Five Weird Superstitions We Shouldn't Despise

“Knock on wood”, “wink your eyes in the eyes”… These beliefs have become an expression for some. Do you know their origin?

Ah, superstition! A lot of them. Some consider this a vulgar belief. Other, true statements. Should I be afraid of Friday the 13th? Do not climb under the stairs? To cross fingers? These commandments have become almost daily expressions for some. Do you know their history? Le Figaro invites you, thanks to the work "The origins of 100 superstitions that haunt or delight our daily life" by Laurence Caracalla, to discover it. How symbols of misfortune affect people, read on this resource: https://www.creepypasta.com/symbols-of-misfortune-in-horror/

Knock on wood

Even the less superstitious use the formula: “All is well in my life. I'm touching a tree!" Some knock on a table, a chair, a piece of furniture... whatever! All to save them from a bad twist of fate. This faith, which few people suspect, came to us from afar. To be precise, from the 2nd millennium BC. At that time, “Persians practiced Mazdaism, a religion that would inspire Christianity,” Lawrence Caracalla explains. Indeed, touching wood was a way to entrust one's soul to Ataru, the genius of fire. "In ancient Egypt, wood was believed to radiate beneficial magnetism."

In the Middle Ages, faith changes slightly. Christians of that time associated the tree with the cross on which Jesus Christ died. “The touch has become a prayer, a way to protect yourself from misfortune.” So the loser may be right to follow this rule...

Sprinkle salt on the table

This superstition is perhaps less common. However, you should probably know: salt scattered on the table can be a sign of "a quarrel with a friend in front of you". Take care! Know that if, alas, this misfortune happens to you, then in order to avert fate, you need to grab a few grains and throw them over your left shoulder.

Where does this faith come from? It is said that during the last meal of Christ, Judas “would have knocked over the salt shaker on the table. We are aware of the misfortune that followed. And that's not all: in the Middle Ages, salt was a very expensive commodity. Moreover, it was nicknamed "white gold". "Dropping it by mistake was a financial disaster." The most dangerous marine animals, who they are, find out in this post.

Throw a coin into the fountain

They sparkle at the bottom of the water. Metal often accompanies the fountains we encounter. Everyone knows this: throwing a coin at him is the same as fulfilling a wish that was secretly made a little earlier. Faith, pagan, came to us from Greco-Roman mythology.

"Legend tells of these dead who became wandering shadows, who were to join with eternity by crossing seven rivers." To cross from one coast to another, it was necessary to meet the carrier Charon and give him an obol. The unfortunate, penniless, were sentenced to a hundred years of wandering along the banks of the river. "Others threw a coin into the river to pay the ferryman and thought they would die in peace." Since ancient times, fountains have been dedicated to the gods. Previously, Christians dedicated them to the saint. “Having invested in this money, we fawned over them,” continues Lawrence Caracalla.

Watch the ladybug fly away

These are cute little fairies, who are nicknamed "damn animals". They also say that a flying ladybug brings good luck and can "predict the weather in the coming days." Indeed, “if it doesn’t fly out of your hands, expect bad weather,” the author warns. If she lands on you, be sure to count the number of black dots on her back. "It's going to be so many happy months." Or, more simply, make a wish by meeting one of these bugs. He will take him to heaven.

This superstition goes back to a legend dating back to the tenth century. It is said that thanks to the ladybug “the convict was pardoned by Robert II the Pious. He saw a ladybug on the prisoner's neck, which, despite the executioner's attempts, stubbornly refused to fly away. Thus, he thought that he saw a sign from God there, and immediately released the captive, "convinced of his innocence."

Click eye to eye

"In the eyes!" , some will accuse you of being annoyed. For them, it's a form of courtesy. Or. It is noted that you should look "straight into the eyes when drinking toast." But where did this tradition come from?

Again, from the Middle Ages, a time "when poisoning was common". So looking at your drinking buddy was a way to make sure your life was safe. And to be sure of the good intentions of the person who shared your table, "we beat him with a glass of force against his." Because then drops of the elixir could get into the neighbor's glass. "If any of the drinkers turned away or seemed uncomfortable, it was easier to guess if someone was really trying to get you drunk."