Category Animal Superstitions Subcategory: Dogs A dog eating grass - rain Meeting a dog - good luck (especially Dalmatians)

A greyhound with a white spot on its forehead - good fortune Being followed by a strange dog - bad luck (especially black dogs) The spectral black dog (barguest) - a harbinger of death A dog howling for no reason - unseen spirits A dog howling three times - A death has occurred At one time a dog that had bitten someone was immediately destroyed to protect the person from rabies (even if the dog was healthy) Subcategory: Horses orse brasses were used to protect horses from witches !hite horses - ill fortune "nhaling a horses breath - cure for whooping cough #ating a hair from a horse$s forelock - cure for worms orses standing with their backs to a hedge - rain %hanging a horse$s name - very bad luck Subcategory: Albatross An albatross flying around a ship in mid ocean - bad weather Thought to be the spirit of dead mariners and so bringing bad luck to those who killed them Subcategory: Adder

To see an adder - general bad luck To kill an adder - general good luck A live adder on the doorstep - a death in the household Subcategory: Ant Believed to be the final earthly incarnation of fairies Believed to be the souls of children who had died unbaptised Believed to be the transmuted souls of the Druids who refused to accept %hristianity Subcategory: Badger %arrying a badgers tooth - &ood luck (especially for gamblers) Subcategory: Bats "n a church during a wedding ceremony - bad omen "n the house - either a death or a sign that the humans will soon be leaving 'lying close to a person - that person will be betrayed 'lying vertically upwards then dropping back to earth - $The !itches our as %ome$ 'lying early in the evening - good weather %hinese belief - Bats are a symbol of long life and happiness Subcategory: Bear Believed to gain sustenance from sucking on their own paws( &host bears are believed to reside at !orcester %athedral and The Tower of )ondon in #ngland *aming a bear - provokes attack

Subcategory: Bees "f a bee enters your home+ it$s a sign that you will soon have a visitor( "f you kill the bee+ you will have bad luck+ or the visitor will be unpleasant( A bee landing on someone$s hand is believed to foretell money to come+ while if the bee settles on someone$s head it means that person will rise to greatness( Bees were once considered to deliberately sting those who swore in front of them+ and also to attack an adulterer or unchaste person( "t was once held to be a sure sign that a girl was a virgin if she could walk through a swarm of bees without being stung( An old country tradition states that bees should not be purchased for money+ as bought bees will never prosper( Bee-stings were once thought to prevent rheumatism+ and in some places a bee-sting was also thought to cure it( Subcategory: Beetle Ancient #gyptian belief - ,carab revered as a symbol of the ,un &od -a !alking over a person$s shoe - an omen of death %rawling out of a discarded shoe - ill omen Devil$s coach horse beetle raising it$s tail - a curse African belief - throwing beetles into a lake produces rain A dead beetle tied around the neck - cure for whooping cough Subcategory: Birds A bird that flies into a house+ foretells an important message( The white bird foretells death( A bird call from the north means tragedy. from the south is good for crops. from the west is good luck. from the east+ good love(

"f a bird poops on your car+ it is good luck( "f bird droppings land on your head it is good luck( Subcategory: Blackbird Ancient British Belief - A messenger of the dead Two blackbirds sitting together - good omen Subcategory: Boar A manifestation of the Devil *orse belief - A traditional food of the &ods Subcategory: Bull Bull$s testes - aphrodisiac To hide in a bull$s pen - immunity from lightning Subcategory: Butterfly "f the first butterfly you see in the year is white+ you will have good luck all year -epresents the souls of unbaptised children "nside the house - good luck 'irst butterfly of the season (white) - good omen 'irst butterfly of the season (brown) - misfortune To see three butterflies together - bad omen To see a butterfly at night - approaching death ,cottish belief - red butterflies are manifestations of witches Subcategory: Calf

