Old wives tales

leeCal

Just for fun I thought we could swap old wives tales.

Usually they are sayings or superstitions without much foundation.

For example, holding a buttercup under some chin to see if they like butter, or Feed a cold but starve a fever, actually I believe that one, but those kinds of sayings.

Anyone got any others?

leeCal

If you pull a face and the wind blows you’ll stay that way! 🤪

Sandy_123

Never put new  shoes on a table
This comes from putting deceased peoples shoes on a coffin.

That just reminded me, once j put coins over my eyes and said "look what I can do" omg I got biggest telling off ever

Sandy_123

Dont open a brolly in doors, below is why from Google 

Umbrellas have been around for centuries and the original superstition has its origins in ancient Egypt, where umbrellas were used as a shield from the sun, and opening one indoors was disrespectful to the sun god, Ra, who would seek vengeance on the household in which the umbrella was opened.6 Jul 2019

Sandy_123

Lol @woodbine it was the  thing back in the day, my grandkids think I'm odd when I say them, there like why. 

janer1967

Dont have anything with wheels in the house when pregnant eg pram 

If you don't stop crying I will give you something to cry about 

Say that again and I will wash your mouth out with soap and water 

leeCal

Bulls hate the colour red. (Apparently untrue since cattle are colour blind)

Cartini

woodbine said:

most of the ones I recall are unsuitable for a public forum and usually involved going blind 

Cartini

Biblioklept said:

Teddybear12 said:

A stitch in time saves nine.

I never understood what this means

if you sort out a problem immediately it may save a lot of extra work later.

Cartini

There are elements of fact in these two:

Red sky in the morning, sailors warning

Red sky at night, shepherds delight

leeCal

@Biblioklept I literally had a small hole in my jeans so I stitched it up because I know the hole will only get bigger. But Cartini is right anyway.

A swallow does not a summer make.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. (People look into the mouths of horses when buying to see the condition of their teeth. If it’s, a gift it’s a gift in other words)

Beware of greeks baring gifts (apologies Greeks) this is a reference to the Trojan horse given to the trojans by the Greeks but containing soldiers who later opened the gates and allowed the once impregnable city of Troy to be sacked.

Starlingbird

My Mum used to say not to eat standing up because it would make your legs fat. I used to envisage all the food dropping down and filling my legs lol.

leeCal

If you spill salt, throw a pinch of it over your left shoulder to counteract the bad luck.

Crossed knives at the table signify a forthcoming quarrel 😳

Sandy_123

I'm loving all these surprised no one has mentioned 
Don't walk under a ladder as you will occur bad luck 

Basically it's about items falling on you from said ladder, that the person up the ladder may drop on you as you walk under

SueHeath

When we were kids we used to say "don't tread on the cracks it will break your back " think it was more of a game tho.

leeCal

To protect a house from witches a rowan tree must be planted, and under no circumstances must hawthorn be brought into the house before May Day as it belongs to the Woodland God and will bring bad luck! 

lollycat11

Hi, there’s do not cross on the stairs… bad luck!

a 🦅 in the house…. Well I don’t like that one!

ooh then there’s the magpies! One for sorrow two for joy! I have to salute a solo magpie!

and I always say white rabbits 🐇 3 times on the 1st of the month!

Cartini

lollycat11 said:

ooh then there’s the magpies! One for sorrow two for joy!

I used to say one for sorrow...... every time I saw a magpie.  I`ve stopped now because I get so many in the garden I would spend all day saying it.

leeCal

Never have thirteen places set at the table, it’s bad luck of course 🙂

SueHeath

It's bad luck to whistle in the kitchen.

If you drop a cooks knife on the floor you should stamp on it - stick it in wood sure to come good !

not forgetting the itchy palms - rub it on wood - right hand receive , left hand give.

leeCal

Two women must not pour from the same tea-pot, if they do, a quarrel will ensue. 🍵