A Chance for Kallie Mae is the fourth book I’ve set in the Eastern Kentucky Appalachian area. I like going to the mountains for a story. And I liked researching about the people who love those mountains. Along the way in my research, I’ve come across a lot of the superstitions the mountain people, at least some of them, passed down through the years.
In my stories, my characters sometimes have to remember that it’s better to trust in the Lord’s help than to be superstitious, but most all of us have some superstitious thinking from time to time. For instance, have you ever knocked on wood when you say something you are sure will happen, but then you worry something might go wrong? I’ve done that even though I don’t actually think knocking on wood will matter in the least. And did you ever cross your fingers when you were a kid and hoped something would happen or that you could tell a fib without it somehow being a real lie?
Those are superstitions that we laugh about and don’t really believe will make a difference and yet we sometimes do them. Here are some superstitions that I came across in my research.
Unhappiness will hang over the day of those who encounter a hare or rabbit before sunrise. Can’t say as I’ve ever thought of that whenever I see a rabbit on my early morning walks, but if Frankie sees said rabbit, it might be an unhappy day for the rabbit.
Some people had some superstitions about hair cuts. It was thought hair should be cut on a particular day but never after sundown. Then some believed the hair couldn’t just be thrown in the trash, but had to be burned because the hair might be used against you in some kind of spells.
Then also, if a bird used your hair in building its nest, lore had it that you would have headaches that might be worse if the hair was tightly woven into the nest.
One granny tale suggested that if a child is ailing with asthma, a hole could be drilled in a black oak or sourwood tree just above the head of the victim. A lock of the child’s hair was sealed inside the hole. Once the child grew taller than this spot, they would be cured, but the tree couldn’t be cut down or there could be a dire result instead of a healing.
I’ve heard of this following one. Never take an old broom to a new house. You want a clean sweep start and not bring along the dirt and bad energy from the old house. It’s also supposed to be bad luck to sweep dirt out your door.
Then I saw someone do this when I was a kid. When an eyelash falls out, pinch it lightly between your thumb and forefinger, then make a wish and blow. If it sticks, the wish will come true. I can’t remember if the result gave the wish a chance to come true. I always liked wishing on stars more.
The following was considered practically a sure thing according to the older folks. The seventh daughter of the seventh daughter or the seventh son of the seventh son would have special healing powers or at the very least, would be able to remove warts with a touch or perhaps just a word. That worked for my sister once. She had a wart on her elbow that was a major problem maker for her. My mom knew one of those seventh sons and when she and my sister happened to see him on the street, she asked him to get rid of her wart. My sister thought it was silly, but within a week, the wart was gone. Problem with that these days is that most people don’t have that many children to have seventh sons or daughters of seventh sons or daughters.
To cure a headache, apply brown paper soaked in vinegar to the head. That one is in the Jack and Jill verses, isn’t it?
Put a spoon in your mouth while chopping onions to prevent crying. I might try this one sometime. 🙂 Who cares how silly it might look.
When people first made their homes in the mountains, they found many things that they didn’t understand. Since they didn’t have all the ways we can figure things out these days, they came up with various ideas on how to have good luck or to protect themselves from bad luck.
In the article I read, it mentioned how it was always thought it bad luck if a black cat crossed your path. I have heard that plenty of times, but I didn’t know there was a way to ward off that potential for bad luck. Obviously some thought they could make an X to keep away the threat of bad things happening. I was always simply glad the cat got across the road without harm.
I too always heard about if your hand itched, you were going to get money or give away money, according to which hand was itching. I never could remember which was which. Seemed like it was always the giving away money no matter which hand itched. But according to the article I read, it was right hand to receive and the left to pay out. Oh, and if you scratched your hand, the money would never come. Think that would work for the left hand and the paying out?
Many people believe if you spill salt, it’s bad luck. However, taking a quick pinch and tossing it over your shoulder keeps the bad luck away. This might have become a superstition because back in the old days, salt was so valuable that it was sometimes used as money. People needed salt not only for their health but to preserve meat and other food. I’ve actually seen a few people toss that pinch of salt over their shoulders to keep away the bad luck, but I haven’t. Seems that would just be more salt to clean up
And one last superstition. Lavender only grows for strong women. Maybe I need to get some lavender to see I I can grow it. We did plant some in Mom’s flower garden once and it grew and tried to take over the whole flower bed. But then, I always knew my mom was a strong woman.
What are some superstitions you have heard of? Do you knock on wood? Worry if a black cat crosses your path? Toss salt over your shoulder?
I mean, after all. Sometimes we think it’s better to be safe than sorry even if we don’t really put any faith in a superstition. We know where to put our faith, and I always have my mountain characters remembering that in my stories.