"f the first calf born during the winter is white+ the winter will be a bad one( To stroke a calf on the back - bad luck to both the person and the animal Twin calves - bad luck &iving mistletoe as a gift to the first calf of the year - good luck to the herd Subcategory: Cat A kitten born in May - a witches cat A black cat crossing your path - good luck (A white cat in /,A+ ,pain and Belgium) A black cat seen from behind - a bad omen ,tray tortoise shell cat - bad omen %ats bought with money will never be good mousers %at snee0ing once - rain %at snee0ing three times - the family will catch a cold /,A belief - A cat washing on the doorstep - the clergy will visit 1illing a cat - sacrificing your soul to the Devil 1icking a cat - -heumatism A cat snee0ing is a good omen for everyone who hears it( - "talian superstition "t is bad luck to see a white cat at night Dreaming of white cat means good luck !hen you see a one-eyed cat+ spit on your thumb+ stamp it in the palm of your hand+ and make a wish( The wish will come true( "f a cat washes behind its ears+ it will rain( - #nglish superstition A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather ahead( - #nglish superstition

#nglish schoolchildren believe seeing a white cat on the way to school is sure to bring trouble( To avert bad luck+ they must either spit+ or turn around completely and make the sign of the cross( A black cat crossing one$s path by moonlight means death in an epidemic( - "rish superstition A strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity( - ,cottish superstition "t is bad luck to cross a stream carrying a cat( - 'rench superstition A cat on top of a tombstone meant certainly that the soul of the departed buried was possessed by the devil( Two cats seen fighting near a dying person+ or on the grave shortly after a funeral+ are really the Devil and an Angel fighting for possession of To see a white cat on the road is lucky( To kill a cat brings seventeen years of bad luck( - "rish superstition "f cats desert a house+ illness will always reign there( - #nglish superstition "n *ormandy+ seeing a tortoiseshell foretells death by accident( "n the *etherlands+ cats were not allowed in rooms where private family discussions were going on( The Dutch believed that cats would definitely spread gossips around the town( !hen moving to a new home+ always put the cat through the window instead of the door+ so that it will not leave( "n the early 23th century+ a visitor to an #nglish home would always kiss the family cat( !hen the pupil of a cat$s eye broadens+ there will be rain( - !elsh superstition "n 23th century "taly+ it was believed that if a black cat lay on the bed of a sick man+ he would die( But there$s also a belief that a cat will not remain in the house where someone is about to die( Therefore+ if the family cat refuses to stay indoors+ Subcategory: Cattle %attle were highly regarded by the %elts+ and nn some areas it is thought that cattle should be informed of any deaths in their owners$ household+ or the cows+ sensing that something was wrong+ would sicken and probably die(

"n mediaeval times it was thought that cattle would kneel at the stroke of midnight on %hristmas #ve. and some people thought they were even able to speak that night+ although it was considered dangerous for any human to hear their speech as misfortune w Subcategory: Cockerel !hite cockerel - good luck Black cockerel - evil spirits A cockerel standing in a doorway - a visitor "t is believed that the cockerels will all crow on final day to awaken the dead Subcategory: Cows "f a plow kills a daddy long legs the cows will go dry "f you see nine cows in a shed with a gray bull ne4t to the door+ and all of them lie on the same side+ you are in luck+ because you will be granted one wish( A cow lowing after midnight - approaching death To milk a cow being sent to market - bad luck ,prinkling the cowshed floor with primroses - a guard against witches %ows lying down in a field - rain Subcategory: Cricket A cricket is a lucky house spirit that takes it$s luck away when it leaves( A cricket can tell of oncoming rain+ death+ and 4-lovers( Subcategory: Crow 5ne$s bad+ Two$s luck+ Three$s health+ 'our$s wealth+ 'ive$s sickness+ ,i4 is death( A messenger of the gods A familiar of the traditional witch

