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Unusual signs and superstitions common in different countries. Strange signs and superstitions from different countries Signs and superstitions in America

Millions of people all over the world believe in superstitions and omens. Someone goes home a different way if they see that a black cat has crossed the road. And someone spits three times over his left shoulder and knocks on wood three times if he accidentally spills salt.

Dozens of superstitions are well known to us. But there are signs that are common only in certain parts of our planet. To your attention - 10 unusual superstitions and will take from around the world.

An awkward silence

Have you ever wondered why there are awkward pauses in a conversation?

Have you ever been in a situation where there is an awkward pause during communication? Then it seems as if no one wants to break this silence.

American superstition claims that most of these awkward pauses occur at the moment when the minute hand of the clock shows exactly 20 minutes. Someone believes that this is happening for the reason that Abraham Lincoln died at 7 hours 20 minutes, that is, silence is a manifestation of respect for the former head of the United States.

Other people are sure that the awkward silence falls exactly at 20 minutes of every hour, since at this time the angels begin to sing. Therefore, people stop talking and listen to these wonderful unusual sounds. Even if the angels do not sing, awkward pauses in communication can also mean that celestial beings are flying near people.

talking animals

Norwegian children believe that animals can talk on Christmas Eve

The story of the birth of Jesus Christ is familiar to each of us. Every year on January 6 we celebrate Christmas (Catholics do it on December 25).

Almost all Norwegian children are waiting for this holiday. They believe that on Christmas night, pets living in stables and barns get the ability to talk. The roots of this superstition go back to Scandinavian legends. People believed that the animals in the stalls, at the time of the birth of Jesus (exactly at midnight), God gave the opportunity to talk, allowing them to express reverence from what was happening. But as soon as the shepherds entered the stall to witness this miracle, the animals again lost their voices. And even though adult Norwegians do not believe that animals talk on Christmas night, hope is glimmering in children's hearts. Every year on the night of December 25-26, they sneak into the barns, wanting to witness a little Christmas miracle.

Don't say Carlos Menem's name in front of Argentines

This is interesting: Residents of Argentina try not to pronounce the name of the country's ex-president Carlos Menem, because it is considered something akin to a curse. If suddenly someone mentions his name in a conversation, men should touch their left testicles, and the fair sex should touch their left breasts.

Why specifically to these parts of the body? Ask the Argentines. It is believed that if this is not done, misfortune will befall the person.

Why is Carlos Menem so guilty? It is he who is the main culprit of the 2001 crisis, which plunged Argentina into an economic abyss. Menem took several large loans from the International Monetary Fund, he was repeatedly accused of corruption and even illegal arms sales. In addition, he effectively granted amnesty to all military leaders who killed at least 30,000 people.

Carlos Menem brought bad luck to literally everyone. Shortly after taking office as president, he appointed Miguel Roig as minister of the economy. Less than a week later, Roig died of a heart attack while driving his car. And 2 months later, a plane crashed, on board of which there was another minister appointed by Menem. And these are just two examples of dozens of similar cases that have led most Argentines to believe that just mentioning the name of Carlos Menem can really cause terrible trouble.

According to sailors, ships should not be renamed just like that.

Many sailors believe that a ship whose last letter is "A" will always be haunted by bad luck. This superstition arose after the sinking of the Lusitania and Britannia in naval battles during the First World War.

Also, sailors fear that changing the name of the vessel can bring great misfortune to it. An example of this superstition was the ship called the Aurora. Intending to sail on it to Antarctica, Captain Ernest Shackleton renamed the ship the Endurance. He dreamed of sailing along the entire coastline of the polar continent, but the ship got stuck in the ice and was eventually completely destroyed. Fortunately, Ernest Shackleton and his crew were rescued.

This is interesting: Superstitious sailors claim that when a ship is named and put into service, it takes on its own "personality" and even its own unique destiny. If you need to give it a new name, you must first carry out the so-called dereferencing procedure. This is not difficult to do: just put a piece of paper on which the previous name of the ship is written in a wooden box, and then burn it to the ground. Finally, the remains of the burnt box must be scattered over the ocean.

