Hand
Categories: PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS138. A straight line in the palm of the hand is an omen of early death.
Massachusetts.
139. The letter formed by the veins on the inside of the wrist is the
initial of the name of the future husband or wife.
St. John, N.B.
140. A person with an initial in his hand will be very fortunate in
selecting a companion for life.
Alabama.
141. In clasping your own hand, you put uppermost either your right or
your left thumb. If the former, you are to rule; vice versa, you yield.
Brookline, Mass.
142. If the thumb sticks up in the closed fist, you are either capable or
honest, probably the latter, as thieves are said to double theirs in.
New England.
143. If you cannot make your thumb and one finger meet around your wrist,
you are a glutton.
Province of Quebec.
144. If you cannot touch the tips of your little finger and first finger
together behind the two middle fingers, on both hands, then you will not
marry the man you want to marry.
Province of Quebec.
145. Clasp your fingers, and if the right thumb lap over the left you
were born in the daytime. If the left overlap, you were born at night.
146. The number of folds on your wrist as you bend your hand shows the
number of thirties you are to live.
Massachusetts.
147. If the ends of the fingers are capable of being bent far back, it
indicates a thief.
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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... Hand
138. A straight line in the palm of the hand is an omen of early death. Massachusetts. 139. The letter formed by the veins on the inside of the wrist is the initial of the name of the future husband or wife. St. John, N.B. ... Horseshoes
631. It is good luck to find a horseshoe. General in the United States and Canada. 632. The luck is especially good if the loop end is towards you, that is, if you meet it. Miramichi, N.B. 633. If you find horseshoes and pi... Human Beings
524. To dream of a baby is a sign of death. 525. To dream of babies is unlucky or is a sign of trouble. General in the United States. 526. To dream of carrying a child is unlucky. 527. It is bad luck or death to dream of naked cling... Introduction To The World
17. Take the baby first into the sunlight on Sunday. Put it into short clothes and make all changes on that day. 18. To make a child rise in the world, carry it upstairs (or to the attic) first. Mifflintown, Pa. 19. The baby must go ... Letters Of The Alphabet
241. Write names on three pieces of paper, throw them up in the air (in the dark); feel for one, put it under the pillow, and in the morning look at it to see the name of the man you are to marry. Salem, Mass. 242. Put pieces of paper, ... Lucky Days
345. Marry in Lent, Live to repent. New York. 346. The day after a wedding is called the bride's day, the next day the groom's day; the condition of the weather on these days will indicate whether their lives are to be happy o... Meteorological Phenomena
538. To dream of walking through snow means sickness. St. John, N.B. 539. To dream of a snowstorm is a sign of the speedy death of a relative. South Framingham, Mass. 540. To dream of snow in spring (May) is a sign of a good... Midnight
245. Go out at midnight and walk around a peach-tree, repeating,-- Low for a foreigner, Bark for a near one, Crow for a farmer, Screek, tree, screek, if I'm to die first. Quaker Neck, Md. 246. Eat an apple at... Miscellaneous
569. To dream of raw meat is a sign of ill luck. 570. To dream of eating meat is a sign of sickness. Boston. 571. To see while asleep fresh meats of any kind is a warning of death. Alabama. 572. To dream of blood is a sig... Miscellaneous
663. If two persons shake hands across the gate, they are bringing on themselves ill luck. Alabama. 664. It is unlucky to pass under a ladder. Canada. 665. Go under a ladder and you will be hanged. 666. Walking under a l... Miscellaneous
844. It is believed that piercing the ear will cure weak eyes or strengthen the eyes. It is often done to children for this purpose. Northern Ohio. 845. To cure hiccoughs repeat in one breath the words,-- There was an old woman ... Moles
148. A mole on the eyebrow denotes that one will be hanged. On the ear it denotes that he will be drowned. Chestertown, Md. 149. Mole above breath Means wealth. 150. Moles on the neck, Money by the peck. Pri... Money
714. A group of bubbles on a cup of coffee signifies money. United States. 715. A mass of bubbles floating on a cup of coffee signifies that money is coming to one. If he can take up the bubbles on his spoon, it indicates that he will... Money And Metals
543. To dream of silver money is a sign of sickness. 544. To dream of small change (money) is bad luck. Newfoundland. 545. To dream of gold or silver is good luck; of paper is bad. Boston, Mass. 546. If you dream of gold,... Moon
990. When the moon is on the back, it denotes weather wet or mild; when on the end, it denotes frost. Newfoundland. 991. Should the new moon lie on its back, it is a sign it will be dry that month, for the moon would hold water. The Ind... Moonlight
1110. Some say you can see the man's axe and dog in the moon. New Brunswick. 1111. If the moon shines in your face as you lie in the bed at night, you'll die inside of a year. Central Maine. 1112. It is a general belief tha... Morturary Custom
1240. If salt water pigeons' feathers are in a bed, the sick person on it will not die easily. Newfoundland. 1241. In old colonial burying-grounds--in Plymouth, Concord, Cambridge, and Rutland, Mass.--the graves are so placed that the... Mythology
81. The stars are angels' eyes. Westminster, Mass. 82. The stars are holes made in the sky, so that the light of heaven shines through. I remember, as a child, that this idea was suggested to me on seeing the effect of holes in the lamp... Nose
156. A vein across the nose is an omen of short life. General in the United States. ... Physiognomy
10. An open hand in a baby is a sign of a generous disposition, but a habit of closing the fingers indicates avarice, or, as we say, closefistedness. Cambridge, Mass. 11. If a child favors its father, it is good luck for it. It will get... Pins
637. See a pin and pick it up, All the day you'll have good luck; See a pin and pass it by (or let it lie), All the day your luck will fly. Eastern Massachusetts. 638. See a pin and pick it up, All the day yo... Plants
248. Take beans in the hand, go out of doors and throw them against the window. The first man's name that you hear spoken is the name of the man you will marry. Connecticut. 249. Put three raw beans in your mouth, go out of doors, stand... Punishment
89. An eyewinker placed in the palm of the hand will cause the ferule to break when the teacher strikes the palm with it. Portsmouth, N.H. 90. Pine tar or pitch in the hand will prevent the blows of the ferule from causing pain. (Portsm... Rain
1003. A load of barrels foretells wet weather. Eastern Massachusetts. 1004. When the Brothers (Catholic theological students) turn out in a procession it will rain soon. Baltimore, Md. 1005. When a great many women are seen... Ring
263. Suspend a ring by a hair from the finger. Let it swing over a tumbler. The number of strokes against the side of the tumbler indicates the number of years of age of the future husband. Prince Edward Island. 264. Hang a gold ring ov...