For some reason, black cats are associated with bad luck and misfortune by many people. And, of course, it is not the only animal that is the subject of human superstition. Various rumors have circulated over the centuries about different animals. In some cases, the reasons for the birth of the superstition are clear. But from a modern perspective, it is sometimes difficult to understand why our ancient ancestors came to fear certain animals. A few such examples are.
The relationship with cats
Black cats did not have an easy life in ancient times. People thought of them as dark forces, helpers of witches, or simply “evil” creatures. However, when, for example, a kitty-cat was seen at a wedding feast, people considered it a sign of good luck! Interesting. Cats are also said to have nine lives . This may have arisen because people did not have as much knowledge about cats in ancient rural settings as they do today. In ancient times many cats roamed about and were more feral. Occasionally, of course, some of them went missing. And after a while, they were replaced by one that looked a lot like them. Then that one came to be seen by people as the “next life” of the original one. The superstition of nine lives may have arisen simply because cats are very agile, quick, and resilient animals. They can “crawl” on their own somewhere hidden, even after many illnesses and injuries, and return home after a short time.
“Good” and “bad” birds
Feathered birds have different relationships with humans. It varies by behavior and appearance. Magpies are said to “darkly cry” from the woods in the evening, warning of death. It is a truly mournful cry. More popular is the lark . People have observed its behavior in nature and what this behavior signals. When these birds begin to move in flocks (to stay warm), “winter is just around the corner. In the spring they start singing early again. So they “must chirp even if it is freezing. Everyone probably knows the superstition that storks carry offspring. Since time immemorial, people have associated the arrival of this bird with the coming of spring and the end of winter. It is said that the Celts loved to see storks. It was believed that the first person to see a stork in the spring would have a happy and successful year.
The “ugly”
things like fox-likemothswith death\’s head are obvious. It is understandable that they “carry death on their wings. Their bodies have ominous spots that look like skulls. 34]Newtswere thought to be messengers of the devil, harming livestock and spoiling milk. It was believed that the presence of newts in the house would cause bad dreams. People observed that the skin of newts was poisonous. Of course, they considered newts dangerous. For example, spiders are also not very beautiful, but they bring good luck to the house. They get caught in the spider\’s web!
