Newfoundland

Entries

• #210

  If you count the boards of the ceiling (loft) in a strange room before going to sleep, you will dream of your lover.

  Newfoundland.
• #280

  If a young woman walking into a strange place picks up three pebbles and puts them under her pillow, she will marry the young man she dreams of.

  Carbonear, N. F.
• #291

  Put a looking-glass under the pillow, and you will dream of your lover.

  Green Harbor, N.F.
• #292

  Tie a true lover’s knot (of shavings) and place it under the pillow. You will dream of your lover, even if at that time he is unknown to you.

  Newfoundland.
• #308

  Shortly before midnight a pure white bowl is procured, that has never been touched by any lips save those of a new-born infant. If it is a woman whose fortune is to be tried (and it generally is) the child must be a male. The bowl is filled with water from a spring-well, after which twenty-six pieces of white paper about an inch square, on each of which must be written one letter of the alphabet, are placed in the bowl with the letters turned downward. These must be dropped in as the clock strikes midnight, or all will fail. All being ready, the maiden interested repeats the lines:—

  Kind fortune, tell me where is he
  Who my future lord shall be;
  From this bowl all that I claim
  Is to know my lover’s name.

  The bowl is then securely locked away, and must not be disturbed till sunrise the following morning, when she is placed before it blindfolded. She then picks out the same number of letters as there are in her own name. After these are all out the bandage is removed from her eyes, and the paper letters spread out before her. She manages them so as to spell a man’s name as best she can with the letters at her disposal. The name thus found will be that of her future husband.

  Trinity and Catalina Bays, N. F.
• #326

  Place an egg in a tumbler on St. John’s Day. The tumbler being half filled with water, an egg is broken into it at early dawn, and it is placed in the window, where it remains untouched till sundown. At that time the broken egg is supposed to have assumed a special shape, in which the ingenious maiden sees dimly outlined the form of her future lord, or some emblem of his calling.

  Newfoundland.
• #368

  If a girl wet her apron in washing, it is a sign that she will have a drunken husband.

  Labrador, Scilly Cove, N. F., and New England.
• #463

  To dream of cod or caplin is a sign of rain

  Newfoundland.
• #464

  To dream of a good catch of fish is a sign of rain.

  Heart’s Content, N. F.
• #470

  To dream of lice is a sign of death.

  New Harbor, N. F.
• #471

  To dream of lice is a sign of enemies.

  Topsail, N. F.
• #477

  Dreaming of (or seeing) rats (numerous) is a sign of death.

  Heart’s Content, N. F.
• #487

  To dream of horses is a sign of wind.

  Topsail, N. F.
• #488

  Dreaming of cows is a sign of a hostile, angry woman.

  Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #494

  To dream of white things is lucky (or sign of death?).

  Newfoundland.
• #495

  Dreaming of white things is a sign of snow in summer.

  Labrador and Newfoundland.
• #496

  Dreaming of working on white cloth is a sign of death.

  Newfoundland.
• #500

  To dream of the dead is a sign of hearing from the living.

  Topsail and New Harbor, N. F.
• #501

  To dream of the dead is a sign of rain.

  New Harbor, N. F.
• #508

  To dream of digging ground, or white potatoes, is a sign of death.

  Harbor Grace, N. F.
• #511

  Dreaming of eggs is a sign of anger; if broken, all over.

  New Harbor, N. F.
• #518

  To dream of fire is a sign of anger.

  Newfoundland and Labrador.
• #527

  It is bad luck or death to dream of naked clinging (climbing?) children.

  Labrador and Newfoundland.
• #536

  To dream of men is lucky.

  Newfoundland.
• #537

  To dream of women is unlucky.

  Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #540

  To dream of snow in spring (May) is a sign of a good catch of fish.

  Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #541

  If a fisherman dreams of its raining, it is a sign of a good catch of fish.

  Green Harbor, N. F.
• #544

  To dream of small change (money) is bad luck.

  Newfoundland.
• #548

  It is death or bad luck to dream of teeth falling out.

  Newfoundland and Northern Ohio.
• #560

  To dream of marriage is a sign of a funeral.

  Topsail and Carbonear, Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #579

  To dream on land of a vessel (with sails set?) is a sign of a funeral.

  Labrador and Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #582

  If you dream the first night you are in a strange bed, your dream will come true. If the dream was of a sweetheart, you will be married.