IN Ancient Rome it was believed that the veil protects the bride from evil spirits

It is believed that the wedding veil is a symbol of the purity of the bride. But this accessory had a long way to go before such associations arose. Once upon a time, brides wore a veil only to hide their faces from their betrothed. This most often happened during arranged marriages, because the groom could run away right on the wedding day if he did not like the bride.

And the ancient Romans believed that the wedding veil scares away evil spirits. Fatu, by the way, was first made in Rome. She completely hid the face of the brides so that the demons could not recognize them. A few centuries later, the veil covered the entire torso of the bride, it resembled a dense linen fabric, on which a flame was depicted - a symbol designed to knock evil spirits off the trail.

Unusual Thai houses for spirits

Thais try to appease the spirits by placing gifts and food in such houses.

Many owners of houses or even office buildings in Thailand set up a small “spirit house” on their front lawn or backyard. The meaning of this small structure is symbolic: it should protect real structures from all sorts of misfortunes. Homeowners regularly bring various gifts - souvenirs, figurines, water and food to tiny houses, hoping to attract spirits to them and appease them. If the spirits favorably react to the gifts, the Thais hope that then they will protect the house built in the neighborhood.

If a building is demolished, the people of Thailand prefer not to throw away the houses for the spirit, but to install them on the street under the trees, so as not to provoke the wrath of the spirits.

Almost everyone in Nigeria is afraid of eclipses.

Nigerians regard an eclipse of the Sun or Moon as a manifestation of God's wrath against a sinful people. In 2001, this superstition became even more popular when Muslims attacked Christian churches on the day of a lunar eclipse.

The beliefs of Nigerians are so strong that the government launched a massive campaign in 2006 to explain to people the real causes of solar or lunar eclipses.

Superstitions associated with the appearance of eclipses are also found in other countries. For example, Indians believe that all leftover food during an eclipse must be thrown away or given to the poor, because it is dangerous to eat them.

Our distant ancestors interpreted these natural phenomena in their own way. So, the Vikings had a belief that when big wolves catch up with our day or night luminary, an eclipse begins. And the ancient Chinese believed that a huge dragon continually tries to swallow the Sun, and sometimes he succeeds. It's funny, but both the Vikings and the ancient Chinese tried to make as much noise as possible in order to scare away the celestial wolves or dragons from the Sun or the Moon.

Elves: superstition or reality?

Icelanders believe in the existence of elves

At the beginning of 2015, in one of rural areas The Icelandic government decided to build a new road. Such projects often encounter difficulties during the implementation phase, such as limited budgets or the presence of historic buildings in the path of the designed roads. But in Iceland, the project had to be put on hold for a more interesting reason: people were very worried that the new road would interfere with the elves living near it.

More than 50% of Icelanders believe in the reality of the creatures they call Huldufolk. Interestingly, these elves, in their opinion, are not at all the tiny creatures that are written about in fairy tales. They are about the same size as an adult, but few people can see them. The refuge of Huldufolk is a rock called the Church of the Elves. It is located directly above the route of the designed highway, which was supposed to connect the town of Aulftanes with the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik.

Fortunately, one of the local sorceresses intervened: she "talked" with the representatives of the elves and reached an agreement with them. The implementation of the road project continued after the Icelanders created the Church of the Elves in another place agreed in advance with this invisible people.

Covering mirrors for the time of Shiva

Jews cover mirrors for a week when they mourn the dead

Shiva is part of the Jewish mourning process that begins after death. It usually lasts seven days, during which the relatives of the deceased are forbidden to engage in ordinary activities. You can not, for example, watch TV or read newspapers. Jews begin to prepare dishes and commemorate the deceased.

Throughout the week, the mirrors in the house must be covered with something, for example, sheets. What is the reason for this custom? It is believed that mourners should not be concerned about their own appearance, unlike the death of a loved one.

Cloth-covered mirrors also symbolize that mourners are out of reach of the outside world during these 7 days. Hundreds of prayers are read during Shiva. As you already understood, it is also impossible to pray in rooms where there are mirrors. All the attention of those praying should be turned to the Almighty. Mirrors, it is believed, only distract them.

