What are some "old wive's tales" that you have heard?

Answer 1

Instead of giving you a bunch of known superstitions here are several things my grandmothers have taught me and even swore by:

If you're sleeping by yourself, for the first time in a new bed you'll dream of a man/woman who will be your significant other. One of my grandmas swore that before she met my grandfather she dreamed of him every time in such situations, so when she met him she knew he was going to eventually propose.

On New Year's eve fill a glass with water and drop a plain golden ring that you own into the water. Right after midnight falls, light up candles and turn off all the lights and look into the glass concentrating on the area in the ring. You'll see images appear which (apparently) predict what will happen to you in the new year.

If you're drinking Greek coffee (it's also called Armenian, Iranian, or Turkish coffee), after you're done turn the cup over on the little plate on which the cup was posed. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, turn the cup back the right side up and look into it. You'll see patterns that can be used to predict your future. Apparently though not anyone can read those patterns, you have to be taught to decipher them (kind of like tarot cards).

Don't just knock on wood three times to chase away the bad luck but also spit over your left shoulder three times in order to chase away the devil.

Answer 2

I come from a family who believe in wife's tales. bad luck putting shoes on the table, do not open umbrella in the house,if your pregnant and crave a special food don't touch yourself because the baby will have a mark from what you craved. Birds are bad luck. If given a elephant figurine make sure the trunk is pointing up.It's good luck. When new Born's smile they are talking to their guardian angel, only little children can see the dead they come to protect them.These are just a few but I would be here for hours... If I listed them all. I still believe in some of them

Answer 3

The ones I've heard::::Cats will steal the breath form a baby, never rock a baby on the table(bad luck), if you spill salt throw some over your left shoulder or bad luck will follow you,never rock
an empty rocking chair, if you see doves on a house it means that someone is going to die, holding a woman's wedding ring on
a string over over her pregnant belly will reveal the sex of the baby(its all in the swing), if you find a penny on tails don't pick it up or you will have bad luck, if your nose itches it means that someone is talking about you, if your left hand itches it means you will get visitor, right hand itching means you will get money.
I know a whole ton of them but I don't think you would want a novel
about them.

Answer 4

That if your baby rolls of of your bed before they are 1 yr. old that its good luck... That if you have heartburn with a pregnancy its usually a girl. If you lay on your back trying to think good thoughts for others you will not have bad dreams at night. If you make a cruel wish outloud and really mean it, it creates bad karma and could come true.. Knock on wood for good luck when somthing positive is spoken. and its supposed to come true. Ex. "Boy, None of my kids have gotten the flu yet this season" "Knock on wood!"

Answer 5

Here's the ones I 've heard...

-Break a mirror, bad luck 7 years
-Don't wash hair at night, see ghosts
-Don't cross a black cat, bad luck
-Don't comb hair infront of mirror at night, see ghosts
-Stretch arms over head when pregnant, umbillical cord strangles baby

The "mirror & ghost" ones are chinese myths.
-Break a wishbone in a perfect half and wish upon it, wish will come true
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Answer 6

If you sing before breakfast, you'll cry before supper, Don't sew for anyone on a Sunday, it's bad luck, Don't sweep over anyone's feet or they'll never get married, Don't walk under a ladder, it's bad luck.

Answer 7

if you cut your child's hair before the age of one, they will steal!
I am not sure what was more retarded, the tale itself or the woman who told me that.....
(as a side note, I did cut my son's hair before the bewitching age and he did (at age 5) steal a package of skittles from the store once)
GUESS That proves she was right
LOL

Answer 8

go to http://www.snopes.com they have heaps of them