Bodily Affections
Categories: MISCELLANEOUS1340. If the right cheek burns, some one is speaking well of you; if the
left, they are speaking ill of you; if both, they speak well and ill at
once. Moisten the finger in the mouth and touch it to the cheek, naming
those whom you suspect; the one at whose name it grows cool was speaking
of you.
New Brunswick.
1341. If your right ear burns, some one is talking well of you; if your
General in the United States.
1342. If you bite the corner of your apron, you will make back-biters
bite their tongues.
Pennsylvania.
1343. Pinch your ear, and the person talking of you will bite his own
tongue.
1344. If the right ear burns, it is a sign that some one is thinking well
of you; if the left ear burns, it is a sign that some one is thinking
unkindly of you; but if both ears burn, friend and foe are fighting about
you.
Pennsylvania.
1345. If your ears burn, people are talking well of you; if your ears are
cold, the contrary.
New Hampshire.
1346. If your right ear burns, a lady is speaking of you; if the left, a
man.
Maine and Pennsylvania.
1347. If your left ear itches, some one is saying unpleasant things about
you; but if your right ear, pleasant things. Some say,--
Both left and right
Are good at night.
Cambridge, Mass.
1348. If the right eye itches, it is a sign you will cry; if the left,
you will laugh, because R stands for roar and L for laugh.
Baldwinsville, N.Y.
1349. If the right eye itches, you'll laugh; if the left eye, you'll cry.
Boston, Mass.
1350. If your eye itches, some one wants to see you and can't.
Peabody, Mass.
1351. If you look at one who has inflamed eyes, you'll catch the disease.
Maine and Ohio.
1352. If your elbow itches, you will sleep with a stranger.
Boston, Mass.
1353. If the right foot itches, it is a sign you will go where you will
be welcome; if the left foot itches, it is a sign you will go where you
are unwelcome.
Baldwinsville, N.Y.
1354. If while going to see any one your left foot itches, you are not
welcome.
Alabama.
1355. The nose itching is a sign you are going to get mad.
Peabody, Mass.
1356. If your nose itches, it is a sign of a present.
1357. If your nose itches, some one will be provoked with you.
1358. If your nose itches, it is a sign that
You'll be mad,
See a stranger,
Kiss a fool,
Or be in danger.
Prince Edward Island.
1359. If your nose itches, you will
See a stranger,
Kiss a fool,
Or be in danger.
Peabody, Mass.
1360. If your nose itches, it is a sign you will be kissed, cussed, or
vexed.
Somerville, Mass.
1361. If the nose itches, some say you will receive a letter; others
declare it is a sign your lover is thinking of you.
Baldwinsville, N.Y.
1362. If the palm of the hand itches, it is a good sign that you will
kill something.
Labrador.
1363. Itching in the palm is a sign of a fight, or of seeing a stranger.
1364. An unexpected scratch denotes surprise.
1365. A long scratch across the palm denotes a sleigh-ride.
Pennsylvania (negro).
1366. A scratch on the hand denotes a ride; the length of the scratch
indicates the length of the ride.
New England.
1367. A scratch on the right hand is a sign of a ride to come; on the
left, a disappointment.
Baldwinsville, N.Y.
1368. If your knee itches, you are jealous.
Boston, Mass.
1369. Being lousy is an indication that the lousy person is in good
health.
Newfoundland.
1370. Some hold that the white spots that one has on the finger-nails
represent the lies you have told.
Maine and Baldwinsville, N.Y.
1371. If you shudder without apparent cause, some one has stepped over or
upon your grave.
Gilsum, N.H.
1372. If you shudder, it is a sign that a rabbit is running across, or a
goose is eating grass from your grave.
Chestertown, Md.
1373. There is an old superstition that every sigh causes a drop of blood
to flaw from the heart.
Exeter, N.H.
1374. Smooches made on the face by soiled fingers (called beauty spots
in Ohio) mean a present.
New Brunswick.
1375. A lump on the tongue means that you have told a lie.
Prince Edward Island, New York, and Northern Ohio.