arbingers of death and disaster Subcategory: Cuckoo 'irst sound of a cuckoo in spring coming from the right - good luck 'irst sound of a cuckoo in spring coming from the left - bad luck earing the first cuckoo on the 67th of April - #4cellent luck earing the first cuckoo on the 3th of April or after midsummer - bad luck 8our condition on hearing the first cuckoo will remain all year Subcategory: Daddy Long Legs "f a plow kills a daddy long legs the cows will go dry( 9!hen " was a kid on a farm in 5hio+ somewhere we were told when we picked up a Daddy )ong )egs to ask it 9!here are the cows:9 and it would point (with it$s feelers) in the direction of the cows( " remember thinking this usually worked;9 Subcategory: Dolphins Dolphins are believed to transport the souls of the dead to the afterlife Dolphins playing in fine weather or close to the shore - !ind Subcategory: Donkey <lacing three hairs from a donkey$s shoulders in a muslin bag worn around the neck - cure for whooping cough or measles ,itting backwards on a donkey - cure for snakebites and toothache A pregnant woman seeing a donkey - the child will grow wise and well behaved Subcategory: Dove Miners seeing a dove - bad omen A dove circling above - an omen of death

1illing a dove - misfortune Subcategory: Dragonfly %atching a dragonfly - marriage within the year Subcategory: Duck )aying dark brown eggs - bad omen 'lapping its wings while swimming - rain Subcategory: agle ,trength+ divinity and immortality %hristian belief - symbol of resurrection ,everal eagles flying together - peace #agles sitting motionless - an enemy approaching #agle egg eaten by two people - protection against witchcraft earing the cry of an eagle - omen of death Subcategory: lephants "n ,iam+ white elephants were rare and not made to work for their upkeep+ so a !hite #lephant is an item that is a non profit e4pense( %onsidering the value of space in our homes+ items kept as memorabilia could be considered !hite #lephants( Subcategory: !erret Drinking milk from a bowl from which a ferret has drunk - cure for whooping cough Subcategory: !ish Throw back the first fish you catch then you$ll be lucky the whole day fishing( "t$s bad luck to get married when the fish aren$t biting+ according to the custom of some fisherfolk(

A fish should always be eaten from the head toward the tail( Dream of fish= someone you know is pregnant( "f you count the number of fish you caught+ you will catch no more that day( "t$s bad luck to say the word 9pig9 while fishing at sea( Burning fish bones - unlucky Subcategory: !lea ,uddenly leaving a body who was infested - death of the host 'lea bite on the hand - a kiss or good news <erson leaping over the midsummer bonfire - riddance of fleas Subcategory: !o" ,eeing a lone fo4 - good luck ,eeing several fo4es together - bad luck Subcategory: !rogs 'rogs+ like toads+ were once thought to have peculiar properties+ and were fre>uently used in healing charms+ and in others of a slightly less innocent nature( The dried body of a frog worn in a silk bag around the neck prevented epilepsy and other fits( 'rogs were used in love-magic( "n one story+ a girl+ whose lover was untrue stuck pins all over a living frog and then buried it( The young man suffered e4treme pains and eventually returned to her( ,he dug up the frog and removed the pins+ after which t A frog brings good luck to the house it enters( Believed to be the souls of dead children ,hiny skinned - fine weather Dull skinned - rain

'rogspawn at the edge of a pond - storms Touching a frog - infertility 1illing a frog - bad luck Subcategory: #nat !hen allowed into a sick room - removal of ailments 'lying close to the ground - rain 'lying high - good weather Subcategory: #oat Associated with <an (or the devil in some religions) Meeting a goat when on an important ?ourney - good luck Meeting a black goat on a bridle path - treasure hidden nearby Subcategory: #oose &oose eaten on Michelmas day - good luck Brown tinted meat - mild winter !hite meat - harsh winter &eese leaving a farm - omen of a fire A goose laying two eggs - bad omen Subcategory: #uinea !owl &enerally good luck Brings sunshine Subcategory: Hares

