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It is traditional in many areas of Ohio to go outside at
midnight on New Year's Eve and bang together pots and pans. This
will bring good luck throughout the coming year.
Where learned: OHIO ; Amsterdam
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Typical Elements of a Festive Pattern BELIEF -- Measure of time Year BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1956
If you hang a horseshoe above your door for good luck, the
horseshoe legs must be pointed up. If the horseshoe legs are
pointed down, the luck will run out.
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1957
During the Vietnam War, it was felt to be unlucky for an
American soldier to carry a camera. The soldiers felt that there
was a high incidence of being killed shortly after buying a
camera, or receiving one from home.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- P535 BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1969
Never sweep a visitors' foot with a broom. If this happens
have the person whose feet has been swept spit on the bottom of
the broom. If the person does not spit on the broom it will be
bad luck for that person.
Submitter comment:
It so happens that I was sweeping and accidently hit her
foot, she asked that I turn the broom upside down so that she
could spit on the bottom of it.
Where learned: WINSTON SALEM ; NORTH CAROLINA
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck BELIEF -- Conversions SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
Superstition
Never let a man place his hat on a woman's bed. It's bad
luck to the woman.
James Callow comment:
"Putting your hat on the bed is an almost universal Negro
sign of bad luck" (N. N. Puckett, "Folk Beliefs of the Southern
Negro," p. 410). Puckett cites informants from Alabama and
Mississippi.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; Laurel
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1944
Unknown
Always burn your hair when you cut it, because if a bird gets
ahold to it, you will have bad luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Numbers
You will never hit the number if you look up a lady's dress.
Submitter comment: This is a belief of people who play the lottery.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1992
If you break a mirror you will have seven years of bad luck.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Year BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 02-07-1992
When walking down a street with someone, don't split a tree
or a pole because it is bad luck.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 02-07-1992
Manx Cats
I was told by a woman who gave me a manx kitten the following
story. The manx is from the Isle of Man. There were a couple
aboard a sailing vessel (for good luck) that sank just off the
United States coastline. The two somehow made it to shore. This is
how they came to the U.S. Also, if you notice they look a bit
different from the average cat. They have no tail, their hind legs
are longer than the average cat, and they hop, sort of, while
running. This is because they had mated with rabbits on the Isle
of Man, and this has become a part of their genetic structure.
Submitter comment:
I did a little investigating of my own and found truth in where
the manx originated, and the description of their physical
appearance is accurate, but I could not verify the mating or
shipwreck parts of the story.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
Bad Luck. Anyone who is in possession of a yellow lighter will
have bad luck and misfortune. It does not matter whether the
lighter is found, purchased or received as a gift, the owner of the
lighter will have bad luck. The only way to rid yourself of the
bad luck is to destroy the lighter by blowing it up!
Submitter comment:
The informant claims not to believe this story to be true, but
laughingly stated that she will never own, or even use, a yellow
lighter just in case it has some validity.
Where learned: DETROIT AREA ; stranger in a night club
Keyword(s): Cigarette Lighters
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001990s
Brooms
It is bad luck to walk over a broom. If you do, you should
step backwards over the broom to undo the damage.
Where learned: Arkansas ; PINE BLUFF
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck BELIEF -- Conversions |
DON'T SWEEP A PERSON'S FEET, WITH A BROOM, OR THEY WILL GO TO
JAIL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Bad luck |
DON'T PUT A HAT ON THE TABLE, IT BRINGS BAD LUCK TO YOUR
HOME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress Head BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Don't let a cat cross the street in front of you, especially
crossing from right to left. This was a sign of bad luck.
James Callow comment:
Cf. Hand, North Carolina, no. 3808; Puckett, Ohio, nos. 7581,
21242 ("good luck"), 21249.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): POSITION
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Putting your hat on the bed meant you would bring yourself
bad luck.
James Callow comment:
See Puckett, Ohio, nos. 3368 ("the boggyman will spank you"),
13928 ("you will be an old maid"), 18283, 18284 ("bad luck to the
owner of the hat"), 18285, 18288 ("new hat"), 18289 ("man's
hat"), 18291 ("bring a house bad luck"), 18292 ("on a friend's
bed"), 18295 ("and the police will be involved"), 18296 ("spit in
it three times before setting it down"), 18297 ("Never put your
hat on the bed upside down"), 18298 (the hat "should always be
placed upside down"), 27634 ("after a funeral"). Puckett has
many more items on this topic; I have selected only those items
which come from Africa
Where learned: GEORGIA ; ATHENS
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 01001960 CA
Never sweep the feet of a person with a broom. It's bad
luck.
Where learned: GEORGIA ; ATLANTA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Feet, toes, toenails BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 02-10-1992
Never put new or used shoes on the kitchen table; to do so
will bring about bad luck in the household.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIVONIA
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress HandsFeet BELIEF -- Home BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 03-02-1992
Superstition
My birthday is September 13 and any time it fell on a Friday I
would be really paranoid. This past year it fell on a Friday and
I decided to deal with this head on. I went out to dinner, then to
Belle Isle to relax and I had a beautiful time.
Submitter comment: Superstition could very well just be mind over matter.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- 13th Day of the Month CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- September 13 BELIEF -- Bad luck |
YOU MUST NOT TAKE A BABY OUT OF THE HOUSE BEFORE
IT HAS BEEN BAPTIZED. IF YOU DO, SOME TERRIBLE
DISASTER WILL OCCUR TO THE BABY.
Where learned: OHIO ; NORTH OLMSTED
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1970