The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

IT IS BAD LUCK IF MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE LIGHT A CIGARETTE
FROM THE SAME MATCH.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS AN OLD WORLD WAR II SUPERSTITION. ONLY TWO
MEN IN A TRENCH COULD LIGHT THEIR CIGARETTES FROM THE
SAME MATCH. THE MEN BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE ENEMY SAW
THE MATCH LIT, THEY WERE GETTING READY TO SHOOT; BY
THE TIME THE MATCH PASSED TO THE SECOND PARTY, THE
ENEMY WAS AIMING; THE NEXT STEP WAS THE FIRING, SO
THE MEN AVOIDED PASSING THE MATCH TO A THIRD PARTY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Date learned: 01-19-1970