Superstitions/old wives tales (house, wedding, money)

[Opinionated Person]

I was just wondering about old sayings I have heard. Like if your ears are ringing someone is talking about you,or if your right hand itches you are going to get some money. Another one is if you drop the spoon you are cooking with you are going to get unexpected company. What kind of superstitions or old wives tales do you know?

[pennel]

well for me it was> if your left had itched it went like this _ right for spite and left for money.
If you dropped a butter knife someone was going to knock on your door.
A shoe on the bed means a wedding is going to happen. I cant think of the rest give me sometime
and I will put some more on here.

[Pintada Kid]

If your right hand itches you are going to meet someone since its your shaking hand and if your Left hand itches you will get money. The Spanish have a Very Old Saying.......... >>> Amores De Lejos Son Pa *******s >>>> el pintada kid

[nmguy]

I've got over a thousand 'dichos' on my web site. It is my belief that they help to define a people's culture.

Paul
http://web.mac.com/pconley3/Site/Greetings.html

[Sarahsez]

The is one where strangers would touch my children on the head. I was told it was some sort of a blessing. I'm not sure if it is Spanish, Latin or Native American in origin. Maybe someone else could explain better.

[mortimer]

Pintada Kid added:

> If your right hand itches ....

There is NO WAY that this is the only one you know PK.

I saw this thread start up and thought :

"If he doesn't get to this first, he'll, at least, be the second responder."

> What kind of superstitions or old wives tales do you know?

My contribution: You catch a cold/flue from going out in the cold.

[Minathebrat]

If you see a black cat and it crosses your path it's bad luck.
If you walk under a ladder it's bad luck.
If you break a mirror it's 7 years bad luck.
If you step on a crack you break your mother's back..which I would imagine is bad luck..LOL
Opening an umbrella indoors is bad luck.
Breaking a wishbone and getting the long side is good luck (finally! lol)
Crickets in the house are lucky.
If you hold a buttercup under your chin and you see yellow, you like butter, which is good...?
"Find a penny, pick it up, and then all day you'll have good luck." But then there's also, head up = good luck and tails = bad, so I always amended for my own clarification that a heads-up penny was good luck and a tails-up penny was well, 1 cent.

My wishing favorite: I was taught as a kid "Star light, star bright, very first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight."..but you can't tell anyone what you wished for or it won't come true.

My weather favorite: My Gram used to say: "Red at night, sailor's delight. Red in the morning, sailor's warning."

My creepy favorite: If you shiver or get a sudden chill someone's stepped on your grave.

I had no idea I had all this stuff rattling around in my head until I started thinking about it! LOL

[WasSoggyInSeattle]

Well you took mine.. Red sky at night... There was one about something itching (maybe your nose??) means someone's coming to visit with a hole in their britches. (I have no idea why that would be of much importance)

I've heard all of yours, Minathebrat, except about the crickets - maybe that's why I haven't found a job yet, I've been squishing the little buggers. <sigh>

[Opinionated Person]

Thanks for all the wonderful sayings. Do any of you have any spanish sayings or even some from different cultures. I think it would be interesting to find out. Oh yeah another one popped into my head about when your eye twitches I was told it meant someone is thinking about you.

[Opinionated Person]

Here is a spanish saying I heard as a kid. Sana Sana colita de rana.( Rub Rub the little tail of a frog.)