Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 15, 1904.djvu/483

 Collectanea, 45 1

Friendships Marriage, and Lovers.

Turning down the hollow of a hat on a table prognosticates a single life.

A rainy wedding-day betokens an unhappy marriage life ; and vice versa.

If a friend offers a pin, penknife, or pair of scissors to another their friendship will be broken.

If one picks up pins or sits on a table he will for ever be single.

The breaking of a wedding-ring vaticinates an unhappy marriage hfe.

If lovers offer money to each other they will soon be separated.

Birth and Death.

The flying of crows in funeral procession prognosticates death in the district over which they fly.

The presence of a firefly or the chirping of a cricket in a house betokens sudden death in that house.

The sudden fall of a green tree prognosticates sudden death at the spot.

Cackling of fowls in the early morning, cooing of a ground dove, the flight of crows at twilight, the screeching of an owl, or the crying of a pond-coot at night prognosticates death in a certain vicinity.

The crying of a pond-coot also prognosticates birth.

Miscellaneous.

The flight of swallows in large numbers indicates approaching rain.

Walking on salt in a house prognosticates contention among the members of the family.

If a pair of scissors, a penknife, or a needle falls accidentally from the hand, and sticks up vertically, or two fowls put their beaks together, expect a stranger.

If a promise be made over running water and not ratified the defaulter will encounter a misfortune.

An itching of the palm of the hand betokens the reception of money.

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