&ood )uck( A guise of a witch %rossing your path - omen of disaster Dreaming of hares - bad omen or death ,eeing a brown hare - good luck %arrying a hare$s foot - good luck 1illing a hare - bad luck -ubbing hare$s blood into the skin - cure for freckles Subcategory: Hedgehog Another witches guise 1illing a hedgehog - protection against bad luck #ntering the house - very bad omen Subcategory: Hens A hen which crows is considered to be unlucky+ as is a hen with tail-feathers like those of a rooster( ens which roost in the morning are said to be foretelling a death+ usually that of the farmer or someone in his household( A hen which enters the house is an omen that a visitor will arrive+ and this is also the case if a rooster crows near the door or comes inside( Subcategory: Heron ,eeing a heron near the house - bad luck 1illing a heron - e4tremely bad luck Subcategory: $ackdaw

A ?ackdaw settling on the house - an omen of death "n some cultures+ a ?ackdaw on the roof - a new arrival ,eeing one ?ackdaw - bad omen Subcategory: Horseshoes A circular ring made from an iron horseshoe nail gives the same protection against evil as the horseshoe itself( The horseshoe or crescent moon shape was seen as a sign of good fortune and fertility( !itches fear horses+ so they are also turned away by a door with a horseshoe mounted on it( The horseshoe must be hung with the points up to keep the luck from spilling out( Subcategory: $aybirds @aybirds go down to the devil$s house on 'ridays to tell all the bad things that have happened during the week( @aybirds who remain on 'riday are checking up on what people are doing( Subcategory: %ingfisher &reek legend %hristian )egend ,eeing a kingfisher - good luck !earing kingfisher feathers - promotes the beauty of a woman by magic Subcategory: Ladybird &Ladybug' )anding on you - very good luck )anding on your hand - &ood weather *umber of spots - number of happy months ahead Direction after it leaves your person - the direction from which your future love will come Subcategory: Lamb

'irst lamb of spring (black) - good omen 'irst lambs of spring (twin white) - e4cellent fortune Subcategory: Lapwing &(ewit' The call of the lapwing - $bewitched bewitched$ ,eeing a lapwing - bad omen Subcategory: Lark #ating three larks$ eggs - improvement of voice Disturbing a lark$s peace or nest - curse <ointing at a lark - a whitlow will appear on the finger Subcategory: )agpie ,eeing a single magpie - bad luck A single magpie circling the house - portent of death &reeting a magpie is said to remove the bad omens it brings A single magpie on a roof - the building will never fall down %hattering in a tree near a house - arrival of a stranger %hinese belief - a magpie is good luck and shouls never be killed Subcategory: )artin *esting in a house - good luck to the household arming a Martin or its eggs - dire misfortune Subcategory: )ole ,udden arrival of molehills in a garden - someone will leave+ or death

More molehills than usual - bad weather Subcategory: )os*uito ,ame omens as the gnat (!hen allowed into a sick room - removal of ailments+ 'lying close to the ground - rain+ 'lying high - good weather) Subcategory: )oth A big black moth in the house means a deceased one is ?ust visiting reincarnated through that moth( "n the house - arrival of an important letter Subcategory: )ouse "f somebody throws away a dead mouse+ the wind will soon start to blow from that direction( Subcategory: )uskrat Building it$s home clear of the water - heavy rains %onstructing the home with thin walls - mild winter Subcategory: +ightingale eard singing before the cuckoo - ,uccess in love Subcategory: +ight,ar &-hippoorwill' eard after dark - premonition of death 'irst call in spring - A wish made will come true Subcategory: .wl The ancient &reeks revered owls and believed them sacred to Athena( Affiliated with the goddess of wisdom and learning+ the owl was considered wise and kind( hearing the hoot of an owl is now associated with bad luck( To counter evil owl power put irons in your fire( 5r throw salt+ hot peppers or vinegar into the fire+ the owl will get a sore tongue+ hoot no more+ and no one close to you will be in trouble(

