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Many mountain folk in and around Western North Carolina are Irish-Scotch decent. These mountaineers kept the traditional customs and beliefs of their ancestors who settled in Western North Carolina. The Irish-Scotch brought with them the pilgrims and puritans views of nature and superstitions when they left the British Isles in the 1600's. Isolation in the NC mountains help keep the traditional customs and beliefs in tact. Old Timers seem to focus on planting cycles, weather, pregnancy and religion - the things that were important to them. Here are some of the folk lore and sayings I have heard in the Asheville area over the last 28 years. Old Wives Tales Medicine - Warts, Headaches, Bleeding, Nightmares, Hiccups Note: These are superstitions. These sayings have never been proven to be true. However, I have met mountain folk in the Asheville area who swear these sayings are true. If you first see the new moon in clouds, someone in your family will get sick When you comb your hair, you must not let a bird steal a strand for its nest or you will have headaches all summer To stop bleeding, say a specific verse in the bible . Some people still swear by this method. "The Bible verse to stop bleeding is Ezekial (sp?) 16:6 Paraphrase --- Though I see you awash (drowning) in your own blood, I say to you live ...." from a reader If you are having nightmares, put a bible under your pillow when you sleep, and your nightmares will go away. To get rid of warts, steel someone's dishcloth (used) and bury it, the warts will disappear. Stop Hiccupping by holding your breath, scaring or startling the person with hiccups. Luck It is bad luck to burn sassafras or apple logs in a fireplace Always keep a horseshoe above the front door for good luck to all who live there If your left hand itches you will get some money soon if your right hand itches you will shake hands with a stranger If your ear is burning someone is talking about you If you set the table and accidentally set out an extra fork at a place setting someone is coming hungry. Death If a bird flies in your house, someone will die. Death comes in threes Christmas If you sit under a pine tree on Christmas Eve, angel voices will sing all around you but you will die soon after. The week before Christmas, roosters crow in the middle of the night so the day will come sooner. The dawn comes twice on Christmas day. The plants will bloom Animals will talk New Years Day Its bad luck to see a red haired person on New years day. Never carry ashes out of your house on New Year's day or someone in your house will have bad luck Never sweep your house on New Year's day, or some one will be swept away before next year comes. Dont cut your hair or trim your nails on New Year's day or you cut your fortune.
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Pregnancy Old Wives Tales Pregnancy myths are urban legends, superstitions, folklore and old sayings. They have never been proven to be true. However, I have met mountain folk who live around the Asheville area in the NC mountains who swear these sayings are true. General Barefoot and Pregnant - old saying referring to a poor country woman who was pregnant all the time. Someone in your family will die within 6 months of a birth on being Pregnant If a pregnant woman sees something that scares her, it will mark the baby. If a pregnant woman has a lot of heartburn, the baby will have a lot of hair. When pregnant, never raise your arms above your head, the baby will strangle. the cord will wrap around its neck. If a pregnant woman suffering from morning sickness crawls over the stomach of her husband to get out of bed, she will no longer suffer from morning sickness; her husband will have it. about gender prediction To find out about gender of baby, hold a pendant (charm on a string) over the pregnant women's belly, if it circles side to side it will be a boy, if it goes around in circles it will be a girl. If the pregnant woman gains her weight in the rear it will be a boy, if she gains her weight in front it will be a girl. When I was pregnant their wasn't any sonograms, so I had people come up to me and say your going to have a boy or a girl because I was carrying the weight in front. They never really could agree on it. for Inducing Labor If a pregnant woman is near term, and she starts house cleaning she is getting ready to give birth. She will have the baby within a day or so. Walking near the end of a pregnant woman's term will hasten the birth of the child. Ashevillelist~ |
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I alwayz took the observences in the 2nd post as fact! Never even considered them superstitions til I read this lol The only one I hadn't heard is this one... When pregnant, never raise your arms above your head, the baby will strangle. the cord will wrap around its neck. |
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