Where did the signs come from about a black cat, a woman with an empty bucket, Friday the 13th, spilled salt, sitting on the path, taking out the trash in the evening, a broken mirror, a whistle in the house, eating with a knife, passing through

Historical reference

A black cat did not always cause fear and attempts to avoid meeting it. In Ancient Egypt, these animals were revered and worshiped. People believed that a dark cat brings good luck and is a good sign. The Egyptians believed that the animal was sent by the gods, showing their affection for people.

In the countries of Southern Europe, people thought that a pet protected the inhabitants of the house from evil spirits and negativity. Residents of Mexico also viewed black cats favorably, as they believed they brought good luck.

The ancient Slavs also equated animals with this color to a talisman. Therefore, coal cats were always introduced into a new house first, so that they would make friends with the brownie living there. This tradition was observed so that people in the new place could live peacefully and there would be no quarrels. Cats were protection from robbers and the evil eye or damage. They were also noted as the best mouse catchers.

The origin of negative superstitions about black cats dates back to the Middle Ages, when witch hunts arose. It was believed that animals were their mascot. Cats with green eyes were especially noted; according to people, they had demonic powers.

The sign of sitting on the path - where did it come from?

• We are all familiar with the ancient custom of sitting down and being silent before a long journey, at least for half a minute.
• This tradition is widespread among our compatriots - Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and is completely unfamiliar to Westerners.
• Where did the sign of sitting on the path come from and what does it mean?

So:

• They did this as if asking permission to leave their home for a while from the brownie - the owner of the house, with whom it was fraught with danger.
• In this way , the evil forces were deceived so that they would not follow along and spoil the trip - we, they say, are not going anywhere, we are just relaxing.
• With the adoption of Christianity in Rus', travelers devoted a few minutes to prayer before the road, and in times of godlessness, they began to observe only external attributes - they sat down on the path.
• A purely practical, useful application of this sign: in peace and quiet, calmly think about whether all your work has been completed, whether you have taken everything you need for the journey, so as not to return halfway - this is also a very bad omen!

On the path
Thus, the habit of sitting on the path has not only ancient mystical roots, but also a completely reasonable modern explanation, which is why it lives among the people. It is observed not only by people of the older generation, but also by young people, who are far from ancient superstitions.

Black Cat Day

Thanks to activists in Italy, in 2007 “Black Cat Day” was included in the calendar, which is celebrated in mid-November - on the 17th. A local animal rights organization noted that because of their color, they are the most vulnerable and at risk of being killed.

According to statistics, approximately 1,500 cats die per year, and 60 thousand disappear. Moreover, November accounts for the largest number of incidents.

Black chausie

Where did the sign about an empty bucket come from?

• The full version of this superstition says that meeting a woman with an empty bucket in the first half of the day means misfortune, breakdowns, and financial losses. This sign is so strong that superstitious people extend it to other cases. If the meeting took place after lunch, there was a man or a child with the buckets, the person with the empty bucket was not met on the way, but was simply taken out of the window, etc.
• Where did the sign come from? Superstition arose in Ancient India, where a woman personified the active consumption of energy, its capture. Having an empty vessel (bucket) with her, she was preparing to intercept someone else's energy, luck, and vitality. Well, the first half of the day is obvious - this is the time to implement plans for the day and expend energy.

In the morning - to failure.
Thus, having met a woman with an empty bucket, you can:

• face the collapse of your desires
• ruin even a successfully started business
• get into an accident or get injured
• encounter many small failures throughout the day

It is worth noting that in the classical version, a man with an empty bucket, on the contrary, brings good luck. It’s also a good idea to just watch a woman with empty buckets from a balcony or window. This means the development of a new stage in life. But simply leaving an empty bucket in the hallway is also fraught with financial losses.

Ancient negative signs

One of the oldest and most popular signs is the situation when a black cat ran across the road. Superstitious people associate this with a bad sign, and try to scare away bad luck by spitting three times over the shoulder.

