Unexplained Bell-Ringing Superstition
Death Omen In recorded folk belief, a bell heard ringing without an identifiable cause could be interpreted as a warning of an approaching death. The…
Beliefs
Folk Beliefs & Superstitions
Browse canonical folk beliefs and follow their documented variants across countries, themes, topics, and contexts.
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Hoe Through the House Superstition
Household Folk Belief The hoe-through-the-house superstition warns against carrying a hoe inside or through a home. In its simplest recorded form, the act brings bad…
Indoor Umbrella Superstition
Household Luck Belief Opening an umbrella inside a house is traditionally treated as an unlucky act. Older folklore records sometimes give the rule a narrower…
New Moon Through Trees Superstition
The superstition holds that first seeing a new moon through trees, branches, or brush brings bad luck or trouble for the coming month. Historical records…
Right-Shoulder Moon Luck Superstition
Moon Omen In a widely recorded folk belief, seeing the new moon over the right shoulder is a lucky omen. The direction matters most when…
New Moon Wish Superstition
Moon Folklore The new moon wish superstition holds that a wish made when the young moon is first seen may come true. Older folklore records…
Nine Stars Marriage Divination
Marriage Compatibility Belief Nine Stars marriage divination interprets the birth stars of two people through a nine-part system linked with the Five Elements. The resulting…
New Moon True-Love Divination Rhyme
The “new moon, true moon” rhyme belongs to a family of love-divination verses recorded in nineteenth-century English-speaking folklore. The words were spoken when the new…
Rat Dream Superstition
Dream-Book Omen In several English-language dream manuals, dreaming of rats was treated as an unfavorable omen connected with enemies, deception, quarrels, or approaching trouble. The…
Snake Dream Superstition
In documented folk belief, dreaming of a snake has often been treated as an omen of enemies, danger, or coming trouble. The interpretation is not…