!hen you hear an owl+ to prevent bad luck+ take off your clothes+ turn them inside out and put them back on( Any man who eats roasted owl will be obedient and a slave to his wife( )ooking into an owl$s nest - sadness for life eard hooting by a pregnant woman - baby is a girl "f an owl lands on the roof of your house+ it is an omen of death( %onstant hooting near your house also foretells death( "f an owl hoots at the moment of childbirth+ the child will have an unhappy life( The "rish believe that if an owl flies into a house it must be killed immediately( "f it escapes+ it will take the luck of the house with it( "f an owl nests in an abandoned house+ then the dwelling must be haunted( An owl is the only creature that can abide a ghost( By eating salted owl+ a person can be cured of gout( "f an owl hoots during a burial service+ the deceased is bound to rise from the grave and haunt the living( An owl living in the attic of a house will cause a pregnant woman to miscarry( Subcategory: .yster 5ysters should only be eaten in months with an - in them Aphrodisiac properties (dating back to -oman times) %arrying an oyster shell - good luck Subcategory: (eacocks A peacock feather has an evil eye at the end( Argus+ the &reek legend+ says a hundred eyed monster was turned into a peacock with all it$s eyes in it$s tail( -evered by indus as sacred &reek mythology - tail consists of the eyes of the giant $Argus$

<eacock feathers indoors - bad luck earing a peacock cry - storms approaching Subcategory: (igs To get rid of warts involves rubbing a peeled apple and giving it to a pig( %rossing your path - unlucky -unning with straw in its mouth - storms approaching Driving pigs indoors 5n Beltane morning - good omen Subcategory: (orpoise arbinger of good luck ,een swimming north - fine weather ,een swimming south - bad weather Subcategory: /abbits <assing in front of you - good luck <assing behind you - bad luck -unning down a street - a house will catch fire 1eeping a rabbit$s foot - good luck Because of the rabbit$s ability to reproduce+ the rabbit$s foot became a symbol of fertility( -abbits were linked with darkness+ witches and the devil because they live underground( By owning a rabbit$s foot as a talisman+ you would have vital connections with many powerful forces( A left rabbit hind foot+ carried in the left pocket after having been removed from a rabbit that was killed during a full moon by a cross-eyed person is truly lucky( The foot is considered a powerful

charm against evil because the rabbit$s strong hind le Actors may keep a rabbit$s foot in their makeup cases for good luck+ and will have misfortune if they lose it( "n !ales an old belief is that a new-born child rubbed all over with a rabbit$s foot will be lucky for life( Subcategory: /at Most relate to the rat$s association with death "t is believed that rats can predict death -ats leaving a ship - the ship will sink -ats seen boarding a ship - lucky A rat leaving a house - A death is imminent A sudden arrival of rats in a house - the occupants will move soon+ or (in ,cotland) an occupant will come into money An increase in numbers - an omen of war Subcategory: /avens To kill a raven is to harm the spirit of 1ing Arthur who visits the world in the form of a raven( ,een near a sick person - no recovery !elsh belief - A raven on a chimney is good luck to those within -avens leaving The Tower of )ondon - The /nited 1ingdom will fall 'lying towards the sun - fine weather Subcategory: /obins A wish made on the first robin of spring will be granted( A robin entering the house was a sign of a death in the family(

1illing a robin - e4tremely bad luck %ausing a robin in?ury - a similar in?ury to the perpetrator #ntering a house or church - omen of death Subcategory: /oosters -oosters have long been connected with the sun+ as they crow to herald its arrival at dawn+ and are considered watchful protectors of humankind( !hen a cock crows at midnight a spirit is passing "n #ngland it is a death omen if a rooster crows three times between sunset and midnight( %rowing at other times is often a warning against misfortune( "f a cock crows while perched on a gate+ or at nightfall+ the ne4t day will be rainy( A white rooster is considered very lucky+ and should not be killed as it protects the farm on which it lives Black roosters are a bad omen+ often associated with sacrifice( Subcategory: Seagulls Three seagulls flying together+ directly overhead+ are a warning of death soon to come( 1illing a seagull - bad luck ,een far inland - bad weather Subcategory: Sheep A shepherd counting his flock - bad luck ,itting still on the grass - fine weather !alking about and bleating - bad weather Subcategory: Snake anging a snake skin from the rafters - protection from fire

