A recent touch of spring cleaning at the homestead enabled me to chuck away all manner of bits of paper and curiosities I had lying around. On one of them was a list of folk superstitions from a country that inerests me. Things like “If you stare into space, or if a toddler peers through its legs, a guest will arrive”. I can’t remember what the source was, unfortunately (possibly chat with foreign friends or some book of popular anthropology), and I will only divulge the country of origin to the alert readers of this blog…
Thinking of something bad will lead to something bad, unless you pull your ear and tap the table to prevent it.
Umbilical cords buried in certain places will influence the lives of the children they were attached to.
Refusing to wash up and leaving the dirty crockery overnight encourages the Devil to wee on them.
Kutting toenails at night brings evil (compare this to Japan, where the evil is specific – your parents will die early!)
‘Evil Eye’: the blue-white-black circular charm wards off a sort of covetous glance from others that would otherwise damage the house, possessions. (NB. the problem is other people. Mrs L wondered if that was related to the practice of giving a thing to someone who admires it? A prophylaxis against extreme and unnecessary generosity?)
Your clothes must not be left outside overnight, or else evil will arrive.
