Superstitions for Lovers and Marriage

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For a girl to meet her sweetheart or to kiss him for the first time under the light of a new moon is considered to be exceptionally lucky, for it means that she will soon become his bride, that their marriage will be blessed with undying love, and that neither of them will know the pinch of poverty. It is also a good omen if, when thinking of her lover, a maiden should hear a cock crow, for it forebodes an early wedding. The same is indicated if, when she is in love, she should fall upstairs.

If it, is possible, the meeting-place of lovers should be upon a hillside, especially where there is heather, near a stream or river, on the seashore, or in the heart of a wood, for then, it is said, neither will deceive the other but will for ever remain constant. Poplar trees, however, should always be avoided.

When writing a letter to a sweetheart it is lucky to complete it just as the clock strikes the hour of midnight, and to post the missive while the full moon is shedding its soft light over the housetops. When you are walking with the one you love, it is said to be particularly fortunate if you meet either a black cat or a white home or pony.

The best time for an offer of marriage to be made is on a Friday evening, and the engagement should be announced on the Saturday. Blue is notably the best colour for lovers, and the turquoise is their lucky stone. At one time a broken sixpence, of which the man and the girl each kept a piece, was said to ensure that they would never part; and the possession of a lock of the other's hair, tied to form a lovers' knot, was also an assurance of lasting affection.

The superstition has arisen that betrothed persons should not be photographed together, else they will soon be doomed to part, or their marriage will be an unhappy one. Quarrels and inconstancy are near at hand if sweethearts should look together through glass at the new moon. It is unlucky for the banks of canals or ponds, for bridges, valleys or, worst of all, cross-roads to be used as trysting-places, for in such circumstances love and respect are liable to turn to hate and bitter scorn.

Those who wish their love affairs to run smoothly should avoid meeting each other on the stairs, and should on no account kiss or embrace there. Discord is predicted, too, if sweethearts write love letters in ink of any colour other than blue, or in pencil. Should kisses, in the form of crosses, be made at the end of the letter, their number should not be four, seven, or thirteen; three is the luckiest number, and this modest amount is just as sure a sign of love and affection as the swarm of crosses that some people seem to find necessary.

It is unlucky for love letters to be posted either on Christmas Day or on February 29, which occurs once in four years. Great care should be taken not to drop a letter to your sweetheart when you are taking it to the post, for, if you do, the next time you meet you will quarrel. Remember that it is unlucky to receive a pair of gloves as a gift from your lover, for it means a parting; the same applies to a brooch or a knife, but it is said that the ill luck may be warded off if a small coin is given in exchange.

It is very unlucky for a girl to try on her wedding-ring before the ceremony, for it often results in a sudden termination of the engagement or in an unhappy marriage. To lose an engagement ring or wedding-ring is just as ominous, foretelling a break.

The following is the language of rings, and applies both to a man and a woman.

Ring on the first finger of the left hand I want to be married.
Ring on the second finger of the left hand I prefer platonic friendship.
Ring on the third finger of the left hand I am engaged or married.
Ring on the fourth, or little finger of the left hand I never intend to marry.

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TO FIND WHEN YOU WILL WED
The Pea-pod.-Take a pea-pod in which there are nine peas, and suspend it over the doorway by means of a white thread. If the next person who enters by the same door is not a member of the family and is a bachelor or spinster, then your wedding will take place in not more than a year's time.

The Red Rose.-Pluck a full-blown red rose during the month of June not later than seven o'clock in the morning, and place it in a white envelope. Seal the envelope with wax, and make an impression on the wax with the third finger of your left hand. Now place the envelope under your pillow and carefully note your dreams on the following night. If you dream of water, fields, flowers, mountains, glass, children, parents, organ music, silver, or the moon, you will be married within a year. If in your dreams you see giants, animals, birds, fishes, paper, a looking-glass or the sun, you will wait five years for your wedding. To dream of gold, bells, reptiles, storms or soldiers is unlucky in these circumstances, for it means that you will probably remain a spinster.

