SIGNS CONNECTED WITH THE BODY.
SNEEZING
The custom of muttering a prayer or a pious wish after sneezing is as
old as history. It was accounted very ancient in the time of Aristotle,
who in his “Problems” endeavored to account for it, but knew nothing of
its origin. According to him the ancients believed that the head was
the seat of the soul and that sneezing in some way affected the spirit.
Hence the necessity of uttering an invocation to preserve the soul from
harm.
The Greeks and Romans had a number of formulas for sneezing, such as,
“Long may you live!” “May you enjoy good health!” “Jupiter preserve
you!”
Sneezing was often considered a lucky omen among the ancients. Their
history is full of events of importance which were ushered in by a
sneeze. The “Odyssey” tells of the “lucky sneeze of Telemachus.”
History tells of the soldiers’ sneezing in adoration of a god that
rose before them in the ranks, an event which Xenophon regarded as a
favorable omen.
Aristotle considered a sneeze as divine, but a cough as vulgar.
Petronius mentions the custom of saying, “_Salve_” (hail), when a
soldier sneezed. Tiberius Cæsar never neglected to observe this formula.
When a Hindoo sneezes, bystanders say, “Live!” and he replies, “With
you!” The Zulus believe that an angry spirit enters the body and that a
sneeze is an effort of nature to expel it.
Aristotle believed that sneezing from noon till midnight was a good
omen, but from midnight till the next noon was a sign of bad luck.
All nations have some formula for sneezing. The Germans say, “_Zur
Gesundheit!_” The English say, “God bless you!” The French say, “_A vos
souhaits_.”
If some one sneezes after you have made a statement, it places the seal
of truth upon it and the statement may not be doubted.
According to mythology Prometheus made an artificial man, and the first
sign of life he gave was to sneeze. It was through the nostril that
life entered into his body.
In the time of Pope St. Gregory the Great, there was an epidemic of
sneezing, and many of the afflicted died. The pope thereupon declared
that a certain prayer should be uttered every time a person sneezed, to
avert the calamity.
To sneeze three times in rapid succession is considered a good omen.
Physiologically considered in the light of modern science, sneezing is
bad, as it spreads the germs of many diseases by spraying them into the
air. One should always sneeze into a handkerchief.
SPITTING
In ancient times spitting was considered as having the virtue of
averting witchcraft, and even in our time many superstitions cling to
the habit.
Spit was considered as a charm against all kinds of fascination.
Theocritus says:
“Thrice on my breast I spit to guard me safe from fascinating charms.”
Superstitious nurses will spit on their children to keep them from harm.
Alluding to this custom an ancient writer says:
“His lips are wet with lustral spittle, thus
They think to make the gods propitious.”
Bruisers and boxers before attacking their adversary, spit on their
hands to insure success.
Boys, when making a pledge or asserting a thing to be “honor bright,”
often spit on the ground to give emphasis to their good faith.
Coal miners in England when they form a union for any purpose, sit in
a circle and spit on a stone, by way of cementing their friendship and
loyalty.
Devout people often spit at the mention of the name of his satanic
majesty, in an effort to keep away evil influences.
Mohammedans are said to spit at the mention of the name of Jesus.
To spit on one’s hands before undertaking a piece of manual work
insures a successful result.
Spitting three times into their bosoms, was considered by the Greeks as
preventive of danger when in the presence of a madman or an epileptic.
When a man hit another and felt remorse for the blow, he spit into the
hollow of his hand, and thus freed the other from pain. This was a
superstition of the Middle Ages.
Spitting to avert evil influences is still resorted to among country
folks, and in some countries is almost considered a religious act.
In Ireland it is considered unlucky to praise a horse or other animal
unless you spit on him and say, “God save him,” or other similar
prayer. If after three days, any bad luck befalls the animal, it is
necessary to find the person who praised him so that he may whisper the
Lord’s Prayer into the animal’s right ear.
Hucksters, peddlers, and other tradespeople, have a habit of spitting
for good luck when making a sale. The first money they receive in the
morning is spat upon to insure good luck for the day.
