128 omets and eteors . " 1 V . Vocational S uperstitions 1 3 S uperstitions o f K ings 1 31 ’ Card—players S uperstitions 1 33 ’ A 1 ctors S uperstitions . 35 Theatre S uperstitions 1 38 ’ Commercial Travellers S uperstitions 1 39 ’ ’ Dressmakers and S eamstresses S u p erstitio ns 1 40 ‘ ’ ‘ S ailors S uperstitions 1 4 1 M ’ " Fishermen s S uperstitions 1 44 ’ Turfmen s S uperstitions 1 4 5 Baseball S uperstitions 1 4 7 ’ Waiters S uperstitions 1 48 f l 1 0 " I M e P r o E . V . ( iscellan ous) o tents vi 5 a 1 0 Bre king Friendship . 5 Drinking Toasts 1 5 1 P ious Ejaculations 1 52 " s o f th O d x ew 1 VII . S uperstition e rtho o " 55 C HAP TER I P OP ULAR S UP E RS TITIONS It is an interesting question as to ho w the many superstitious beliefs and practices had their begin Th f ning . e origin o most o f them is no doubt ’ to be found in man s efforts to explain the phe mm n n m o e a of ature , and in an atte pt to propitiate an angry deity and to invite a better fortune . From these sources come many of the absurd ” ? notions still in vogue among primitive people, which have been handed down in modified form to us . Man has ever found it difficult to understand ll the mysteries surrounding him on a sides, and groping in the dark he has tried by prayer, incan ' tation o r peculiar practices to force nature to do his bidding . S r . uperstition , therefore, a ises primarily from E ” ignorance . arly man believed that every phe ‘ n omeno n o f nature was the work of a spirit o r i ; devil . H s intellig ence could not suggest an" To f other explanation . this belie was added fear . The k thunder, the lightning, the earthquake , dar n s — all f T i es filled him with earful dread . o h m I ME S D PER TI TI 2 S GNS , O N AN S U S ONS they ‘were the workings of spiteful powers to be propitiated . Where ignorance and fear are sur rounded by danger they w 1ll always grope fo r a f T o . b way escape hus superstition is born . A e lief in the existence o f spirits antagonistic to man f o ld r gave rise to most o the supe stitions . T o r ad here is no nation , however ignorant ’ van c ed , which does not recognize customs , rites , usages and beliefs which have their or1gin m Th f s . e o superstition , Bible speaks such practice as had found their way from pagan sources into I the monotheistic beliefs of the sraelites , calls them “ ” an . abominations , d warns the Jews against them The penalty of death was attached to sorcery, yet many o f the superstitious practices continued to be b S l observed, as is proved by the invocation y au ’ ll t r u of S amuel s spirit . A the prophets spoke s en o usly against the existing immoral and sup ersti w as tious rites, and Judaism probably the first reli gion that attempted to free itself from their In E R su ersti . G shackles gypt , reece and ome, p tion gave birth t o mythology with its pagan rites D D M A and ceremonies . uring the ark and iddle ges “ when people were for the most part illiterate , superstition flourished with unprecedented vig or . The Every religious sect gave rise to new beliefs . S I GNS ' OMENS AND S UPERS TI TI , ONS 3 Cru sades had the eff ect o f bringing to Europe many oriental practices and ideas that in the course o f time became grafted o n the religious habits of the people , and not a few of them have been handed down to our own times . It f is, in fact , a di ficult matter at times to draw ' h the line between superstition and religion, for w at appears as a sacred rite to one creed may appear h as rank folly to the adherent of another . T e I e Fiji slander, for example , believes that thund r ’ n G o n is a sig of od s anger, and he falls flat his face and mutters an invocation to appease the To deity . an enlightened European this becomes E a superstition , yet this same uropean may wear an amulet or charm t o ward o ff sickness or bad I " luck , and the Fiji slander might be moved to laughter at the idea . In fact , certain superstitions had their origin in one sect trying to oppose the tenets of another A t sect . gain many supers itions were created by a ' literal o r often a false interpretation o f the Bible . Fo r instance among the Jews it was considered ' to be m o n T in lucky g a journey uesday , because o f C a : describing the third day reation , it is s id o d saw t . On G hat it was good the other hand , it was t hought unlucky to commence anything on I NS MENS AND S P ER TI TI 4 S G , O U S ONS M Go d e sa . onday, when omitt d to y it was good S imilarly Christian s have a superstition that is to Friday a bad day begin an important work, C w as o n T h because hrist crucified that day . e fear of sitting down with thirteen at t able had its origin in the Last S up per an d its sad ending . Many a superstition had its begin mn g m a command that was laid down to teach a lesson or Fo r i avoid trouble . instance , it is cons dered bad to T be step over a child . his may have had its gmn mg when a careful father feared that in step ping over, a child one might accidentally step on it c r1 1e To e f and p p it . drive the lesson home more fec tivel w as v y, it stated that step ping o er a child u an d would st nt its growth , in that form it is still o held in respect by many at the present time . S also the belief that it is u nlucky to sing before breakfast may have been taught by an indolen t father w ho hated to have his morning slumbers ’ e i so disturbed by his daught r s sing ng, and fright ened her o ff by an admonition appealing to her fear .