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Actions
1271. If a child in eating an apple merely girdles it and leaves the apple good at stem and below, it indicates that he will be a poor man; the saying is, a poor man's core. 1272. It is unlucky to turn back after starting to go anywhere. To avert ... Amulets
795. Green glass beads worn about the neck will prevent or cure erysipelas. Chestertown, Md. 796. Gold beads were formerly a protection against the King's Evil (scrofula), and nearly every maiden and matron wore ample strings of beauti... Animals
463. To dream of cod or caplin is a sign of rain[TN-3] Newfoundland. 464. To dream of a good catch of fish is a sign of rain. Heart's Content, N.F. 465. To dream of catching fish is good luck. Prince Edward Island... Apparel
1376. If you mend your apron or dress while on you, some one will lie about you. Maine and Alabama. 1377. As many stitches as you take (in mending a garment while wearing it), so many lies will be told about you. New Hampshir... Apple-seeds
166. When eating an apple, snap it with the fingers and name it for a person of the opposite sex. Count the fully developed seeds (all of the others are kisses), and the last one must correspond to the following formula:-- One's my love, ... Apples
164. Eat an apple at midnight before the glass, saying,-- Whoever my true love may be, Come and eat this apple with me, holding the lamp in the hand. The true love will appear. Winn, Me. 165. Throw a whole apple-paring ... Asseveration
60. A child to whom is told any story which he considers remarkable will usually reply by an expression of skepticism, such as: Really and truly? Honestly? Earnest, now? or, You are fooling. The first speaker answers by some formula or asseveration,... Attire Of The Bride
332. If you try on your wedding dress before the ceremony, you will not be happy. Cambridge, Mass. 333. The bride should wear a borrowed garter, and also a yellow garter. Boston, Mass. 334. If a bride wear a yellow garter t... Babies
174. Kiss the baby when nine days old, and the first gentleman you kiss afterward will be your future husband. New England. ... Babyhood
1. The bairn that is born on fair Sunday Is bonny and loving, and blithe and gay. Monday's bairn is fair in the face, Tuesday's bairn is full of grace, Wednesday's bairn is loving and giving, Thursday's bairn wor... Baptism
7. If a child cries during baptism, it is the devil going out of it. Niagara Falls, Ont. 8. It is lucky for the child to cry at baptism, but unlucky for the godmother to wear mourning. 9. If twins are brought to baptism at the same ti... Beauty
101. If a person is very handsome, it is a sign that he will have one of the infectious diseases of childhood (measles, whooping cough, etc.) more than once. Massachusetts. ... Bed
175. Go upstairs backward, into a chamber backward, and into bed backward. Drink some salt and water, and if you dream of some one bringing you drink it will be your future husband. Maine and Salem, Mass. 176. The first time two girls s... Bible
183. Read the third verse of the third chapter of Hosea, Joel, and Amos for three Sundays in succession, and the first gentleman you walk with you will marry. Nashua, N.H. 184. Put the end of a key in the Bible, on the verse of Solomon'... Birds
185. When you see a turkey-buzzard flying alone, repeat,-- Hail! Hail! Lonely, lonesome turkey-buzzard: Hail to the East, hail to the West, Hail to the one that I love best. Let me know by the flap of your wing Whet... Bodily Affections
1340. If the right cheek burns, some one is speaking well of you; if the left, they are speaking ill of you; if both, they speak well and ill at once. Moisten the finger in the mouth and touch it to the cheek, naming those whom you suspect; the one ... Buttons
187. The coming husband is determined by repeating the following words, touching each button of the coat, vest, or dress in order:-- Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief. Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief. Or, Doctor, law... Cards
608. At cards, if your luck is poor, walk round your chair three times, lift it, sit down, and your luck is assured. General in the United States. 609. At cards, it is bad luck to play against the grain of the table. General i... Causes
872. Blood from the warts on a cow's bag coming in contact with a person's hands will cause warts to appear on them. New Hampshire. 873. Blood from a wart, especially if applied to the tongue, will cause warts to appear. New ... Challenge
To stump another boy to do a thing is considered as putting a certain obligation on him to perform the action indicated. The phrase is sometimes used, although the person giving the stump may not himself be able to accomplish the feat. 74. We use... Charm
816. To keep fire always burning on the hearth will prevent cholera among chickens. Alabama. 817. If a fish-hook pierces the hand, stick it three times into wood, in the name of the Trinity, to prevent festering or other evil consequenc... Cold
930. As the days begin to lengthen, So the cold begins to strengthen. Northeastern United States and Canada. 931. Fire spitting sparks means cold weather. Patten, Me. 932. If the fire burns well, it is coming cold we... Colors
494. To dream of white things is lucky (or sign of death?). Newfoundland. 495. Dreaming of white things is a sign of snow in summer. Labrador and Newfoundland. 496. Dreaming of working on white cloth is a sign of death. ... Counting
199. Count sixty white horses and one white mule, then you will marry the first man with whom you shake hands. Chestertown, Md. 200. Count a hundred white horses and two white mules, and the first person you shake hands with you'll marr... Courting And Wedding Signs
364. If your apron string becomes loosened, your true love is thinking of you. New York. 365. If your apron drops off, you'll lose your beau. The same is true if you lose your garter. Stevens Point, Wis. 366. If you sink a... Cures
