Superstitions

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Superstitions

Superstitions.
Dina Fagoth
Language Arts
P. 3 / 8th
Background
A superstition is a traditional belief that a certain action or event can
cause or foretell an apparently unrelated event. Superstitions ensure that a person
will pass safely from one stage of life to the next. Many of them involve
someone taking deliberate action to cause something to happen or to prevent
something from occurring.
Some superstitions go back almost to the very beginning of human life on
Earth. Most of them come from ancient Europe and Egypt. There is no scientific
basis for superstitions. Yet, they continually are being passed on from generation
to generation. Almost everybody clings on to a few of them.
Before bad luck strikes, there are plenty of things, or good luck charms,
that can be used to prevent the bad luck. One, which is probably the most
common, is a rabbit’s foot. This is because the fast reproduction of the rabbits is
considered as wealth. Another good luck charm is the four-leaf clover. It is very
unusual to find one in a field of clovers. So whoever found a four leaf clover
was thought to be very lucky.
The crossing of the fingers, which is probably familiar to all, is supposedly
good luck. This is because it is said to trap the evil inside where the fingers
cross and prevent them from hurting you. Another sign is the circle by bringing
the thumb and forefinger together. The enclosing of a circle with the forefinger
and the thumb means everlasting life because a circle has no beginning or end and
it is believed to enclose luck. For instance, the wedding ring stands for a long
and happy marriage.
Knocking on wood is something probably very well known but many
people do not understand the meaning of it. Many don’t know where it originated
from. The idea of knocking on wood goes back to the early days when people
thought gods lived in trees. Thus, when the person knocked on wood they were
asking the god-spirit inside to see that luck stays with them. Iron is said to be
even luckier than wood. Since it was used for various objects like tools, people
thought it was 1endowed with magic. Bent nails and pins are also considered
lucky like in the saying:
“See a pin, and pick it up, all the day, you’ll have good luck.
“See a pin, and let it lie, you’ll want a pin before you die.”
II. Types
Countless activities are involved in superstitions. For example, eating,
sleeping, working, playing, marriage, children, sickness, and dying ...

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