%rossing your path - unlucky %arrying a snake skin - protection against illness %arrying a snake$s tooth - protection against fever and luck in gambling !earing an emerald - protection against snake bites Subcategory: Sparrows ,parrows carry the souls of the dead+ it$s unlucky to kill one( Believed to embody the souls of the dead 1illing a sparrow - the tree it lived in will die earing a sparrow call A rain Subcategory: Spiders "t is unlucky to kill spiders because a spider spun a web over baby @esus to hide him from erod( A spider with syrup cures fever( ,eeing a spider run down a web in the afternoon means you$ll take a trip( 8ou$ll meet a new friend if you run into a web( A spider is a repellent against plague when worn around the neck in a walnut shell( 1illing a spider - very bad luck ,een running over clothes - a new set of clothes 'inding a spider in the morning - ,orrow 'inding a spider at midday - An4iety 'inding a spider in the evening - )oss 1illing a spider - Bad )uck

A spider spinning in the morning - &ood )uck A spider climbing its thread - &ood *ews A spider dropping on its thread - &ood )uck 'inding a spider on your body - &ood 'ortune ,eeing a spider cross a wall - &ood )uck A spider$s web on a doorway - A Bisitor A spider on your clothes A Money Arcane is said to be the missing 2Cth sign of the 0odiac based on 2C lunar months( Arcane is associated with psychic abilities+ weaving and women( Subcategory: Sow Bugs A Te4as superstition says that a bag filled with 2C sow bugs tied around a child$s neck will cure the child from the thrash+ or sores in the mouth( Subcategory: Storks ,torks deliver babies( ,torks were sacred to Benus in -oman mythology( "f a stork builds a nest on your roof+ you have received a blessing and a promise of never ending love from Benus( Aristotle made killing a stork a crime+ and -omans passed a stork law+ saying that children must care for their elderly parents( 1illing a stork - bad luck Building a nest on the roof - good omen ,eeing two storks - omen of pregnancy Subcategory: Swallow erald of the summer

1illing a swallow - bad luck *esting on the roof - protection especially against lightning and fire ,torms will accompany the arrival and departure of swallows Subcategory: Swans A swan$s feather+ sewed into the husband$s pillow+ will ensure fidelity( Subcategory: 0oad "f you eat a live toad first thing in the morning nothing worse will happen to you all day( %rossing the path of a bride on the way to the church - prosperous and happy union ,eeing a toad - end of drought or good fortune Thought to be the familiars of witches 1illing a toad - rainstorms %arrying a dried toad - protection against plague andling toads - causes warts Subcategory: 0ortoise 1illing a tortoise - bad luck !earing a tortoiseshell bracelet - protection against evil Subcategory: -asp 1illing the first wasp of the season - good luck Subcategory: 1ulture ,eeing a vulture - omen of death Subcategory: -easel

,eeing a weasel - bad luck 1eeping money in a weasel skin purse - financial security Subcategory: -olf During the middle ages+ wolves were ascribed magical powers and wolf parts became an important part of many early pharmacies( <owered wolf liver was used to ease birth pains( A wolf$s right paw+ tied around ones throat+ was believed to ease the swelling "t was widely believed that a horse that stepped in a wolf print would be crippled The ga0e of a wolf was once thought to cause blindness The breath of the wolf could cook meat( "t was believed that !olves sharpened their teeth before hunting Dead wolves were buried at a village entrance to keep out other wolves (some farmers continue to shoot predators and hang them on fence posts to repel other predators() Travelers were warned about perils of walking through lonely stretches of woods+ and stone shelters were built to protect them from attacks( 5ur modern word 9loophole9 is derived from the #uropean term 9loup hole+9 or wolf hole+ a spy hole in shelters ,eeing a wolf - dumbness Subcategory: -ren arming a wren - broken bone