883. To cure a wart, grease it with stolen bacon, and hide the latter. 884. Split a bean and put one half on the wart, one half in the ground, and at the end of the week dig up the latter; place on the wart with the other half; bury again, and thi... Cures
1151. In rubbing for rheumatism, etc., rub from left to right (sunwise). Concord, Mass. 1152. Ringworm may be killed by moistening the finger in the mouth and rubbing sunwise around the diseased spot. Central Maine. 1153. T... Customs
1402. Halloween cabbages are pulled and thrown against the owner's door as a reminder of his laziness. Southern Pennsylvania and Ohio. 1403. Shelled corn is thrown at every one--the significance not known. Southern Pennsylvani... Daisy Petals
211. Pull off the petals of a daisy one by one, naming a boy (or a girl as the case may be) at each one, thus, Jenny, Fanny, Jenny, Fanny, etc. The one named with the last petal is your sweetheart. The seeds which remain on the back of your hand aft... Days
612. It is unlucky to travel on Friday. New York and Pennsylvania. 613. Never begin a piece of work on Friday; it is bad luck. General in the United States. 614. Seafaring men will not sail on Friday. Somewhat gen... Days
1419. What you do on your birthday, you will do all the year. Salem, Mass. 1420. On cutting the finger-nails:-- Cut them on Monday, cut them for news, Cut them on Tuesday, a pair of new shoes, Cut them on Wednesday,... Days And Times
936. The first Tuesday after the new moon settles the weather for that quarter. Newfoundland. 937. If it is a fair sunset Friday night, it will rain before Monday. Massachusetts. 938. If it storms on a Friday, it will storm... Dead Persons
498. To dream of a dead father is lucky. Labrador. 499. To dream of a dead mother is unlucky; it brings sorrow. Labrador. 500. To dream of the dead is a sign of hearing from the living. Topsail and New Harbor, N.F... Death Omens
1158. To raise an umbrella in a house is a sign of an approaching death. Pennsylvania; somewhat general in the United States. 1159. To open an umbrella in the house is a sign of ill luck. An action of this sort seriously disturbed a fr... Dimple
102. Dimple in chin. Devil within. Chestertown, Md. 103. A dimple in the chin is lucky. Some say it shows you're no fool. 104. A dimple is the mark left by the angel's finger in turning up the face to kiss it when asleep. ... Divination
1080. Repeat, looking at the new moon the first time you see it,-- New moon, true moon, tell unto, me Who my true love is to be; The color of his hair, the clothes he is to wear, And when he'll be married to me. ... Domestic And Mechanical Operations
1141. To make good bread, stir it with the sun. To make good yeast, make it as near sunrise as possible. Northern Ohio. 1142. If you wish to secure lightness, you must always stir cake and eggs a certain way, that is, the way the sun go... Domestic Life
1438. It is supposed that a broom placed behind the door will keep off witches. Bruynswick, N.Y. 1439. To burn the stub of a broom or break a sugar-bowl, means a quarrel. Westport, Mass. 1440. A spark seen on a candle or la... Doorway
220. Put the breast-bone of a fowl over the front door, and the first one of the opposite sex that enters is to be your future companion. Alabama. 221. Hang over the door a corn-cob from which you have shelled all but twenty grains. The... Dressing
622. If you put on any garment wrong side out, as, for example, a pair of stockings, never change it, as to do so brings ill luck. This direction is intuitively followed by many people who are entirely free from conscious superstition. Ge... Ears
105. Small ears indicate that a person is stingy. Large ones show that he is generous. General. 106. Large ears are a mark of a liar. Small ears show that one is truthful. Boston, Mass. 107. Long, slim ears are a sign that ... Earth
505. To dream of walking in a garden is a sign of a graveyard. 506. To dream of ploughed ground indicates that a grave will be dug for some member of the family before the year ends. Western New York. 507. To dream of seeing fresh ear... Eggs
225. Take an egg to your window; break it over a knife; remember the day and date. Wish that your true love would come to you. If you go too high, he will be killed. Nashua, N.H. 226. Put two eggs in front of the open fire on a very win... Eggs
510. To dream of eggs means you will get a beating,[TN-4] Prince Edward Island. 511. Dreaming of eggs is a sign of anger; if broken, all over. New Harbor, N.F. 512. To dream of whole eggs is a sign of a fuss; of broken eggs ... Engagement
327. If you are a bridesmaid three times you will never stand in the middle. Baldwinsville, N.Y. 328. Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride. New England. 329. Don't let another person put on your engagement ring, taken fr... Eyes And Eyebrows
109. Hazel eyes betoken a good disposition. Boston, Mass. 110. If your eyebrows meet, you will be rich. Somerville and Bedford, Mass. 111. A well-known children's rhyme runs:-- Blue-eye beauty, do your mammy's duty!... Fair Or Foul
962. Of a change:-- Long looked for Long last, Short notice, Soon past. Brookline, Mass. 963. From twelve till two Tells what the day will do. New England. 964. If it rains before s... Finger-nails
115. Always keep your nails clean and you will be rich. Peabody, Mass. 116. A white spot in the nail, when it comes, means a present. You get the present when it grows to the end and is cut. Boston, Mass. 117. White spots o... Fingers
229. Name each of the four fingers of one hand for some person of the opposite sex, then press them tightly together with the other hand; the one that hurts the worst indicates whom you will marry. Prince Edward Island. ... Fire And Smoke
514. It is bad luck to dream of fire. St. John, N.B. 515. To dream of fire portends sickness. Eastern Massachusetts. 516. If you dream of fire, it is a sign of trouble in the family. Alabama. 517. If you dream ... First Actions
41. If a child cries at birth and lifts up one hand, he is born to command. 42. If the baby smiles in its sleep, it is talking with angels. 43. If a baby yawns, the sign of the cross should be made over it that the evil spirit may not enter. ...