The Hair and the Ring.-Take a long hair from your own or someone else's head and pass it through a wedding-ring of gold. Hold the hair, with the ring suspended, between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and place your elbow upon the table. Now gently lower the ring until it hangs below the rim and in the centre of an empty tumbler, keeping your hand and arm perfectly still. If the ring does not move at all, it will be long before you marry. But if the ring sways to and fro, and knocks against the side of the glass, you must count the number of times it does so in the space of five minutes and subtract from the total the number of letters in your Christian name and surname; this will give you the number of years which will elapse before you marry. Should the number result in a minus quantity, your wedding will take place within a year.

The Playing-cards.-To find who, among a company of women, will be the first to marry, deal round an ordinary pack of playingcards face upwards. The one who receives the king of hearts will be the first to wed. For men the queen of hearts is the significant card. Any odd number of persons, such as three, five or seven must stand in a circle, at the centre of which is placed a well-shuffled pack of cards in a bag or box. Each member of the company must in turn draw a card until the pack is exhausted. The one who draws the ace of hearts will be the first to marry; the one who holds the two of clubs will be the last to find a husband; while the one who holds the ace of spades will never wed at all.

The Cuckoo.-When you hear a cuckoo for the first time in the year, quote aloud: Cuckoo, Cuckoo, answer me true This question that I'm asking you; I beg that truly you'll tell me In how many years I'll married be. The number of times which the cuckoo replies is declared to represent the number of years that will elapse before you marry.

The Mirror and the Moon.-The following ceremony should be practised, for preference, on Christmas Eve or Night. Borrow a man's silk handkerchief and take it, together with a mirror, to a pond, lake or stream, and wait, alone, until the moon begins to rise. As soon as the moon rises high enough, turn your back to the water and hold the mirror upwards in such a manner that it reflects not only the moon itself but also the moon's reflection in the water. Now place the silk handkerchief over your face and count the number of moons which you see in the mirror. If there are only two, more than a year will elapse before you wed, but if there are more than two, the total number represents the months that will elapse before your marriage.

The Cherry-stones.-Most people are familiar with the ceremony connected with cherry-stones. The number of these on the plate should be counted, while saying, for the first stone, " this year"; the second stone, "next year"; the third stone, " sometime"; the fourth stone, "never." If the number of stones exceeds four, the incantation is repeated. The word or words occurring at the last stone are said to be a prophecy of your fate as regards marriage. In the same way the petals of a daisy may be plucked, while a similar incantation is uttered until the flower is stripped of all its petals.

TO FIND OUT WHOM YOU WILL WED
The Ring and Photograph.-Take a photograph of the one you love and hold before it a ring on the end of a thread. Be careful to keep your hand still. If the ring moves in a circle, you win marry the person in the picture soon and will lead a life of bliss; if the ring moves to and fro, it is unlikely you will marry him. Should the ring not move at all, you are likely to remain single.

The Row of Pins.-On the Eve of St. Agnes, that is to say, on the night before January 21, take a row of pins and pull them out, one after the other. Then stick a pin in your sleeve and you will dream of the one you will marry.

Four-leaf Clover.-If you find a four-leaf clover, place it in your right shoe, and the next bachelor of your aquaintance you meet will become your husband.

The New Moon.-This ceremony must be practised on the first night of the new moon. Open wide the windows of your bedroom and sit down on the window-sill, gazing with unblinking eyes at the moon, and at the same time repeating softly and slowly the following incantation: All hail, Selene, all hail to thee! I prithee, good moon, reveal to me This night to whom I'll wedded be. Then, it is said, that during the night you will dream of your future husband.

Wedding-cake.-Take a small piece of wedding-cake, pass it three times through a wedding-ring and then lay the cake under your pillow. In your dreams that night your future husband will appear to you. Place a small piece of wedding-cake under your pillow and put a borrowed wedding-ring on the third finger of your left hand. Before you retire to bed arrange the shoes which you have worn that day in the shape of a T. Then, it is said, your future husband will appear to you in your dreams.

Cherry-stones.-We have already mentioned how cherry-stones should be counted in order to find out when you will wed. The following incantation may be employed to discover whom you will wed: instead of saying "this year," and so on, say "Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief "; the designation of the last stone, it is declared, will be the rank or calling of your future husband. Another, but less familiar incantation, is "Army, navy, peerage, trade, doctor, divinity, law.