It is customary in some parts when a rainbow appears to make a cross on
the ground and spit on each of the four corners.
MOLES, TEETH, WARTS, ETC.
Moles may denote good or bad fortune according to where they are found.
On the throat they are lucky; on the lower jaw, especially of a woman,
they denote the opposite. On the back of the neck they are said to
predict a hanging.
Red or black moles are considered unlucky, but brown ones are lucky.
If raised like a wart they foretell luck.
A mole on the forehead brings good fortune, so also one on the chin. As
a rule moles denote coming wealth.
The hairs growing out of moles are considered harbingers of fortune
and in some countries are carefully guarded and cultivated. In Latin
countries one can see men go about with long hairs growing out of moles
on their faces. They are careful never to shave them.
When a child loses a tooth it will hasten the growth of the new tooth,
if the old is thrown into the fire.
When a tooth is pulled it should be thrown into the fire. In
Switzerland it is carefully wrapped in paper with a pinch of salt and
burned.
To cure a toothache, the name of St. Apollonia is invoked in Latin
countries. She suffered martyrdom by having her teeth pulled out, and
has since been the patron saint of those who suffer from similar pangs.
To dream of losing a tooth, foretells the death of a friend.
If a baby’s tooth first appears in the upper jaw, it is a sign that the
child will die in infancy.
If the teeth are very irregular it is a sign of bad luck.
If there is a gap between the two upper middle teeth large enough to
pass a coin through, it foretells wealth.
The Greeks believed that it was unlucky to count one’s warts as they
would increase in number.
To charm away a wart, buy it from the possessor for a pin, and it will
disappear within a week.
Another way to charm away a wart is to rub it with half an apple. Tie
the two halves together with a thread, and bury it at the foot of a
tree. Within a week the wart will have disappeared.
Spots in the nails foretell riches. If many, the person showing them
will gain a fortune. White specks often foretell happenings without
wealth. On the thumb-nail, they indicate honors.
YAWNING
Among many peoples, yawning is considered a sign of possession or
obsession by an evil spirit.
When the Hindoo yawns, he snaps his thumb and finger and repeats the
name of one of his deities. To neglect this brings misfortune.
When a Moslem yawns he puts the back of his left hand to his mouth and
says, “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan.”
There is an old belief that when one yawns the devil may leap into the
open mouth; hence the necessity of holding a hand over the mouth.
To yawn in the midst of saying one’s prayers, is a bad omen. It is
better to say the prayer from the beginning again.
TINGLING AND ITCHING
It is a common superstition that when one’s ears tingle some one is
talking about him.
Shakespeare says in “Much Ado About Nothing,” “What fire is in mine
ears?” Beatrice deduces from this that a friend is talking about her.
Even the old Roman historian, Pliny, says: “It is an opinion generally
received that when our ears do glow and tingle, there be some that in
our absence do talk of us.”
The tingling of the right ear is taken to mean that good is spoken;
while, that of the left ear is a token of the fact that evil is spoken.
Herrick writes:
“My ear tingles, some there be
That are snarling now at me.”
The itching of the palm is considered an indication that the person
will get some unexpected money. If continued for any length of time, a
fortune will come to him.
The itching of the thumb or nose denotes a visitor, sometimes an
unwelcome intruder.
One of the witches in “Macbeth” says:
“By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.”
STUMBLING AND FALLING
Falling has always been associated with the idea of evil, and its
effects can only be averted by a quick-witted remark or a muttered
invocation.
When Cæsar landed at Adrumetum in Africa, it is related that he tripped
and fell upon his face. This was considered as an ill omen by his
soldiers, but with great presence of mind he exclaimed: “Thus do I take
possession of thee, O Africa.” Thus he changed a sign of bad to one of
good fortune.
When William the Conqueror landed in England, he fell prone upon the
ground. A great cry of despair went up from his army, but he raised
himself smilingly and said: “I have seized the country with both my
hands.”
To fall while going upstairs is a sure sign that the victim will not
marry within a year.
The falling of a picture from the wall is universally regarded as a bad
omen and frequently foretells the death of the original of the picture
in the case of a portrait.
