Salutations, Gentle Reader,
As we approach the ghoulish celebration of All Hallow's Eve, I thought it timely to consider olden superstitions that our forefathers took to heart. I myself, do not hold an ounce of stock in them, but they are amusing, and you may find them prudent to follow.
If you are sick in bed, it is a bad omen to hear a dog howling. To counter its ill effect, reach under the bed and turn over a shoe.
Always cover your mouth when yawning, so your spirit doesn't leave your body and the Devil doesn't enter.
Corpses should be removed from the household, feet first, to prevent the spirit from looking back and beckoning another member in the family to follow.
Lest you see a funeral procession approaching, turn around posthaste, and proceed in the opposite direction.
After a loved one has deceased, pray, cover all looking glasses in the house to prevent the spirit of the deceased from hiding there. Also, beware that the next reflection seen in the mirror shall be the next to die.
Stop the clock at the time of a deceased's passing, in order to avoid your own untimely death.
Bodies in graves should be oriented with their heads to the West and feet to the East, so the final summons to Judgment will come from the East.
Great post! Not that I need to be more superstitious! I also have to say 'Touch my head and touch my toes, hope I'm not next in one of those' if a hearse goes past....
ReplyDeleteThanks Suzie your saying is a new one on me.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother told me that if I whistled at night, I would be calling evil spirits to me. I guess she was unaware of my utter lack of whistling skills. :)
ReplyDeleteI've heard quite a few Hawaiian tales of menehunes and nightmarchers as well.
Hi Elyse,
ReplyDeleteI must have lots of evil spirits around me because I'm always whistling!
Thanks for the comment.
It's very inspiring. Hopefully,it'll help me to end up with my thesis entitled"Evil Spirits and their Manifestations in Selected Works by Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, and Joseph Conrad".
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