Old Wives Tales, Myths (true or otherwise)

[viper2007]

Hi, I was thinking of asking this from fellow members... Here goes...

When you were growing up, as a kid, as a teenager. I am sure you were told or informed of some stories, or things by grown-ups that if you do not do this or that, and some things might happened to you...

A good example would be like this- if you don't wash youself properly, you might have potatoes growing from the back of the ears... things like that...

For starters, when I was a young boy, I was told that, when you eat, you should remain in one spot and not move around, otherwise you will have many wives... Kinda of scared me when I was a kid..., but now... that sounded kinda of kinky...

What about the rest of you good people. Seeing that we have many people from different parts of the world, lets see if we some that is commonly told to the young ones...

 

[BritinBritain]

One of my mums favourites was, "Singing at your meals will bring trouble to your heels." Who the hell sings while they eat???

Make of this what you will, but this did happen. When I was a young boy I had an ugly wart on the little finger of my left hand near the nail. One of my mums friends relations was a pukka gypsy (not a pikey) who said she would "charm" the wart away. I sat beside her absolutely terrified in case she turned me into a frog while she did her "charming" the wart away. About a week later the wart fell off and never grew back.

 

[viper2007]

One of my mums favourites was, "Singing at your meals will bring trouble to your heels." Who the hell sings while they eat???

Make of this what you will, but this did happen. When I was a young boy I had an ugly wart on the little finger of my left hand near the nail. One of my mums friends relations was a pukka gypsy (not a pikey) who said she would "charm" the wart away. I sat beside her absolutely terrified in case she turned me into a frog while she did her "charming" the wart away. About a week later the wart fell off and never grew back.

Wow... that was really mind boggling, I wonder how she managed that.... For us asians, one of the reason why you may have a wart on your finger was you may have pointed your finger at a full moon, or had chicken blood splased on it, as some Malay folklore goes...

Thanks, Opa Brit...

 

[zhaldev]

In India there is this superstition that if you are going for some purpose and a cat come across then it is suppose to bring bad omens or your purpose will be incomplete.

I have one superstition while playing cricket,if i am an opening batsmen then i make sure to never face the first ball or else could get out cheaply.

How about ghost stories? i mean real experiences if any of you had.
personally never had any of such till now,but my friends claim to experienced one.

 

[I3BrigPvSk]

In India there is this superstition that if you are going for some purpose and a cat come across then it is suppose to bring bad omens or your purpose will be incomplete.

I have one superstition while playing cricket,if i am an opening batsmen then i make sure to never face the first ball or else could get out cheaply.

How about ghost stories? i mean real experiences if any of you had.
personally never had any of such till now,but my friends claim to experienced one.

There is the same superstition here, but only if the cat is black. A broken mirror implies seven years of misery, and walking beneath a ladder is a bad thing. Then of course there is the number 13. There is also a superstition about the horse shoe if it hangs with the opening down the good luck will run out.

I like ghost stories, but I have never experienced any haunting.

 

[Freyja]

When I went to public school, I had a friend who lived on a farm. He claimed that the barn was haunted by the old owner of the farm who had hanged himself in there.

He told me that their dog would not go in there and to prove it he called the dog and started walking towards the barn with the dog. When the dog discovered where it was going, it stopped, laid his ears back, put his tail between his legs and began howling and barking hysterically.

Whether it was something he had trained the dog to do or if it could sense something I don´t know but it was scary back then.

 

[zhaldev]

It is believed here that dogs can see ghosts/spirits and they have this power to ward of evil if it comes on the owner of the dog.People who are involved in black magic/voodoo kinda things usually keep dogs as pet.I've seen this myself when i used to stay as paying guest,the owner of the house used to practice occult things and kept 4 dogs as pet.I've seen him doing strange rituals which are not common,but never experienced any haunted.

 

[viper2007]

In India there is this superstition that if you are going for some purpose and a cat come across then it is suppose to bring bad omens or your purpose will be incomplete.

