My mum was a great one for superstitions. Some of them are quite common like warding off bad luck by throwing a pinch of spilt salt over your left shoulder, or not putting an umbrella up indoors. New shoes should never be put on the table, and if you see one magpie on it's own, you should always salute it and say 'Good morning Mr Magpie'. Never look at a new moon through glass, although you can get round this one by turning over any loose change in your pocket.
Some, I suspect were made up by her in an effort to cajole reluctant children to eat up their crusts - guaranteed to give you wavy hair apparently. Or take the last bit of disgusting medicine off the spoon, as that was where all the goodness sank to and you wouldn't get better if you didn't take THAT bit.
But one superstition that she passed onto me, and one which I have never understood, was that you should never look directly into the middle of a poppy. So when I saw how beautifully the seed pod of this plant had opened up at the end of the garden this afternoon, I did think she probably wouldn't have been happy to see me taking this photo.
8 comments:
What a great little story, it will make a great scrapbook page.
Great story Deb! I always salute to lonely magpies too, and say 'how's your wife and children?' as that's what my nan always said! Are superstitions actually just a trick to make us look silly?
I've never heard the poppy one but always say good morning mr magpie if I see one on it's own- and I never look at a new moon through glass. Would be interesting to find out where they originated from,bet there are some old fashioned reasons behind them.x
Knew about the salt & umbrellas, but the others were new to me. I was always told to put a coin into a wallet before you gave it as a gift but can't think of too many others.
Rinda
Oops! I had already looked into the center of the poppy before I read your line saying that I shouldn't. LOL
Some of these I have never heard of, and I wouldn't know a magpie if I saw one, but that's quite a list you've compiled. Great post today, Deb!
I'm so glad you did though!
My husband's grandmother was one for superstitions and he is always coming up with something new that I have never heard of - the poppy one is a new one altogether :-)
Now that's a fascinating one I've never heard before. I think there could be a layout in that!
I agree - definitely layout material here :-) I hadn't heard of at least half these superstitions though!! I do suspect that 'last bit of the medicine' one, sounds like a trick to me. I shall adopt it henceforth xx
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