Superstitions Old Wives Tales

What are old wives tales? Superstitious people carry out all sorts of weird and wonderful activities to bring good fortune, or to stave off bad. For a great deal of others this is just an old wives tales. Which ever you believe, some of the superstitions old wives tales make some interesting reading. For example: In ancient Egypt, the Goddess Bast or Bastet, was a black, female cat, daughter of Sun God Re. Christians, wanting to rid society of all traces of other religions, convinced the ignorant that black cats were demons in disguise, and would bring bad luck, so should be destroyed. In the process, they also destroyed the kindly ladies who cared for the cats, believing them all to be witches. As demons, these black cats crossing your path would create a barrier of evil, cutting you off from God and blocking the entrance to heaven - heavy stuff! Then there are the superstitions surrounding salt. During the middle ages, salt was a very expensive commodity used mainly for medicinal purposes. For this reason, spillage was to be avoided at all costs. The idea that it is unlucky to do so, probably stems from the belief that Judas spilt salt during the last supper. Throwing spilt salt over the left shoulder is linked to its medicinal use. If it could not be administered, the next best thing was to throw it into the eye of the evil spirits that brought sickness upon us. These spirits were thought to lurk behind your shoulder, waiting for an opportunity to strike!

Some other old wives tales still popular today include: getting out of bed the same side you got in, otherwise you bring bad luck upon yourself! If a bird flies into your home then it is a symbol of death, so if you get out of bed the wrong side and then let a bird into your house, then you really are asking for it! Another of the superstitions old wives tales is to never take a broom with you when moving house, always buy a new one - it‘ll come in handy when trying to shoo the bird out! Chimney sweeps are regarded as very lucky, so if you see one shake his hand so that some of the luck rubs off onto you - along with huge amounts of soot! If out walking, you should look for a four leaf clover, and if you find one keep it safe and it should bring you great fortune! Breaking a mirror means seven years bad luck, unless - and I’d never heard of this myself - you take the pieces outside and bury them in moonlight! Several other old wives tales that many take seriously are: it is extremely unlucky to open an umbrella indoors - especially in a packed lift! A horse-shoe must be hung above a doorway turned upwards for luck, otherwise the luck will run out! And finally, the old wives tales that I can’t believe anybody takes seriously, but apparently do, Is never cut your finger nails on a Friday or Sunday as this will bring a great deal of bad luck - not a good idea on a Saturday either if just returning from night in the pub!