Do You Believe in Supertitions?
do you ever wonder why people don’t’n walk under ladders or don’t umbrellas insinde thes house? Many people believe in such superstitions. Some superstitions are so old that we do not know how they started or where they came from. Actually, historians believe that superstitions have existed as long as people. Thousands of years ago people did not always understand why certain things happens, so they must have invented ways to explain them. Many of these epplanations have survived thourgh the ages, and people act in certain ways because of some long-forgootten beliefs.
Walking under a Ladder
One old belief is that if you walk under a ladder, bad luck will follow. To prevent this from happening, you must quickly cross your fingers and make a wish. Historians say that this superstition may have started because a ladder lrnding against a wall froms a triangular shape. The triangle is considered the symbol representing the Holy Trinity in Christian religions. So walking through a triangle seemed to ignire its sacredness.
The Unlucky number thirteen
In some countries, the number thirteen does not exist in addresses. The address 12 is often followed by number 12, and then by 14. Many buildings in the United States do not have a floor labeled 13, and the buttons on elevators skip the number thirteen. Some people will not buy or use anything that has the number on it Historians guess that the origin of number thirteen’s unlucky reputation could be based on the Bible. Thirteen represents the number of people present at the Last Supper before Christ was put to death.
Breaking a Mirror
According to another belief, breking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. If a mirror breaks, you must take the pieces out of the house quickly abd bury them. Before the invention of mirrors, people must have first seen their own images in water. If a person’s image was distorted by the water, it ment that bad luck would follow. When glass mirrors came into use, the bad luck became associated with breking a mirror, rather than with the movement of water. It was believed than the person’s image was shattered when the mirror broke. Historians think that the number seven might have come from a Romans though that a person’s body renews itself every seven years.
Knocking on Wood
Knocking on Wood three times is supposed to keep your luck from truning bad. This superstition was traced to ancient times when people believe gods lived in trees. People believe they were touching magic when they touched wood.
Getting out of Bed on the Wrong Side
Getting out of bed on the left side in supposed to make a person’s entrie day unhappy You must rise from the right side of the bed and put your right foot down first. The origin of this superstition must have been the ancient belief that right was good and left was bed.