I have one superstition while playing cricket,if i am an opening batsmen then i make sure to never face the first ball or else could get out cheaply.

How about ghost stories? i mean real experiences if any of you had.
personally never had any of such till now,but my friends claim to experienced one.

Well, the mention of the cat is rather interesting, as in the West it is the black cat, as I recalled...

Yup, some sportsmen do have their quirks about certain things when they play. Gamblers do that too, for that matter. I have a friend who gambles and he will rather pissed if someone touches him on the shoulder on the day he wishes to gamble, when he enters the gambling place, he makes sure it is the left foot that crossed into the room first, otherwise no luck, he says...

 

[viper2007]

There is the same superstition here, but only if the cat is black. A broken mirror implies seven years of misery, and walking beneath a ladder is a bad thing. Then of course there is the number 13. There is also a superstition about the horse shoe if it hangs with the opening down the good luck will run out.

I like ghost stories, but I have never experienced any haunting.

Those things that you've mentioned are rather the same in most European countries, does it not, 13. I would think they would be the same in the US, too.

For us Asians, hanging a mirror or a dried seahorse is suppose to attarct good fortune to the residence.

As for the number 13, these number is really puzzling- some people says it brings them luck, some says otherwise. I heard that even int eh Concorde seating arrangement, there is no number 13- can anybody confirm this?

Ghost stories...? It would seemed that in Asia, there is no shortage of it... I will come to that later...

 

[viper2007]

When I went to public school, I had a friend who lived on a farm. He claimed that the barn was haunted by the old owner of the farm who had hanged himself in there.

He told me that their dog would not go in there and to prove it he called the dog and started walking towards the barn with the dog. When the dog discovered where it was going, it stopped, laid his ears back, put his tail between his legs and began howling and barking hysterically.

Whether it was something he had trained the dog to do or if it could sense something I don´t know but it was scary back then.

Well, Freyja, never known you to be scared of anything so far...:lol:

I am told by many that animals have a sense of hearing and smell that is much better than human, thats why I cannot get job at the airport sniffing luggage, always got beaten to it by a dog! :roll::roll::roll:

We had many instances that when death occurs at a certain place, and the nature of death is rather gruesome, people tend to have an aversion or fear of the unknown.

Here in the hospitals , we nurses have this thing about patient dying- when a patient in a ward dies, 2 other patients will somehow die too, wuithin a short time. I remember Opa Brit telling me that it happens at where he is staying... and we also believe, somewhat strangely, that if a patient is gravely (no pun intended) ill, we should switched beds, otherwise the one that occupys that bed will die instead. Seems stupid to say, but it has happened, for some unknown reason.

 

[captiva303]

As for the number 13, these number is really puzzling- some people says it brings them luck, some says otherwise. I heard that even int eh Concorde seating arrangement, there is no number 13- can anybody confirm this?

I think that is true. It is still common practice for hotels to have no room 13 they either skip it and lose it between floors. Or in older hotels they just have 12a and 12b.

 

[viper2007]

I think that is true. It is still common practice for hotels to have no room 13 they either skip it and lose it between floors. Or in older hotels they just have 12a and 12b.

well it happened here too, in the hospitals- there is no bed no 13, there is no ward 13, there is no room 13. Kinda universal there, too, yes?

 

[I3BrigPvSk]

Those things that you've mentioned are rather the same in most European countries, does it not, 13. I would think they would be the same in the US, too.

For us Asians, hanging a mirror or a dried seahorse is suppose to attarct good fortune to the residence.

As for the number 13, these number is really puzzling- some people says it brings them luck, some says otherwise. I heard that even int eh Concorde seating arrangement, there is no number 13- can anybody confirm this?

Ghost stories...? It would seemed that in Asia, there is no shortage of it... I will come to that later...

