Doorway
Categories: PROJECTS220. 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 first man that enters you'll marry.
Arlington, Mass.
222. Nail a horseshoe over the door, and the first one who enters is your
Massachusetts.
223. Hang a wishbone over the door. The first one who enters will be your
lover.
Somewhat general.
224. Two girls break a wishbone together. The one who gets the longest
bit will remain longest unmarried, or, as the familiar rhyme runs,--
Shortest to marry,
Longest to tarry.
If the knot (that is, the flattened portion at the junction of the two
prongs of the bone) flies away and does not stick to either prong, the
two girls are to remain unmarried. Each girl puts her bit of the wishbone
over a different door. The first man who enters either door is to marry
the girl who has placed her bit of wishbone over the door.
Prince Edward Island.
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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. ... Foot
120. If your instep is high enough to have water flow under it, you are of good descent. Brookline, Mass. 121. A mole on the sole of the left foot means trouble and hardships during life. Boston, Mass. ... Forehead
122. If there is a blue vein in the child's forehead extending down upon the nose, it is one of the surest signs of early death. Maine and Massachusetts. 123. Vertical wrinkles in the brow show the number of husbands one will have. Hori... Fortune
76. Put a mark upon a paper for every bow you get, and when you have one hundred bury the paper and wish. When the paper is decayed you will find your wish in its place. Cambridge and Bedford, Mass. 77. Children collect two or three hun... Fortune
1094. The moon seen over the right shoulder brings good luck; over the left shoulder, ill luck. General in the United States. 1095. If you should see the moon over your left shoulder, and should without speaking turn round and look at i... Four-leaved Clover
194. If a girl puts a two-leaved clover in her shoe, the first man who comes on the side where the clover is will be her future husband. Michigan. 195. Put a four-leaved clover in your shoe, and you will marry a man having the first nam... Friendship
79. If two persons, while walking, divide so as to pass an obstruction one on one side and one on the other, they will quarrel. Children avert this catastrophe by exclaiming, bread and butter, which is a counter charm. On the other hand, if they say... Garments
230. Scatter your clothes in the four corners of the room, naming them. The man you are to marry will bring you your clothes in a dream. Maine. 231. The first time you sleep in a room, name the corners each a different (man's) name. The... Hair
124. Coarse hair indicates good nature; fine hair quick temper. Northern Ohio. 125. Red hair indicates a spit-fire. Massachusetts and Chestertown, Md. 126. Beware of that man, Be he friend or brother, Whose ... Halloween
303. A Halloween custom is to fill a tub with water and drop into it as many apples as there are young folks to try the trick. Then each one must kneel before the tub and try to bite the apples without touching them with the hands. The one who bites...