Apple-peel.-Peel an apple carefully, so that the peel does not break, and throw the paring over your left shoulder with your right hand. According to the shape which the peel assumes when it has fallen on to the floor, so will be the initial letter of your future husband's Christian name.

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WEDDING SUPERSTITIONS AND CUSTOMS
Since in the preceding text of this section we have spoken of all manner of spells concerning love, it is appropriate that we should now mention some of the beliefs which are connected with marriage.

The word "wed" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon and means "pledge," since the ceremony consists of each party pledging or promising to abide by certain rules, which are made to ensure their ultimate happiness. It is natural that such a solemn occasion should give rise to certain symbolical acts, and that many things connected with it should be based on traditional superstition-the aim always being to ensure that nothing should be done which would be likely to hinder the good fortune of the parties concerned. June is the most favoured marriage month, although most people are probably in ignorance as to the reason for this. It is because the month was dedicated to Juno, the wife of Jupiter, the supreme deity in Roman mythology. She was regarded as the patroness of marriage, and especially as the protector of women. The Romans had a saying that weddings in June were " Good to the man and happy to the maid." Since Roman times, May has been considered an unlucky marriage month.

The wedding day is not particularly stipulated by custom, except that Sunday, of course, is not popular. Friday has evil associations for Christians, seeing that it was the day of our Lord's crucifixion, and also, according to tradition, the day on which Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. To the Norsemen, however, Friday was the luckiest day of the week, while the Romans dedicated it to Venus, the goddess of beauty and worldly love. For some reason few people care to be married on a Monday, and preference is usually shown either for a Wednesday or a Saturday. There is an old rhyme concerning weddings which goes as follows:

Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday the best day of all; Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, Saturday for no luck at all.

In order to ensure wedded bliss, the bridal trousseau, with the exception of the gown, was formerly cut out and sewn by the bride herself. The bridal gown was usually made by her friends. They would sew into the hem, or one of the folds, hairs from their own heads, for this was believed to be a means of bringing about their own marriage within a short time.

Because it is the emblem of purity, candour and simplicity, white is decreed to be the correct colour for the bride to wear. The veil worn by the ancient Greek and Roman brides, however, was yellow, and it was made so that it would cover them completely during the ceremony. Green is a colour associated with ill luck, and should not be worn. Blue, as we have mentioned before, is the most fortunate colour for lovers, and the old rhyme decrees that a bride should wear

Something old, something new, Something borrowed, something blue.

The wearing of orange-blossom as a decoration is comparatively recent in England. It was introduced from France about the year 1820, the white blossoms being symbolical of innocence, while the tree which produces them signifies fruitfulness. In the same way the chaplet of flowers worn on the head and the bouquet are used to denote abundance and prosperity. In the Middle Ages ears of corn were worn or carried by the bride.

On the wedding day, lucky is the girl who awakens to the sound of singing birds, for it means that she and her husband will never quarrel, and will for ever remain constant one to another. A spider on the bridal gown or veil is extremely fortunate, for it denotes wealth and plenty. An old practice required that the cat should be fed by the bride before she left for the church, while if it was black and rubbed itself against her legs it was regarded as an exceptionally lucky sign. After taking a final look into the mirror before leaving the house the bride must be careful to add something to her attire, such as gloves; or else, it is said, the marriage win be attended by extremely bad luck.

The bride must not cry before her wedding, for it is not an auspicious omen. On the way to church it is unlucky to meet with a funeral procession; but to see a lamb, a toad, a dove, or a spider on the way is very fortunate. The church should be entered with the right foot first, while to stumble is considered an omen of evil. To ensure happiness the bride and bridegroom should smile at one another when they meet at the altar.

The bridegroom is not subject to many superstitions, although he must be careful not to see his bride on the day of the wedding, before the ceremony takes place, or at any rate not to see her in her bridal clothes until she meets him at the altar. For this reason he should keep his back turned while she is coming up the aisle. Once he has set out for the church, the bridegroom must not turn back; if he finds he has left anything behind he must send back the "best man",or another friend to fetch it. He should take care not to drop the ring, and must ensure that he places it as far down as possible on the finger of the bride. If he fails to do this it is taken to be a sign of an early parting, while if the bride has to assist him in putting on the ring it will be she who rules the home.

