BY KYLE LOVERN
Many of you have probably heard about certain superstitions in our region. I’ve always found these interesting and at times, believable.
The superstition of deaths coming in threes is often traced from the Appalachian region of the United States to the beliefs of Scots-Irish ancestors in Europe.
My wife and I have noticed that when a celebrity passes away that many times there seems to be a couple more around the same time that dies. The same goes for well-known members of certain communities.
The No. 3 has been brought up in many different cultures. Such as the shamrock has three leaves, the pyramid has three sides, and in religious terms, you have the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.
There are other Appalachian superstitions and many deal with death. If you hear a screech owl at dusk, someone will die.
Something my dad always told me when visiting cemeteries was not to step on graves. It was considered bad luck and disrespectful at the same time.
Another one I’ve heard from the older days is that when an older person dies, their clock will stop running at the same time.
If a bird gets in your house it’s a bad omen. Sometimes it means the death of a family member or someone close to you. I recall my mother believing in this. Once a bird got in our house, and even though I was young, I could tell it really upset her.
Another that came over from our Scottish ancestors was a belief that if you heard three knocks at the door and no one was there, it was a sign there would be a death in the family soon,
If a cow moos after dark, someone will die.
Have you ever stopped yourself before walking under a ladder? I definitely have done this and still do, although it is rare that I’m near many ladders.
While doing some research, I found a few more that I had not heard of or had forgotten about.
If a rabbit crosses your path before sunrise, unhappiness will cloud your day.
If a broom falls over for no reason when someone walks past, it is an omen of bad fortune.
Rub an apple on a newborn’s tongue and they’ll have a sweet singing voice. I had never heard of this one and if it is true, because if you’ve heard me sing, then I never had that done to me.
A rabbit’s foot is lucky and will protect from evil spirits. Some old timers would keep one in their dresser drawer.
Aching joints indicate rain. I believe this because it happens to me all the time.
When a bobwhite calls, it’s praying for rain.
Thick, tight shucks on sweet corn indicate bad weather or predict a bad winter ahead.
Killing a black snake and hanging it on a fence with its belly turned to the sun will bring rain before the next sunset.
There will be as many snows in winter as fogs in October.
If you see a red cardinal someone you love has come to visit.
If your ears burn, someone is talking about you. Or if your nose itches, someone is going to stop by your house. If you have an itchy palm, it means you are coming into money.
Don’t ever get bit by a snapping turtle. It will not let go until it thunders and lightning. My late mother-in-law talked about this superstition and recalled getting bit by a tortoise when she was young and her brother telling her it would not let go until a storm came.
Always go out the same door you came in or it will bring back luck.
A black cat crossing your path means bad luck – stop and go another way. This is a superstition that is not just in the Appalachian region. Many have probably heard of this one.
Carry a four-leaf clover in your wallet to ward off bad luck. I’ve heard of some people putting them in their Bibles.
Hang a horseshoe upside down to keep good luck from running out. I’ve seen people do this over their front door or at least over their barn doors.
Whether you believe in superstitions and omens it is still interesting and a part of our culture.
The next time you see a celebrity or sports figure pass away, watch and see if there are not two more to make three deaths. You might just be surprised.
(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)