Yes, Viper. The immigrants brought the superstition about the number 13 from Europe to both the US and Canada. The history about the number goes back to the actions toward the knights’ templar when the French king Philip and the pope decided to end their power, on the Friday, October the 13th, 1307 something really bad happened to the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Salomon

 

[viper2007]

Yes, Viper. The immigrants brought the superstition about the number 13 from Europe to both the US and Canada. The history about the number goes back to the actions toward the knights’ templar when the French king Philip and the pope decided to end their power, on the Friday, October the 13th, 1307 something really bad happened to the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Salomon

Oh, ok, a bit of history lesson for the benefit of the uneducated (me!).

As for ghost stories, well....- it is a bit difficult to say this, but sometimes... well, let me put it thi way- you only knew you've had a supernatural encounter till it is all over, you know... Maybe it is a good thing, too- I would probably freak out if I knew I was talking to a ghost or something out of this world... Even if it a ghost that comes up to you and tell you that it IS a ghost, who would have believed it?

I've had some encounters that I, myself, am not sure if it is the real McCoy, if you know what I mean... I'll relate you one-

I was stationed in the Burns Unit in the Singapore General Hospital many years back. At that time, half the unit was closed for renovation and upgrading works. Naturally that section would be sealed off to prevent unauthorised access. And as per requirement, contractors were required to turn off the power supply when they called it quits for the day...

Imagine to our surprise, one night, when the patient call bell alarm went off to one of the room in that section, the one under renovation. I remembered there were ten of us on dutythat night. When that happened, we sort of looked at one another, all with bewildered looks. One of the RNs said that one of us should go investigate. This is where it got funny, in a dark sort of way... I asked one of the student nurses to go and check. She went like, why me?

I told her, poker faced, that the Government has invested lots of money to ensure that we, the RNs, are trained in our field of expertise, so it would wasteful if anything were to happen to us,as compared to a student nurse. She went like, that is the worst bullsh!t I've heard. I told her, in return, that as a student nurse, she has to take instructions from a senior. All the other RNs concur o this... Anyway, I told her that whatever happens, we will be behind her in this, no matter what (yeah, right!)

She went in, we followed behind her, from a respectable distance, like 10 metres away... True enough, the power supply were cut off, we just could not explained the situation...

The next morning, this matter was raised to the contractors, who promptly laughed at us, saying that no way that can happened as there is no electrical supply... They even showed us...

How do you explained that?

What happened to that student, who was so unwilling to carry out instructions of her senior? As a punishment, I married her...:rock:

 

[I3BrigPvSk]

Oh, ok, a bit of history lesson for the benefit of the uneducated (me!).

As for ghost stories, well....- it is a bit difficult to say this, but sometimes... well, let me put it thi way- you only knew you've had a supernatural encounter till it is all over, you know... Maybe it is a good thing, too- I would probably freak out if I knew I was talking to a ghost or something out of this world... Even if it a ghost that comes up to you and tell you that it IS a ghost, who would have believed it?

I've had some encounters that I, myself, am not sure if it is the real McCoy, if you know what I mean... I'll relate you one-

I was stationed in the Burns Unit in the Singapore General Hospital many years back. At that time, half the unit was closed for renovation and upgrading works. Naturally that section would be sealed off to prevent unauthorised access. And as per requirement, contractors were required to turn off the power supply when they called it quits for the day...

Imagine to our surprise, one night, when the patient call bell alarm went off to one of the room in that section, the one under renovation. I remembered there were ten of us on dutythat night. When that happened, we sort of looked at one another, all with bewildered looks. One of the RNs said that one of us should go investigate. This is where it got funny, in a dark sort of way... I asked one of the student nurses to go and check. She went like, why me?

I told her, poker faced, that the Government has invested lots of money to ensure that we, the RNs, are trained in our field of expertise, so it would wasteful if anything were to happen to us,as compared to a student nurse. She went like, that is the worst bullsh!t I've heard. I told her, in return, that as a student nurse, she has to take instructions from a senior. All the other RNs concur o this... Anyway, I told her that whatever happens, we will be behind her in this, no matter what (yeah, right!)

She went in, we followed behind her, from a respectable distance, like 10 metres away... True enough, the power supply were cut off, we just could not explained the situation...