Bloody full moons

Evangelicals believe that bloody full moons are harbingers of the coming apocalypse

Evangelicals have their own superstitions, even if they call them "prophecies" or "omens." For example, the famous evangelist John Hagee assures that the bloody full moons that occurred throughout 2014 and early 2015 are harbingers of the imminent apocalypse. Hagi stated that he has been preparing for this event over the past few decades. He even managed to write a book about him.

The Evangelist recalls that the previous bloody full moons coincided with the Six Day War in Israel and the resettlement of Jews from Spain during the Inquisition. Hagi is sure that God uses the moon to give people specific omens, but people do not know how to interpret them correctly.

John also quotes the gospel: "And then the sun will turn into darkness, and the moon into blood." In his opinion, this phrase proves that the bloody full moons are a sign of the approaching end of the world.

This is interesting: John Hagi lost many of his followers in 2008. Then he said that Hurricane Katrina was the punishment that the Lord sent to New Orleans because it was planned to hold a large-scale rally in support of same-sex marriage in this city.

It is not easy to realize that some completely ordinary phenomena for us are perceived by residents of other regions of the Earth as an omen of terrible events. For example, the inhabitants of Cameroon consider it a bad omen if not only a black cat, but also any other pet crosses their path.

Life is constantly changing: nothing stands still. All these changes occur under the influence of new achievements in technology, science, and business. But, oddly enough, modern technologies side by side with the remnants of the past - superstitions. Moreover, they have entered our lives so deeply that we have even stopped paying attention to them. And all the more ridiculous is a candidate of science who bypasses a woman with an empty bucket, an engineer spitting over his left shoulder, and a politician who avoids black cats.

What is superstition?

Superstitions are part of folklore, and therefore of culture. This phenomenon has been studied, is being studied and will be studied by more than one generation, because the process of their appearance does not stop for a day. Why are there superstitions at all? To date, there are three main reasons:

Influence of religious or cultural folk traditions;
Lack of knowledge;
Wrong associations.

According to tradition, superstitions are understood as behavioral characteristics in individual situations, customs and beliefs, devoid of a sound explanation, advice, prohibitions.

Types of superstition

Researchers of superstitions offer all sorts of classifications. Here are some of them.

Origin:

pagan
Folk
Peri-church

About success and failure
About pregnancy and childbirth
About the seasons
About marriage
About finance
About health
About death and burial, etc.

By location, this list will correspond to the number of countries in the world.

Superstitions of Greece

The Greeks are known for their cordiality and hospitality, so it is quite natural that they have many beliefs associated with guests. Quite common there is a sign about the guest who is the first to visit the house in the new year: if the visitor is a good man with good intentions, then the whole year will be successful. And a prerequisite for this will be that the guest must certainly cross the threshold of the house with his right foot. Also among the Greeks, there is a custom associated with the fact that an invited guest who does not plan to stay overnight should not comb his hair or cut his nails in the master's house.

Just as surprising is the influence of superstition on architecture and design in this country. Due to the fact that almost all Greeks are very afraid of the evil eye, in the cities you can find an impressive number of houses whose doors, frames and other parts of the building are painted turquoise. After all, it is this color that is considered protective from the evil eye. Turquoise is used not only in the design of the exterior of buildings, but also in interior decoration. Furniture, curtains, wallpaper, crockery and much more in matching colors can be seen in the homes of superstitious owners.

From the evil eye, the Greeks have a whole arsenal of amulets and talismans in store. So in their pockets you can find a bat bone as a talisman against damage. But at the same time, killing these babies (even for the sake of this very bone) is strictly prohibited, and according to local beliefs, the violator of the ban is fraught with great life troubles. On the prejudices associated with the evil eye, trade is also developed in Greece: everywhere you can buy key rings and horseshoe medallions. After all, it is she who, according to local residents, is the best protection against the evil eye. Even Christmas trees are decorated with horseshoes.

Like many nationalities, the Greeks have signs associated with marriage. If in one family in one month, but in different years, two brothers were born, then during the wedding they cannot be together in the temple, otherwise misfortunes and problems await both. But this can be avoided if both, being present at the service, take water in their mouths and stand like that until it ends. And then, leaving the church, both should pour water on each other. According to the Greeks, these manipulations should save from trouble.