However, there were other signs associated with animals of this color. For example, if a black cat appears near the house, one of the family members will get sick. The same applies to dreams on Christmas Eve in which an animal appears.

Another superstition says that during a thunderstorm the cat should be thrown out into the yard, as lightning can strike the home. Small children were forbidden to pet a black cat, as they might then stop growing.

The sign about spilled salt: where did it come from?

• Where did the sign about spilled salt come from ? This sign is of purely domestic origin, although at the time of its occurrence such conditions also existed in Western Europe. Old Russian peasants, and even city dwellers, attached great importance to the presence of salt in the house.
• At the same time, it must be taken into account that Rus' had almost no salt production, and few mining sites were far away. Salt was transported in special caravans; strong guards had to be hired to protect themselves from robbers. And the state imposed a huge tax on the mined salt, which is why it was worth almost its weight in gold.
• From this it is clear that spilling expensive salt was a serious offense, which could be followed by serious punishment of a household member or servant, or a quarrel with the one who did it. At the same time, the owner of the house, if he saw that the damage was small and everything happened by accident, would throw a small pinch of salt over his shoulder, as if saying that the incident was over.
• And the worst insult to the owner of the house was deliberately overturning the salt shaker and spilling the salt. This threatened not only a quarrel, but also mortal enmity.

To a quarrel

Modern signs of different countries

Each country has its own signs associated with the coal cat.

What is the point, if a kitten gets lost or someone else’s owner comes, is it worth getting one?

• If you notice that a black kitten is following you on the way home, or you find a foundling under your door, you should not drive the animal away, otherwise luck will turn away from you. If for some reason you do not have the opportunity to shelter a cat at home, do not leave it on the street, but be sure to find a home where it will be taken care of.
• If you decide to give shelter to an animal, expect good news. The cat will help clear karma and also attract happiness and love into the home.
• However, if someone else’s black cat runs into your home, drive him out of your home to avoid misfortunes and in the future be attentive to life circumstances.

We recommend: Fluffy happiness. Signs about a tricolor cat in the house and more

What does it bring if the cat is killed or died?

• Great luck awaits the one whose house the black cat entered on its own; now he will protect the home from thieves and scammers and will attract wealth.
• A cat that comes into the house of a lonely person will help you find a soul mate. Its appearance contributes to the harmonization of relationships in any family and strengthens marriage.
• In Rus', it was believed that if a black cat enters a home first, it will quickly become friends with the brownie, which will have a beneficial effect on the bioenergy of the house and its residents.
• The black cat will protect your family from the evil eye and damage the entire time that it lives with you.
  The sudden death of a cat or its disappearance indicates that the animal sacrificed itself by taking on too much negativity. It is believed that after this the family will have a bright streak in life.

Ritual with a black cat

An ancient belief says that an animal can bring prosperity to a person if a simple ritual is performed. It requires a black cat without white spots, and bring it to the crossroads on a moonless night. One of the roads should lead to the cemetery.

Standing in the center, you need to make the animal meow. A stranger will come to his call and offer to buy a coal cat, giving an irredeemable ruble for it. After this, no matter how much money is spent, this coin will remain with the owner.

Knock on wood, a sign: where did it come from?

• This sign is very ancient, widespread, international. Different peoples have different details, for example, some knock on wood three times, for others the number of hits does not matter. Others simply touch the wood with their fingers.
• Some recognize only oak, others knock on any tree.
• There are so many peoples and so many opinions. However, everyone has the same meaning of this knock: “So as not to jinx it!” Why do we do this and where did the sign of knocking on wood come from?
• It is known that trees have been endowed with magical powers since ancient times and served as the abode of various spirits.

The following differences can be distinguished:

• Western Europeans, especially in Germany, considered trees to be the abode of fairies who could help against evil forces.
• In Russia, protective properties were attributed directly to the wood itself, and different tree species served different purposes.
• Oak is especially revered for protection - as a symbol of strength, courage, and reliable protection.
• Some people believe that you can only knock on a living tree, and not on products made from it - a table, a stool, since a dead tree does not provide protection.

