Superstitions (H-L)

HAND
If the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be getting money.

If the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be paying out money.

HORSESHOE
A horseshoe, hung above the doorway, will bring good luck to a home. In most of Europe protective horseshoes are placed in a downward facing position, but in some parts of Ireland and Britain people believe that the shoes must be turned upward or "the luck will run out."

A horseshoe hung in the bedroom will keep nightmares away.

ITCH
If your nose itches you will soon be kissed by a fool.

If your nose itches
Your mouth is in danger.
You'll kiss a fool,
And meet a stranger.
Rub an itch to wood
It will come to good.

IVY
Ivy growing on a house protects the inhabitants from witchcraft and evil.

KNIFE
A knife as a gift from a lover means that the love will soon end.

A knife placed under the bed during childbirth will ease the pain of labor.

If a friend gives you a knife, you should give him a coin, or your friendship will soon be broken.

It will cause a quarrel if knives are crossed at the table.

It is bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one who opened it.

Knife falls, gentleman calls;
Fork falls, lady calls;
Spoon falls, baby calls.

LADDER
It is bad luck to walk under a ladder.

LADYBUG
If a young girl catches a ladybug and then releases it, the direction in which it flies away will be the direction from which her future husband will come.

It is bad luck to kill a ladybug.

Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home.
Your house is on fire,
Your children all roam.

LEAF
If you catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn you will not catch a cold all winter.

LETTUCE
Lettuce is believed to have magical and healing properties, including the power to arouse love and counteract the effects of wine.

Lettuce promotes child bearing if eaten by young women, and certain types of salad can bring on labor in pregnant women.

LIE
Cross my heart and hope to die,
Cut my throat if I tell a lie.

LIZARD
To dream of a lizard is a sign that you have a secret enemy.

Links to pages on this Site

Page 4 Superstitions-Main
1