Real-life omens and superstitions about animals.
Folk signs about animals will tell you how to handle domestic animals properly and what kind of threat can be caused by encountering one animal or the other. In the past, their behavior predicted the weather as well.
Traditional folk signs about wild animals.
In the past they judged what awaits a person according to the behavior of wild animals and which of them the traveler met. Ancestors believed that they warned of impending troubles and predicted positive events.
So, what are the main superstitions related to wildlife? When a squirrel or a hare jumped out in front of a man on the road in the old days, he returned. This warned the travelers that something was wrong, and when they decided to return home they probably prevented theft, fire or other troubles. When a hare or squirrel crosses the road – it promises misfortune.
If many hares have appeared – the crop will turn out to be bad, especially when they run into the premises. The hare ran into the hut and screamed – this means someone would die in this dwelling. Another omen says that there is no place for mice where rabbits have appeared.
What does it mean if you met a wolf, is it a bad sign? It was believed that a meeting with the wolves does not threaten you with great trouble, funerals. A meeting with this animal, when it has not touched a person and left, brings victory in an important matter. When a wolf crossed the road, success awaits you. The ancestors considered a sign of happiness and luck any meeting with a wolf that did not end with the death of a person, except when the wolf had prey in his teeth. This takes away luck for the time that nature mourns over the dead animal.
When meeting with a wolf, the ancestors greeted it and spoke kindly asking to leave. When the wolf appeared in the village – this predicted bad harvest. In order to drive the predators away, in the past they took the head of the dog killed by the wolves, took it around the entire village and stuck it on the pole that they placed at the entrance to the village.
If a toad has settled in the garden – it is a good omen, do not drive it away. They bring happiness.
If the mole digs inside the dwelling – this action predicts a dead man.
Why do you have rats or mice in the house? Rats and mice appear in homes as a sign of trouble. You should get rid of them immediately, according to signs and superstitions, they drive the owners away. When pests behave noisily, they squeak, this predicts a dead person or to spoil on your poverty.
It was also believed that when mice squeak, a wedding will happen in the house. If the mice are gone, but rats appeared – this means one problem will replace another, and it will be not smaller. Pests leave home before fire.
On the behavior of mice was judged on how prices will begin to change. When they are heard under the ceiling, they will grow, and when you can hear mice under the floor, the prices will fall. Pests spoiled part of the goods, they will be bought out by buyers. When mice spoiled the best product, it was considered a good omen.
Have you encountered a fox? Seeing a fox is a sign of misfortune.
To hear the frog croaking in the house – predicts a deceased person when the frog appears and jumps around the house. To see the first frog in the year with its abdomen up is also a sign of a deceased in the family. To kill it predicts the death of the mother, people believed.
To see a crawling earthworm promises an interesting sight or news.
Traditional folk signs about pets and livestock.
In past centuries, women did not slaughter birds or livestock. This was considered a sinful activity for women, only men were engaged in it.
During cattle slaughter, the person to whom the animal is attached must not be present. Those who loved him are not allowed, the cattle will fight for life, and death will be painful.
When the animal became ill, it was determined whether or not it would make sense to treat the cattle, as follows. They gave it sniff tobacco or pepper. If the animal sneezed — it would recover, if not — they were preparing for death.
Which traditional signs are related to horses? When horses neigh – it is a good omen. But when the horse sniffs the warrior, he faces death. The horse looks dull and sighs – this is a symbol of a long road. When the horse sneezes on your land - the guests are not welcome, the road will be empty; when it happens on stranger’s land – this means a good trip. The horse snorts on the road - to luck and various pleasant incidents. You should not ride cats on a horse – it will lose weight or become ill.
You can not approach the horse when you are afraid, it can hurt you. The animal transporting wool or tobacco will become kind. A horse that was carrying a dead person should not be taken to wedding processions, to parade processions and similar events, and the hives should not be carried by such horse. The horse will yearn and be dull if people do not go to church on it.
What are the traditional superstitions about cows? When the cow calves, they did not give anything from the house, so as not to spoil the offspring. They also acted the same way when a horse delivered a foal or a sheep delivered a lamb. If cows moo all night – this predicts an unpleasant incident. A cow looking through the window - to death in this house. Cows are sold together with a chock. You can’t say how much milk it gives, so as not to jinx it. So that the cows do not yearn for the dead friends, an ax is put in place of death.
If the pig squeals – it causes quarrels. Meeting a pig on the road - there will be no good trip.
Are there any traditional superstitions related to dogs? If the dog broke the window when it was on the street, this means troubles from outside. If the dog was inside when it broke it – there is a problem in the family. Dog digging holes under the windows predict appearance of the dead man. Dog’s howl foreshadowed trouble, fires, illness, and death. It’s bad when a dog howls at the house. When the dog does not want to eat food left by ill person, it means that he will not recover.
A stray dog came into the yard – this portends profit. Dog bites can not be shown - they will begin to heal for a long time.
Traditional weather folk signs associated with animals.
Signs about the weather that are associated with animals come true. They manage to recognize signs of weather changes before people.
When animals go under a canopy, there will be rain. When they are lying in the yard – there will be warm and clear weather.
When there are many hares near human habitation in the fall, winter will be cold and snowy. If they approach the village in the middle of winter – there will be late spring, the cold will last long.
Do snakes make any weather forecast? If snakes appeared early – there will be rainy summer. When in the summer you see a snake in dry places, autumn will appear dry, and in wet spots – it will be rainy.
What are the weather signs and omens about cats? The cat constantly drinks water or tears the walls – there will be rain. These animals rub on something before warm weather. The cat is fast asleep with its belly up – it will be warm. If a cat scratches the floor, trees, door or carpet – this predicts the wind or blizzards.
A horse snores or throws its head up – the weather will worsen. If a horse sleeps lying – there will be clear weather.
You might be interested to find out how animals usually sleep.
When frogs croak loudly near a pond, it will rain hard. They do not start croaking until the first thunder of the year.
Leeches lie at the bottom – there will be good weather, and they rise to the surface of reservoirs before the rain. If leeches behave uneasily – the wind will blow.
Crayfish crawl ashore – there will be rain.
If the pig cries out – there will be bad weather. If it dragged away a broom - to bad weather, disaster. The pig plays or rolls in the mud –it will rain.
If the dog chews grass, it has a decrease in appetite and laziness – it will be rainy. If it is rolling on the ground – the weather will go bad.
Worms crawl out to the surface – sign of rain.
The lizard basks in the sun – the weather will be cooling.
Signs about animals will help determine the weather, plan your actions and find out the future; so it is worth taking a closer look at the smaller brothers.
Sergii Haranenko