His groomsmen, or bridegroom-men as they were formerly called, are a survival of the times when marriage was made by capture, and he who wanted a wife would set out with a sturdy band of followers to assist him in snatching the maiden from the midst of her people. His best man, of course, would be ever at his side to help him in the actual capture.

The ring has a history so ancient that it is impossible to trace. At one time it was probably regarded as a talisman of good luck. Since in former days documents were sealed with signet rings, the giving of a ring by a man to a woman upon his marrying her was symbolical of the bride's reception of the authority of her husband. The plain gold (or platinum) circlet may be said to emblematize the never-ending love and devotion which the man promises to bestow upon the woman of his choice.

According to an ancient belief, the third finger of the left hand is chosen as the "wedding finger," and the one on which the ring is placed, because there is said to be a delicate nerve in this finger which connects it directly with the heart.

Rice or confetti is showered at the bride and bridegroom on leaving the church. The rice is derived from an Indian custom connected with the throwing of wheat ears, which was once the practice in our country. It is yet another of those symbolical acts at a wedding which are meant to ensure fruitfulness and plenty for the happy couple. Confetti is used because it is less dangerous to the face and eyes than the hard grains of rice.

After the ceremony, the bridesmaids usually compete among themselves to obtain a sprig of the bride's bouquet, for the first one to do so is said to be she who will marry soonest. Those who seek the honour of being a bridesmaid, however, should remember the old saw "Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride." Should a bridesmaid be older than the bride she must remember to wear something green, otherwise, it is declared, she win never succeed in finding a husband.

At the reception the wedding-cake forms the chief feature of the feast provided, and this has its origin in the days of the Romans. But the cake such as the ancients ate on these occasions was very unlike the elaborate and almond-pasted confection that is seen to-day. It was originally made of flour, water and salt, and the couple partook of it in the belief that this symbolical act would ensure that they would never know want. Ornament and icing were introduced about the time of Charles 11.

To refuse to eat a piece of wedding-cake means that you wish ill of the bride. There is a superstition that the health of the bride must be drunk in wine, spirits or beer. To drink it in a "soft " drink such as lemonade or water is declared to bring her much ill fortune and many troubles.

Sometimes, when the bride is going, upstairs to prepare for the honeymoon journey, she will throw one of her shoes over her left shoulder, and it is said that the one who catches the shoe will be the first to marry.

When changing her clothes, the bride should be careful to remove all pins which were used in her marriage gown or veil, and to give them to her friends or throw them away. If she uses any of them in her going-away dress or costume, it is said that ill luck will attend her, and that the honeymoon will not be a happy one.

Throwing an old shoe at the bride and bridegroom, or, more usually, attaching one to the car in which they drive away, probably had its origin in the days when an Anglo-Saxon father gave the bride's shoe to the bridegroom, who touched her with it upon the head as an emblem of his authority. Some say, however, that the throwing of a shoe is a survival of the time when marriage was made by force, and the bride was carried off amid acts of violence.

The honeymoon is so named because the Teutons would celebrate a wedding by drinking mead, a beverage made from honey, for thirty days after the event-the bride and bridegroom taking part in the merrymaking. The young couple must be careful not to break anything while on their honeymoon, especially a mirror. Occasional quarrels during this period are not considered unlucky, it being a superstition that they ensure a harmonious and happy future. The bride may now wear the fateful green, for it is said to bring her good fortune and much love at this time.

The homecoming is not attended by a great deal of superstitious custom to-day. There is a Scottish custom that the bride should be carried across the threshold of her new home while her mother-in- law breaks shortbread over her head. There is also an old custom of pouring boiling water over the threshold before a bride enters her house. In some countries it was thought to be lucky if the newlywed bride placed dough on the door of her house, as an indication that she, in future, would be the housekeeper. In Ireland a cake made of oats is broken over the wife's head in order to ensure that the married couple will never part