It is related that a well-known English archbishop on entering his
study one day, found his portrait lying on the floor, the cord that
held it on the hook, having snapped. The sight so unnerved the prelate
that he became ill, and died shortly after.
The Duke of Buckingham had a similar misadventure. On entering the
council chamber, he found his portrait lying at full length on the
floor. He died soon after.
A fall from a horse, besides being very inconvenient and often painful,
is supposed to bring evil consequences. If two persons part on
horseback, and one of them falls off his mount, the two will never meet
again.
The fall of a window blind is accounted unlucky, but the evil can be
averted by at once replacing it in its sockets.
The fall of a knife or fork to the floor is usually considered a good
omen and foretells a visit from a friend; a female in the case of a
knife, or a male in the case of a fork.
To fall downstairs is a very bad sign and signifies loss of health or
money.
To stumble in the morning on coming downstairs is a sign of ill luck
during the day.
A horse stumbling on the highway brings bad luck to his owner.
Stumbling at a grave is considered a bad omen. Shakespeare says:
“How oft to-night
“Have my old feet stumbled at graves!
“For many men that stumble at the threshold
“Are well foretold that danger lurks within.”
If you stumble over a stick or stone, turn back and kick it out of the
way to avert trouble.
CUTTING NAILS AND HAIR
The paring of nails has given rise to some strange beliefs. So also
has the cutting of hair. This is natural, as the clipping away of
one’s body is in itself uncanny and apt to give rise to superstitious
conjectures.
Sailors believe that to cut the nails or hair during a calm will
provoke contrary winds. They, therefore, only cut them in a storm.
The ancients declared that nails and hair should not be pared or cut
when in the presence of the gods, but in the secrecy of one’s home.
Among the Arabians it is considered lucky to cut the nails and hair on
Friday.
In some countries it is considered unlucky to cut a child’s nails till
it is a year old. They have to be bitten off.
In Scotland it is believed that if a child’s nails are cut before it
is a year old, it will grow up to be a thief. In other lands, it is
thought the child will stammer.
The Jews burn their nail parings with a piece of wood, as a species of
offering to insure good luck.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE
When a woman’s eyebrows meet across her nose, it is a good sign. She
will be happy whether she marries or not.
A woman whose hair grows down over her forehead in the shape of a peak,
will never marry.
CLOTHES SUPERSTITIONS
On rising in the morning, great care must be given to the way one
dresses, as accidents often foretell trouble during the day.
Augustus Cæsar put on his left sandal awry and nearly lost his life in
a mutiny. A well-known writer says:
“Augustus by an oversight
Put on his left shoe before his right;
Had like to have been slain that day
By soldiers mutinying for pay.”
To put your shirt inside out is a good omen, providing you discover it
in time and change it. If left on all day, beware of accidents.
To button your vest so that the buttons and holes come out uneven is a
good sign.
It is well to put on the stocking of your right foot first and the shoe
of your left foot.
To tear off a button while dressing is a bad sign. It should be
remedied at once before going out of the house.
A hole in one’s stocking is a good sign on the first day, but brings
bad luck on the second.
To put the right shoe on the left foot or the reverse, is a sign of
coming trouble.
To rip a garment the first time you put it on, is a bad sign.
To rend one’s garments was in former days considered a symbol of
mourning.
If you meet a person wearing new clothes, pinch him for good luck.
A proverbial saying when meeting a person with new clothes, is, “May
you have health to wear it, strength to tear it, and money to buy
another.”
Coin given to a person wearing a new suit will bring him good fortune
as long as the clothes last.
To put on a suit for the first time on Monday signifies that it will
soon tear. You will have bad luck in wearing it.
Tuesday--Beware lest the suit catch fire. Keep out of speculation.
Wednesday--Things will go well with you. Your speculations will succeed.
Thursday--You will always appear neat and well dressed. You will make a
good impression and get what you are after.
Friday--Not a good day to put on new attire. You will be successful
only as long as the clothes remain fresh.
Saturday--Beware of catching cold. There is an element of bad luck in a
new suit on this day.
Sunday--Happiness and good luck will follow him who puts on a new suit
on the Sabbath.
