On entering the park with W today I spotted a lone magpie. I automatically saluted in order to try and counteract the superstition that the sight of one magpie will bring sorrow.
“One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told.”
I am not sure where I picked up this particular superstition though it may have been my Dad as he spent my entire pregnancy updating me on the predicted sex of my baby according to the number of magpies he had spotted that day.
I have also picked up a few others along the way, I think mostly from my Gran.
- I actively avoid walking over three drains.
- I NEVER stir with a knife. “Stir with a knife, stir up strife”.
- If my right ear burns I think someone is saying something nice about me, if it is the left then they are something nasty.
- I worry that each time I pull out a grey hair ten more will grow in it’s place. I do pull them out though. Judging by the current amount I fear this may well be true.
- I throw spilt salt over my left shoulder.
- I never place shoes on a table for fear of bad luck.
- I always say “Bless you” when someone sneezes to drive out the devil. But if they sneeze twice they drive it out themselves.
Actually sitting here writing this I am starting to wonder how I actually get through a day. Is this totally nuts?
How about you? Do you have any new superstitions for me?
I feel like I am reading the synopsis to a Brother’s Grim story.
Really? 😉
Erm, now that you write them all down I am quite surprised by how many of those little foibles I subscribe to… never heard of the three drains thing though. x
Ahhh, I hope I haven’t added another to your list now!
Three drains. I’ve got over it now, but did it for years.
Why would anyone stir with a knife? That’s a superstition looking for a superstitiee* surely?
*I know that’s not a word.
It should be a word!
I sometimes try to avoid stepping on cracks. If I break my mother’s back I know who’s gonna get stuck taking care of her!
LOL, thats a very good point!
Shew, I’m glad the rest of the rhyme gets better, because we have tons of magpies around here! Some of those are new to me, like the three drains one. A couple more: don’t let a black cat cross your path and don’t walk under a ladder. Oh yes, and 7 years bad luck if you break a mirror.
Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z
Oh no, not more! 😉 Thanks for stopping by.