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My aunt, my mom’s only sister, had some superstitions she believed. One was that only a person who was born in October should ever wear the October birthstone of opal. She ordered one, heard about that superstition, and decided she had to get rid of it, as she’d never be able to wear it. So, she gave it to my oldest sister, who was born in October. That’s the one that really sticks with me, maybe because jewelry was involved! Of course, I remember the salt over the shoulder if you spilled salt, no stepping on cracks in the sidewalk, and a few others.
Have you heard about the sin eater or tapping table? My grandparents had a tapping table that would tap twice for no or 3 times for yes. My aunt swears that if you hear a knock on your window at night that you will get need the next day that someone close passed away.
I hope you’ve heard of this one and can clarify it a bit….
The log cabin museum where I work was moved from its original spot in 1986. (originally built in 1799) The movers found a pair of deerskin baby shoes tucked between logs. We have the shoes on display. I’ve heard two versions of why people put articles of clothing between the logs of their homes… either to keep evil spirits away from the owner of the clothing or to bring good luck into the home. Have you heard of this custom? At any rate, it’s nice to see these tiny shoes from over 200 years ago.
On another note, my mother always said that having a bird fly into the house was a sign someone was going to pass away soon. I guess it only pertained to wild birds because she had a canary when I was young. 😉
Author
I haven’t come across anything like that, Lavon, but you do have wonder about it. Was it a superstitious action or did some grieving mother hide the shoes there because it was a way to keep her child close?
I have heard about the bird flying into the house being a sign of death on the way. I think I even used that in my second Shaker book, The Believer, and let a bird get in Elizbeth’s house before they went to the Shaker village. Maybe.
If your nose itches, it means you’re going to kiss a fool. If you drop a fork, company is coming. Never give knives as a gift or your friendship will be cut. Those are just a few I’ve known. Yes, I’ve knocked wood and thrown salt over my shoulder, even though I don’t believe it makes any difference. I’ve heard of a few of those you listed but not all.
Author
I think a lot of us are like you, Lee, in that we play along with the superstitions without really thinking they mean anything. I know I’ve knocked on wood just as a silly thing to do at times. I hadn’t heard the one about your nose itching means you’re going to kiss anyone. We always said if your nose itches it means somebody is coming with a hole in their britches. Guess some people liked to make it rhyme. 🙂
When I was a teen,I stayed all night with my best friend, she was also a teen and a young bride, I had a bad dream that my niece was going to die and I told her about it.She said oh no, if you tell a bad dream before breakfast it will come true.I had never heard of that! I didn’t think too much of it until the baby did die a few months later of crib death. I still don’t believe in that superstition but it did make teenage me feel guilty.
That got heavy fast, didn’t it Ann? So here is a more light-hearted one, If the sole of your foot itches ,you will walk on strange ground( meaning you will go somewhere you have never been) I am not superstitious but I do think of that when my foot itches..
Author
I have always known about the not telling dreams before breakfast, Lisa, and though I think I’m not superstitious, I probably wouldn’t tell a bad dream before breakfast. Of course, now I rarely remember my dreams once I get up. I know I dreamed but not what I dreamed. But I can imagine how that bothered you as a teen as it surely would anyone.
I also have often said that an itchy foot means you’ll walk on new ground. But I’ve always just thought that was an amusing thought and never expected it to turn out to mean anything.
Hi Anne,
My mom always said it was bad luck to have a hat on a bed. The same thing was true, if you took off your shoes, and one or both were upside down. She wasn’t a superstitious person, so I don’t know where that came from. But we always straightened our shoes and kept hats off the bed.
I think people who play sports are very superstitious. For instance, before I knew my husband, he played on really good game. He had listened to a certain song before the game. From then on, he always listened to the same song before a game. It was years before he had another game as good as that, and by that time, he was no longer listening to the song!
Did you ever read The Foxfire Books? Many, many years ago, I had some, and loved them. With different moves, they did not make it.
They were great to read with interviews of people who had lived in the mountains, and I thought they were great.
Blessings!
Author
Another one I read about, Becky, was not to put your shoes on the bed because that meant someone dear to you would die soon. Seems like I’ve heard the one about the hat on the bed, but I can’t quite remember where. It’s funny where these superstitions get started. And you’re right about ballplayers often having superstitions about playing better if they wear certain socks or do certain things like your husband and his song. Even fans can be superstitious about what they wear or do while watching a game.
I do have a Foxfire book. I need to hunt it up and read it again. Also, I listened to an audio book, The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women, that had gleaned the interviews of some mountain women from the Foxfire books.