- an albatross flying round a ship in mid-ocean is an omen of wind and bad weather to come; it is horrific luck to kill one
- biting your tongue while eating means you have recently told a lie
- black cat crossing your path is a herald of bad luck as they are thought to be witches' familiars.
- blackbirds nesting anywhere in your house signals a year of good fortune; if two males are seen sitting together this is a very good omen
- breaking a mirror brings seven years bad luck (which is how long it takes to rejuvenate the entire 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
- counting crows: one's bad, two's luck, three's health, four's wealth, five's sickness, six is death
- foxes that pass your home are forerunners of misfortune
- Friday the 13th is just generally bad luck
- itchy palms mean money is soon to come
- journeys commenced on a Friday will meet misfortune
- killing a sparrow will bring bad luck as sparrows are thought to carry the souls of the dead
- knives should only be closed by the person who opened them, and you should never accept a knife from someone dear or you both will soon part ways; knife falls, gentleman calls; fork falls, lady calls; spoon falls, baby calls
- knocking on wood reverses bad luck and to keep evil spirits from spoiling good luck
- opening an umbrella inside a building is bad luck
- ravens are birds of ill-omen, able to predict the future, particularly death
- saying "bless you" restarts another's heart after they sneeze
- tossing spilled salt over your left shoulder protects your wealth from demons trying to steal it
- viewing an owl either through your window or viewing one in the daylight is bad luck and will bestow death upon you
- walking under a ladder is bad luck, because it disturbs the spirits of the dead which reside there
- windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the soul can leave
apr 12 2011 ∞
jan 8 2014 +