In addition, it is not recommended for two siblings to get married in the same year, since only one will be happy in marriage. But again, this warning can be circumvented if two weddings are held on the same day. And in order for the newlyweds to have replenishment sooner, small children should run across their bed on their wedding day.

superstition in the UK

If you ask the English on the street about what brings them luck, you can get a whole list:

catch the largest number autumn foliage
meet a black cat in the yard
find a four leaf clover
say the phrase "white rabbits" at the very beginning of the month
To cross fingers
break the thymus of the bird.

And just as there are superstitions about luck, there are beliefs about bad luck. This may include:

walk under the stairs
break the mirror
see several crows at the same time
open an umbrella indoors
step on cracks in the asphalt
put your feet in shoes on the furniture
carry gardening tools on your shoulder
to meet on Monday a left-hander or a lame
the coincidence of the first letter of a married woman's surname with the first letter of her maiden name, and much more.

It is noteworthy that some signs of the British contradict each other. So seeing a magpie is considered a bad sign, and saying hello to it, blowing a kiss or telling the bird a poem will supposedly help reduce the amount of bad luck that has accumulated.

Wedding superstitions in the UK have a certain originality. So, seeing a ram for a bride on her wedding day promises great happiness, and for a groom, a meeting with a policeman or a priest is considered extremely successful. But to see a pig on the wedding day is sad.

The inhabitants of foggy Albion are struggling with the evil eye, oddly enough, with the help of a rainbow peacock feather, which, in their opinion, protects against all kinds of evil spirits. But they associate bats with evil spirits, because since the Middle Ages they were considered companions of witches.

Superstition in Ireland

Superstition in Ireland is closely intertwined with the mythology for which this country is so famous. It was the presence of myths about a “good” and “not good” court that gave rise to a belief according to which a woman who had just given birth needed to walk knee-deep in water with a child in her arms in order to check whether this was a human child or an evil fairy who decided to play pranks. For the same purpose, a bagpipe was placed at the cradle of a baby: the impure force has an inexplicable love for this instrument. But, according to the Irish, a blacksmith is capable of expelling an evil spirit, since he knows how to tame iron.

The howl of a dog is a harbinger of death or, as they say in Ireland, the first note of a funeral song.

Many superstitions here are tied to certain holidays. So, in November, it is customary to put a spinning wheel under the pillow for a young man so that he can see the one he marries. But a child or foal born on the Trinity, according to beliefs, when it grows up, will definitely kill someone. On the same day, the Irish are wary of staying on the water, as evil forces can drown them. But you can avoid this if you put the bride on the oars. Also at this time, sick people are at great risk. After all, if you leave them alone, then evil spirits can easily get to them. But salvation, as always, is possible. Light and fire are the best helpers in this.

To get rid of the influence of the evil eye, a person must be given a piece of clothing from the owner of the evil eye. This piece must be burned to ash, ground into powder and smeared with saliva three times on the forehead of the victim.

And it is quite unusual that redheads in Ireland are considered evil. And this despite the fact that many people associate Ireland with redheads.

Superstition in Italy

When an Italian hears a cat sneezing, he understands that he will soon be lucky. But when a bird flies into the room, it's a disaster. But any trouble, in their opinion, can be averted by a strong amulet - a pendant in the form of a horn. Or you can make a “goat” out of your fingers.

It is considered a bad sign to spill olive oil or sprinkle salt. And when he sees the nuns, every superstitious Italian will try to touch the iron so that luck does not leave him.

Oddly enough, but the number 13 in Italy is considered lucky, but the number 17 brings misfortune. This superstition appeared due to the fact that in ancient Rome they wrote VIXI on the graves ( lived) and from these letters it was possible to compose the number XVII.

Sicilians believe that those born on Friday will be happy, strong and courageous.

Using one towel is sure to quarrel.

You need to get a haircut only with the growing moon, so as not to go bald.

Put a hat on the bed - to death. To hold a spoon in your left hand, to kill a seagull - unfortunately.

If the rooster cries until 12 o'clock at night - to bad weather.

Kissing a baby on the neck is prohibited, because he may lose sleep.