The next morning, this matter was raised to the contractors, who promptly laughed at us, saying that no way that can happened as there is no electrical supply... They even showed us...

How do you explained that?

What happened to that student, who was so unwilling to carry out instructions of her senior? As a punishment, I married her...:rock:

Perhaps there is something out there we don't know anything about. I really like to watch these dramatizations of real ghost encounters. I have been to many so called haunted places and experienced nothing, perhaps a ghost can be standing if front of me and I don't see nor notice it. I don't judge you, Viper. Perhaps you had a close encounter with something there.

You married her? Were you possessed? Hahah

 

[viper2007]

Perhaps there is something out there we don't know anything about. I really like to watch these dramatizations of real ghost encounters. I have been to many so called haunted places and experienced nothing, perhaps a ghost can be standing if front of me and I don't see nor notice it. I don't judge you, Viper. Perhaps you had a close encounter with something there.

You married her? Were you possessed? Hahah

Like I said, 13, you don't know what you've encountered until it is all over...

Older folks like to tell us, don't go wondering around in the dark alone, if you can, and if you must, always carry something metallic or fire. I suppose this is to ward off evil stuff... Whether you actually believe it or otherwise, it is up to the individual...

When a child is born, it is customary for the Malay husband to take the placenta and cleaned it. The placenta would then be buried. It is believed that, in doing so, the bond between child, mother and father would be stronger...

Does the Europeans and US have rituals in regards to a newborn child...?

And yes, 13, you might say I am possessed when I married her- charmed by her personality...

 

[I3BrigPvSk]

Like I said, 13, you don't know what you've encountered until it is all over...

Older folks like to tell us, don't go wondering around in the dark alone, if you can, and if you must, always carry something metallic or fire. I suppose this is to ward off evil stuff... Whether you actually believe it or otherwise, it is up to the individual...

When a child is born, it is customary for the Malay husband to take the placenta and cleaned it. The placenta would then be buried. It is believed that, in doing so, the bond between child, mother and father would be stronger...

Does the Europeans and US have rituals in regards to a newborn child...?

And yes, 13, you might say I am possessed when I married her- charmed by her personality...

I apologize, Viper. I am sure you love and adore your wife.

If we have rituals to a new born? The baptism, but that's later. What I am thinking of is to smoking a cigar

 

[pixiedustboo]

One of my mums favourites was, "Singing at your meals will bring trouble to your heels." Who the hell sings while they eat???

Um... Guilty. It's like a Disney soundtrack when my moms side of the family gets together.


When I was growing up I was always told that you had to wait an hour after eating to go swimming. The hour after meals was the longest period of time in my life.


And I don't know if this counts as an "old wives tale," but when I was young my friends would tell me not to say "Bloody Mary" into the mirror with the lights off...to this day my heart jumps if I see my refelection in the mirror in the dark. I'm going to turn on another light as I write this.

 

[Freyja]

When a child is born, it is customary for the Malay husband to take the placenta and cleaned it. The placenta would then be buried. It is believed that, in doing so, the bond between child, mother and father would be stronger...

Does the Europeans and US have rituals in regards to a newborn child...?

There are some who take the placenta home and bury it in the garden and then plant an ash because it is the tree of life according to Norse mythology and the placenta blood vessels are called the tree of life.

Until 1754 it was in Denmark determined by law that after a childbirth the woman had to be reintroduced into the church, which took place about six weeks after birth. There are some Christian women who choose to do so voluntarily today.

 

[Freyja]

Flags Flying at Half Mast.

....is a tradition in many countries, when someone has died.
But did you know that it originates from old superstition?

It is believed to originate from the 1300-century sailors. As always, life at sea was filled with dangers, and many died along the way.

The reason that sailors had the flag flying at half, was that there should be space for the invisible flag of death. If they did not, they could expect more deaths in the near future.

But maybe the explanation is that back then flagging was the only way to communicate with other ships. So by flying the the flag at half mast other ships knew someone had died.