  Trinity Bay and Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #585

  To dream of a hole worn in a boot is a sign of being sick.

  Newfoundland.
• #586

  To dream of bad boots is unlucky.

  Newfoundland.
• #591

  Dreaming of handling new-made boards is a sign of a coffin. (A carpenter’s notion.)

  Heart’s Content, N. F.
• #598

  Pick up a stone in a strange place and put it under the pillow for three nights. If you dream, it will come true.

  Newfoundland.
• #599

  To dream of being in a new house is a sign of death.

  Harbor Grace, N. F.
• #603

  Dreaming of persons being sick is a sign of being well.

  Newfoundland and New Hampshire.
• #605

  To dream of the devil is a sign of good luck.

  Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #617

  As with the superstitious generally, Friday is a very unlucky day. Housekeepers will prefer paying a quarter’s rent extra to going into a house on that day. It is, of course, most unlucky to be married on it. Wednesday is the day considered most favorable for the purpose.

  Newfoundland.
• #666

  Walking under a ladder is considered very unlucky. In the outposts girls will climb the rockiest cliffs to avoid such a contingency. On one occasion in St. John’s, where a ladder extended across the sidewalk, of one hundred and twenty-seven girls who came along, only six ventured under it, the rest going along the gutter in mud ankle deep.

  Newfoundland.
• #712

  A mare-browed man, that is, one whose eyebrows meet, is unlucky and can cast spells.

  Newfoundland.
• #713

  It is unlucky, when going deer-hunting, to meet a red-haired man.

  Newfoundland.
• #817

  If a fish-hook pierces the hand, stick it three times into wood, in the name of the Trinity, to prevent festering or other evil consequences.

  Newfoundland.
• #820

  To cure nose-bleeding, write the person’s name on the forehead.

  Newfoundland.
• #828

  Sores can be cured by those who possess magical powers going through certain incantations, which are to be followed by applications of oatmeal and vinegar.

  Newfoundland.
• #831

  Toothache may be cured by conjurers, who apply the finger to the aching tooth, while muttering a charm, or tie a number of knots in a fishing line.

  Newfoundland.
• #832

  Toothache may be cured by a written charm, sealed up and worn around the neck of the afflicted person. The following is a copy of the charm:—

  I’ve seen it written a feller was sitten
  On a marvel stone, and our Lord came by,
  And He said to him, “What’s the matter with thee, my man?”
  And he said, “Got the toothache, Marster,”
  And he said, “Follow me and thee shall have no more toothache.”

  Newfoundland.
• #835

  The most powerful charm is a piece of printed paper called “the letter of Jesus Christ.” This, in addition to the well-known letter of Lentulus to the Senate, contains many absurd superstitions, such as the promise of safe delivery in child-bed, and freedom from bodily hurt to those who may possess a copy of it.

  Newfoundland.
• #936

  The first Tuesday after the new moon settles the weather for that quarter.

  Newfoundland.
• #944

  Saturday’s moon comes seven years too soon, and denotes bad weather.

  Newfoundland.
• #945

  Sunday’s sail
  Will never fail.

  Topsail Bay, N. F.
• #961

  Women “cruising,” i. e., visiting about on “pot-days,” especially Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, when people have their best dinner (usually pork and cabbage) in the pot, is a sign of bad weather. But it is also said that it is a sign of mild weather.

  Newfoundland and Labrador.
• #969

  Clocks and watches tick louder before mild weather.

  Scilly Cove, N. F.
• #972

  Fog lying in valleys is a sign of a “civil” day.

  Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #973

  If hoar frost remains after sunrise, the day will be fine; if not, the day will be wet.

  Scilly Cove, N. F.
• #985

  High wind at dawn is a sign of a “civil” (calm) day.

  Newfoundland.
• #986

  Sun’s “hounds” (a sort of halo) before the sun denote dirty weather; after the sun, denote fine weather.

  In Prince Edward Island and the United States these halos are called “sun-dogs,” and are said to be a sign of coming rain.

  Scilly Cove, N. F.
• #987

  Much snow during the winter denotes good crops next year.

  New Harbor, N. F.
• #988

  If the stars are scarce, big, and dull, it portends mild weather in winter. If large and bright, it portends frost in winter.

  Newfoundland.
• #989

  Stars twinkling are a sign of bad weather.

  Labrador and New Harbor, N. F.
• #990

  When the moon is on the back, it denotes weather wet or mild; when on the end, it denotes frost.