Superstition in China

In China, many superstitions are associated with brooms. It is believed that spirits live in them, and therefore one must be very careful in handling them. Sweeping the house with a broom is permitted, but cleaning the home altar with it is strictly prohibited. It is believed that a person was cursed if someone hit him with a broom. Especially bad - if the blow fell on the head.

The lucky number is 8, because it sounds the same as the word "luck". The unlucky number is 4, because it sounds like the word "death", so it is practically not used.

In order not to invite uninvited guests from the other world, you can not cut your nails after 12 hours.

If a butterfly flies into the house, then this is a good sign - there will be guests soon. A butterfly with bright wings indicates that the visitor will bring good news, and a butterfly with dark wings promises good news about work.

To attract financial well-being, you can not snack on long pasta.

Superstition in Japan

In this country, there are many warnings that are associated with the threat of death:

do not stick the chopsticks vertically into the rice
do not lay the pillow in the direction of the north
it is forbidden to take pictures together
hang a mirror at night
look at yourself in the mirror in the dark
say the number 4 (it also sounds like the word "death")
transfer food from chopsticks to chopsticks
give white flowers
if the hiccups last longer than three days

Superstitions relatedgood luck:

meet the first woman on the street
be "marked" with bird droppings
drink a cup of tea with a floating tea
see three shooting stars

superstitionassociated with failure:

break a hairbrush
break the strap on the geta
write the person's name in red pencil
whistle in the house or near the house.

Superstitions in the USA

It so happened historically that Americans have few superstitions of their own origin. In their culture, you can find beliefs different peoples peace.

So in America, a superstition was entrenched that it was impossible for three people to light a cigarette from one match, as this would lead to death. But the most interesting thing is that this taboo has a logical explanation. It appeared during the Second World War due to the fact that the time allotted for lighting three from one match would be enough for the enemy to aim and shoot.

The custom of tying old shoes to a car came to the United States from Ancient Egypt. There, the father passed the sandals of his daughter to her husband to show the transfer of power of a man over a woman.

From American films, many have learned about the wedding tradition of dressing the bride in something blue, something old, something new, and something borrowed, but few people know that this superstition has Hebrew origins.

Due to the prejudices of the Americans, the printing of the two-dollar bill was even suspended for some time, as it was believed that it brings bad luck. And it took the head of the treasury a lot of effort and time to convince the citizens and change their views on this misconception.

In connection with the belief of many Americans that a gift of an empty wallet will lead to a quarrel between friends, it has prompted many manufacturers to invest souvenir coins or paper bills in the produced purses and wallets.

Superstition in France

The French are also not averse to plunging into the world of superstition. So they believe that if a ladybug sat on you, then this is fortunate. And if you count how many spots are on it, you can find out the number of months during which you will be happy.

A hare's paw is a good luck charm (but not for hares). In France, it is also considered good luck that our layman would be very upset - to step into dog excrement.

A rainbow seen in the afternoon speaks of impending joy. But if you manage to discreetly touch the red pompom on the beret of a French sailor, then you will get a whole day of luck.

French superstitions that bring misfortune:

wear new clothes on friday
dry a wet umbrella indoors
give chrysanthemums and carnations and much more.

Superstitions in Africa

In African countries, there are several superstitions associated with the birth of a child. So the birth of twins is considered undesirable, as this is a bad sign. Such newborns are perceived as a human shell with the soul of an animal. And in order for such children to be accepted by the community, they need to go through the “return of the soul” rite. The birth of an albino child is also a great grief for the family. And due to the fact that many people believe that albino body parts bring good luck, the killing of albinos continues in African countries, although the government has officially banned such actions.

In order to facilitate childbirth, the father of the family runs around the hut and cuts off protruding branches.

In ancient times, a child born on an unlucky day was subject to death. Today, death has been replaced by a rite of purification. For example, in a child born in February, fate is closely connected with ruthless fire. For purification, a hut is erected outside the village, in which a mother with a baby is placed. After that, the hut is set on fire, and the woman in labor with the child must jump out of there to deceive the evil fate.

