Black Cats & Four-Leaf Clovers: The Origins of Old Wives' Tales and Superstitions in Our Everyday LivesCross your fingers, knock on wood, and clutch your rabbit's foot a little tighter. In this charming and endlessly diverting book, Harry Oliver delves into the stories behind the traditions and superstitions that permeate our everyday lives, unearthing the fascinating histories of these weird and wonderful notions. So before you search for any more four-leaf clovers, worry about the next Friday the 13th, or avoid walking under any ladders, dip into this amazing tome and discover: *Why breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. *The best day of the week to ask for a favor. *Why you should never jump over a child in Turkey. |
Contents
OUTDOOR DANGERS | |
ACTIONS AND GESTURES | |
AROUND THE HOME | |
CLOTHES AND APPAREL | |
ANIMALS | |
THE BODY | |
BIRTH | |
DEATH | |
NUMBERS LUCKY AND UNLUCKY | |
GIFTS | |
CELEBRATIONS AND FESTIVALS | |
DAYS OF THE WEEK | |
PREDICTING THE FUTURE | |
OLD WIVES TALES AND PSEUDOSCIENCE | |
LOVE AND MARRIAGE | |
FOOD AND DRINK | |
SPORT AND PASTIMES | |
THE WEATHER AND NATURAL OCCURRENCES | |
FLOWERS AND TREES | |
INTERNATIONALTALISMANS Chapter 22 AROUND THE WORLD | |
Other editions - View all
Black Cats & Four-Leaf Clovers: The Origins of Old Wives' Tales and ... Harry Oliver No preview available - 2010 |
Black Cats & Four-leaf Clovers: The Origins of Old Wives' Tales and ... Harry Oliver No preview available - 2010 |
Black Cats & Four-leaf Clovers: The Origins of Old Wives' Tales and ... Harry Oliver No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
According to superstition amulets ancient ancient Greece ancient Rome associated baby baby’s bad fortune baptism belief birthstone black cat born bouquet bride bring good luck brings bad luck cake cards child Christmas color common considered bad luck considered unlucky considered very unlucky couple cross cure custom dates back dead devil dress Easter eating ensure especially evil eye evil spirits fingers fire first-footing four-leaf clover Friday funeral gesture ghost hair hand horseshoe indicates knock on wood linked lucky magic Maneki Neko marriage married masturbation means menstruating misfortune moon night nineteenth century old wives omen one’s origins Ouija board palmistry performance person popular practice probably protection rhyme ring rituals salt seen seventeenth century shoe sometimes soul spoon stone superstition dictates superstitions surrounding supposed symbol tale talisman tarot theater thought to bring throwing tradition traditionally Twelfth Night Victorian wear weather wedding witchcraft witches woman