ON ARISING
To get out of bed with the left foot is considered a forecast of bad
luck. When a person is cross or irritable, we often say, “He got out of
bed with the wrong foot.”
To put your foot on a soft carpet or rug, on arising, foretells a
successful day.
To stumble on getting up, is bad. You should go back to bed and try it
again.
To say “Good luck” on arising, will insure success during the day.
It is considered unlucky to sing before breakfast. You may cry before
supper.
It is unlucky to relate a bad dream before breakfast. It may come true.
To find a coin early in the morning is a sign for you to beware lest
you lose money before the day is spent.
SQUINTING, CRIPPLED AND HUNCHBACK PERSONS
To meet a squinting or cross-eyed person on going out in the morning is
a sign of trouble. It is well to go back a block or two and start over.
To walk with a cross-eyed person is sure to bring bad luck.
To touch a hunchback’s hump brings good luck. Gamblers, especially,
often resort to this method to change their luck from bad to good.
To have a hunchback about the premises brings good fortune. In former
years kings used to have a court fool who was usually a hunchback, not
only to make merriment for them, but to insure good fortune.
To shake hands with a left-handed person is often regarded as unlucky.
To touch a blind man’s garment or brush past him is a sign of ill
fortune. To help a blind man on his way, is an omen of good luck.
To be baptized by a left-handed priest is considered unlucky.
To meet a priest the first thing in the morning is a bad omen. This may
be averted by throwing a pin at him.
To have a cripple tread on your toes is a very bad omen.
To meet a beggar as you leave your house in the morning, is a bad sign,
and you should at once return and start over.
To give a coin to a cripple insures good luck.
DEATH AND CORPSES
Feathers or a bird in the room of a sick person are supposed to delay
death. This idea is often resorted to where it is advisable to delay
the last breath till some absent friend arrives.
At the moment of death the doors and windows are often opened to allow
the spirit free egress.
Looking-glasses and pictures are covered as long as the corpse is in
the house, to prevent the spirit from seeing its reflection.
In Scotland a piece of iron is thrust into all eatables right after a
death, to prevent the attraction of other spirits.
A plate of salt is put upon the breast of a new corpse in Wales to
purge out all the sins of the defunct.
Candles are lit at the head of the corpse, to ward off evil spirits.
A watch is usually kept by the side of the body until the funeral, to
ward off evil spirits and also rats.
Tolling of the bell is usual in most countries. After some minutes of
tolling there is a pause, and three times three tolls for a male and
twice three for a female, is the rule.
Where bees are kept it is customary to tell the bees that their owner
is dead and that they must remain and work for the new owner.
In Ireland a wake is the rule. Friends of the departed meet and discuss
the good points and foibles of the dead. Refreshments are served.
THE EVIL EYE
The fear of the evil eye is very prevalent among the Latin races, and
even in this country there is a belief that certain persons possess the
“_mal occhio_” and can bewitch by merely looking with hatred or envy
upon another. Many charms and amulets have and are still being worn to
counteract any bad effects.
A cross of jet is frequently used as an amulet against the evil eye. It
is believed that it will split if looked upon by a person having evil
intentions.
The following are a few of the many substances used for averting the
evil from this source. Skin from a hyenna’s forehead; madwort hung up
in the home; Catochites, a species of stone, worn in a ring or about
the neck; spitting on the right shoe before putting it on; a necklace
of jacinth, etc.
Sweeping a child’s face with the bough of a pine tree, is considered a
very successful preventive; so is hanging up the key of the house over
a child’s cradle.
Other means of preventing the blasting effects of the evil eye are:
Laying turf, dug from a grave, upon the cradle of a child; laying
crumbs on the cradle; giving the child a piece of coral that was dipped
in the font in which the child was baptized.
Hindoos decorate their children with a profusion of jewels to
antagonize the evil eye. Mohammedans suspend articles from the ceiling
over the cradle for the same purpose.
In Roumania a child or grown person decorated with red ribbons is
supposed to be impervious to this terrible influence, and hence most
people wear something scarlet about their bodies, and even the oxen in
the field have something red tied about their horns.