It's the 21st century, and one of the most civilized countries in the world is still looking back at all sorts of superstitions. Yes, what is looking back. It can be said that superstition simply thrives in the US. It turns out that Americans today are even more superstitious than they were a generation ago. Sometimes, these relics of the deep antiquity noticeably influence the life of the state... In July 2003, the US Administration renamed the 666 highway to 491 road. The devilish number 666 caused many locals to refuse to use this road.

The End of "Road 666": America's Favorite Superstitions

A Yankelovich firm study found that in the late 1990s, 37% of Americans believed in astrology, up from 17% in 1976. During the same period, belief in reincarnation has grown from 9% to 25%, and the number of people who believe in palmistry has grown from 4% to 14%.

A Gallup poll found that in 1996, 25% of Americans described themselves as "very or partially superstitious," up from 18% in 1990. The most common superstitions are: 13% are afraid of black cats, 11% believe in the negative power of a broken mirror, 9% don't love number 13.

Supporters of the latter superstition believe that the number 13 has repeatedly demonstrated its destructive power. One of the most striking examples is the flight of the Apollo 13 spacecraft, which exploded on April 13th at 13:13. Many US hotels do not have a thirteenth room, and some high-rise buildings do not have a 13th floor: the 12th floor is followed by the 14th.

Chinese and Japanese Americans are more likely to die on the 4th for some unknown reason (in Eastern culture, the number "four" is associated with death). Researchers at the University of California came to the conclusion that the reason for this strange pattern was a banal superstition - people react more painfully to negative news if it happens on the 4th.

Professional athletes are especially known for their superstitions. Renowned basketball player Michael Jordan (a graduate of the University of North Carolina) has always worn his varsity blue jersey under the NBA's Chicago Bulls and Washington Senators jerseys.

Baseball players have always been considered very superstitious. For example, one famous player makes sure to brush his teeth and chew licorice during every break. Another only eats chicken on game day. Many baseball players put baseball bats in their beds.

Superstitions thrive not only in basketball and baseball. Tennis players avoid wearing yellow and golfers keep coins in their pockets.

Students are also known for their superstitions. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, students rub the nose of a statue of the inventor of modern photographic film, George Eastman, before each exam.

At the University of Michigan, first-year students try not to step on a stone M in a square in the center of the campus so as not to fail their exams.

One Yale University statue lost its left foot as students rubbed it too hard to get better grades, according to Washington Profile.

Blue-eyed people can cause damage, and a black cat can bring good luck. Japanese chopsticks should not be stuck in rice, and under no circumstances should you look in the mirror in complete darkness - this can have dire consequences! Signs and superstitions in different countries ah, the worlds sometimes look very funny, but sometimes they can scare...

USA. According to American sign, who lives in the mountains of the Ozarks, a girl who is not sure whether she should marry should pull three hairs from the tail of a black cat, wrap them in a piece of paper and put them under the threshold for the night. If in the morning the hairs take the shape of the letter Y (which means yes), the groom's proposal should be accepted, but if they take the shape of the letter N (no), it is better to reject it. In America, it is believed that if a cat appears in the bride’s room on the morning of the wedding day, then family life will be full of strife

Japan. There is such a sign: if the cat sneezes, you must say - "Hello!", Then the teeth will not hurt. The Japanese also have a lot folk signs and superstitions foreshadowing death. Chopsticks are never stuck in rice. You can not sleep with your head towards the north. At night, the mirror in the bedroom is necessarily curtained, and under no circumstances look into it in a dark room. Also in this country, superstition forbids storing broken combs. The Japanese believe that if they answer a person who speaks in a dream, they will bring bad luck on themselves. The inhabitants of this country throw a pinch of salt on the place where a beggar has just sat. And in local hospitals, the fourth and ninth floors are often not numbered (the number 4 is associated here with death, and the number 9 sounds like “pain” in their language).