  Newfoundland.
• #993

  The moon changing in the west denotes that fine weather will prevail during that moon.

  Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #994

  If the moon changes near midnight there will be fine weather. The nearer to midnight, the finer the weather.

  Conception Bay, N. F.
• #995

  A disk or ring around the moon indicates bad weather (rain or snow).

  Newfoundland.
• #997

  Where there is a ring around the moon, whichever way the ring opens; the wind will blow in. If it does not open there will be fine weather. The bigger the ring the nearer the bad weather.

  Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #998

  If the new moon is of light color, there will be a frost; if it is red, it will be mild for a month.

  Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #999

  The weather of the new moon governs the month’s weather.

  Newfoundland.
• #1000

  The weather of the new moon governs the first quarter and after that remains the same; therefore it governs the first half.

  Conception Bay, N. F.
• #1001

  The moon being red near midnight, with blunted corners or horns, portends mild weather that month. If the corners are white and sharp, there will be frosty weather.

  Conception Bay, N. F.
• #1002

  If there is a star before the moon, the weather will be calm; if the star is behind the moon, the weather will be stormy.

  New Harbor, N. F.
• #1036

  The rope becoming slack denotes that rain is coming.

  Placentia Bay, N. F.
• #1042

  Water boiling away quickly from the kettle is a sign of rain.

  Newfoundland; general in the United States.
• #1043

  The same, however, is also said to be a sign of mild weather.

  Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #1045

  Water low in wells is a sign of rain.

  Placentia Bay, N. F.
• #1046

  Whistle to bring rain.

  Newfoundland.
• #1051

  If a cloud and wind are coming, the wind will last.

  Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #1053

  Clothes hanging about the rigging will bring wind.

  Newfoundland.
• #1057

  If the vessel is becalmed, throw a halfpenny overboard to buy wind.

  Harbor Grace, N. F.
• #1058

  If the halyard lies against the mast, the wind will increase.

  Newfoundland
• #1059

  Sticking a knife in the mainmast produces wind.

  Conception Bay, N. F.
• #1060

  Table-knives turning blue denote that a northeast wind is coming.

  Placentia Bay, N. F.
• #1061

  Strange lights at sea are seen before a northeast gale.

  Newfoundland
• #1064

  In the fall, if the sky is red in the west at sunset, a gale is coming from the northeast.

  Newfoundland.
• #1065

  If a sky turn gray, the wind will be north.

  Newfoundland.
• #1067

  Sailors putting the end of the sheet overboard will bring wind. Hitting it three times across the thwart stops the wind.

  Topsail Bay, N. F.
• #1071

  Stars shooting about portend wind.

  Heart’s Delight, N. F.
• #1072

  A shooting star shows that wind is coming from the direction toward which it goes.

  Conception Bay, New Harbor, N. F.
• #1073

  If stars are in thick patches before twelve at night, it is a sign that wind will come next day from that quarter.

  Hearts Delight, Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #1075

  If the sun sets in a bank, the wind will be in the “western bank.”

  Bay Roberts, N. F.
• #1077

  The sun “getting up water” denotes wind and dirty weather.

  Scilly Cove, N. F.
• #1079

  Whistling of wind in blocks aloft is a sign of a heavy storm.

  Conception Bay, N. F.
• #1131

  To make hair grow, cut it in the new of the moon.

  N. F., N. B., N. S., Me., Mass., and Talladega, Ala.
• #1143

  Eggs and cake are commonly beaten and butter made by stirring sunwise.

  Newfoundland.
• #1176

  If a corpse remains soft and supple after death, another death in the family will follow.

  Trinity Bay, N. F., and Prince Edward Island.
• #1193

  At a funeral the first person who turns away from the grave will have the next death in his family.

  Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #1231

  If sparks of fire fly out of an opened stove door, it is a sign of death.

  Trinity Bay, N. F.
• #1240

  If “salt water pigeons’” feathers are in a bed, the sick person on it will not die easily.

  Newfoundland.
• #1369

  Being lousy is an indication that the lousy person is in good health.

  Newfoundland.
• #1448

  It is unlucky to name a child after a dead child of the family.

  Newfoundland.
• #1467

  Passing anything through a ladder is a sign of a long passage.

  Conception Bay, N. F.
• #1468

  If a ship has a starboard list, it is a sign of a quick passage; if a port list, it is a sign of a long passage.

  Conception Bay and New Harbor, N. F.