From the evil eye
“Pah-pah-pah, so as not to jinx it!” - we say and knock on any wooden object that comes to hand, more out of ingrained habit than for a real call on otherworldly forces.

Folk signs

There are various folk signs among people:

• If you hit an animal with a car, misfortune will accompany the person for three years. And if it was a car with newlyweds, then the new family will quickly fall apart, there will be constant quarrels.
• If a cat crosses the path of a man - from right to left, and a woman - on the contrary, before an important event, then you should postpone it or wait until someone else passes through the animal’s running line.
• If you stroke the eye with barley with the tail of a black cat, the disease will go away.

The sign of giving a watch: where did it come from?

Why is giving a watch a bad omen and where did it come from? This sign is not very common, and it has many variations:

• In ancient China, the characters for hours and death were very similar. Perhaps the sign originates from there. In general, in China people gave watches as an invitation to a funeral. What a joy this gift is!
• In the East, clock hands were associated with sharp objects that were absolutely forbidden to be given as a gift. This was especially true for lovers.
• Spouses were not given watches, as it was believed that the hands counted down the time until their separation.
• Europeans believed that it was impossible to give a watch as a gift, since along with it one’s personal time was transferred and one’s life was shortened.

Shorten life

• The Slavs believed that if you received a watch as a gift, you would bring upon yourself emptiness, troubles and sorrows.
• Nowadays, this sign is gradually losing its relevance. The sharp hands on the clock gave way to an electronic dial. Or maybe the reason is that a good watch is a very good and convenient gift.

If you are afraid of the negative impact of this gift, simply give the giver a small coin of any denomination. This will not mean a gift, but a purchase, which completely nullifies all negative consequences!

Here are a brief summary of the superstitions that you encounter most often. Let everyone decide for themselves whether to comply with them or not. Perhaps the best solution would be to observe external signs, without panicking from the expectation of bad consequences, but also without rejecting ancient wisdom, because many signs have a completely rational background.

Are you interested in signs? Then we advise you to read popular articles about signs:

• Blind woman Nina from the TV series “Blind”
• About the rings
• About cats and kittens
• About cowards
• For newborn boys and girls

Snow-white kitty or cat

An animal of this color is considered to be a healer. At the same time as the snow-colored cat (cat), good luck, happiness and goodness will settle in your apartment. Don't miss the chance given by the Universe, feed your pet and let him stay for as long as he wants.

Valery Grishko from “The Witch Doctor” found happiness with a charming woman: photo

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I make white bread myself: it tastes better than store-bought because of the honey taste

Popular Legends

A black cat is not so much a shade of fur, but a whole image that has ambiguous reflections. Some people worship black cats and say that they bring happiness and joy into their lives, others are afraid that the dark shade of fur is mysticism, magic and a sign of sorcerers.

The Egyptians believed that the furry and tailed ones were sent to us by the goddess Bastet, who personified the light of the sun and moon. It was she who was depicted in illustrations to myths as a woman with a cat's head. Later, black cats began to be identified with Isis and endowed with truly royal power.

In Celtic mythology, the fairy Sith could turn into a cat with a characteristic white spot on her chest. The Greeks identified the mustachioed animal with the goddess of the hunt and attributed to her an unbridled character and courage - like Artemis herself. The Romans revered black cats and considered them messengers of the goddess of earth and fertility. Eastern sages said that there are simply no more important and smarter animals in the world.

Regarding connections with other worlds, here we are not talking about the devil, but about the ability to see and understand more. The Slavs even believed that the black cat emerged from the mitten of the Mother of God herself, guards children, and protects people’s homes from evil spirits. It is for this reason that cats appear in various fairy tales and lullabies.

But for many peoples, a cat, especially a black one, was the personification of misfortunes and troubles. The medieval Vatican declared animals to be the offspring of evil spirits, accomplices of witches, and even issued a bull on this matter. Cats, along with red-haired women, were constantly exterminated. The Middle Ages with their savagery are long gone, but superstitions, which is typical, are still alive.