Greece. Some locals from a bad eye carry a bone from the skeleton of a bat. However, according to another superstition, killing this animal, even for self-defense or in order to obtain treasured relics, is very bad. Few people know that it was the superstitious tradition that came to wear amulets in the form of blue or blue beads with the image of an eye. Amulet from the evil eye and damage. At the same time, in the same Greece, they believe that the owner of blue eyes himself can jinx anyone. If a Greek suddenly doesn't like your compliments in combination with the color of your eyes, he will quietly whisper the word "garlic" and spit three times on himself. And the Greeks plant huge cacti next to their houses, which, supposedly, protect the household from troubles and misfortunes. Also here they do not put shoes with the soles up: be in trouble. If we believe that someone remembers a hiccuping person, then in Greece they believe: someone scolds or slanders a sneezing person.

Italy. countries have a whole bunch of their own beliefs. But there are also universal signs. For example, happiness will come to any Italian who hears a cat sneezing. But a bird that has flown into the house is not good. Never keep a peacock feather at home - this is to the evil eye. The theme of the evil eye (“maloccio”) in general worries Italians extremely, and there are many recipes for “this disease” here. So, you can make a protective “goat” out of your fingers: the index and little fingers are exposed, the rest are bent. And you can wear a pendant in the form of a horn around your neck. Italians do not believe in compliments, considering them the main weapon of the evil eye. Let's say you shouldn't praise babies, otherwise his parent will start "poking" you with a "goat". To determine if you have damage, the Italians advise dropping a drop of olive oil into holy water. If the drop retains its shape, then everything is in order, and if it spreads over the surface, it is a bad sign. If a superstitious Italian meets a nun, he will certainly rush to touch something metallic (analogue of knocking on wood), "so that luck does not turn away."

rabbit foot brings good luck and protects from evil spirits, like garlic and silver from vampires. Therefore, the paw is a fairly common talisman in modern America, especially provincial. According to one theory, superstition came from the British Celtic tribes, according to another - from people from Africa, according to the third - from Native Americans - Indians.

Friday the 13th became an unfortunate combination relatively recently - at the end of the 19th century, as it is believed, as a result of the merger of the "bad" day of the week for Christians Friday (Jesus died on Friday) and the "bad" number 13 - the devil's dozen. According to statistics, up to 17 million Americans are still afraid of this date.

Custom cross your index and middle fingers "for good luck" is believed to come from the early years of Christianity. Then two people crossed their index fingers: one made a wish, the second acted, so to speak, as a support group. In those days, anything that looked like a cross was considered a good sign. Since the support of a second person was not always there, fingers crossed in solitude as well.

whish bone - a chicken or turkey bone in the shape of the Latin letter Y. A kind of game with a bone, when two people hold it by different ends and pull it against each other, is still a very popular pastime, especially among children. According to legend, the Romans in the first century competed to be the first to grab this bone from the table, which they believed brought good luck. The bone, of course, broke in the fight, and the owner of more than half was considered lucky.

Another unusual superstition is the fear pass under the stairs leaning against the wall. And not only because an electrician can fall on you, but also because of the Christian faith in the holy trinity. The staircase against the wall is a kind of triangle, and by crossing its sides, you commit blasphemy. According to another theory, the leaning ladder resembles a medieval gallows and walking under it is a bad omen.

African American superstitions

There are a number of rather specific, but curious, in our opinion, African-American superstitions. Let's share some:

If step on a crack (in asphalt, soil) your mother (oh horror!) will break her back. On English language this phrase is rhymed: "Step on a crack, break your mother" s back. "At the end of the 19th century, in times of persistent racial prejudice, the omen sounded differently: "Step on a crack and your mother will turn black", which is Russian translates as: “If you step on a crack, your mother will become black (in the sense of a black woman).” With the victory of political correctness over racism, the sign was transformed into a harmless form from a democratic point of view, but did not disappear, and many superstitious people still try not to step on cracks in the ground.

When at the same time the sun is shining, it is raining and the thunder is roaring , the devil beats his wife. Here's how! It turns out that this rare combination is not for mushrooms at all, like naive Russians ... One way or another, you should not worry too much about Satan's wife, since all three phenomena do not happen at the same time often.

While it is not customary for Russians to give knives, wallets, handkerchiefs, or watches as gifts, Americans consider it a bad omen. give shoes to loved ones . It is believed that if you present shoes to your lover or husband, he will go to another in them ...

It is forbidden put a hat (hat, cap and other headgear) on the bed . This will lead to misfortune.