Asheville’s roots are the faces of mountain people—descendants from generations of settlers, immigrants, native Americans, and slaves with a tradition of witches, ghosts, myths, and folklore. That folklore combining signs, superstitions, omens, and beliefs became a behavioral system practiced in everyday life. It provided protection against troubles, evil, bad luck and even death; it foretold the future and provided hope for good luck, good health, and good fortune. In addition to Friday the 13th, a few more of their mountain practices and beliefs passed down through generations are listed below. Even as a modern day guest of Applewood Manor, the chances are you also observe some of these to this day.
Signs, Superstitions, Omens, and Beliefs
- A chicken laying an uneven number of eggs is an omen of danger.
- A rabbit crossing your path before sunrise will bring unhappiness.
- Always go out the same door you came in.
- Bad fortune is soon to follow when a broom falls no reason.
- A black cat crossing your path means bad luck [stop and go another way].
- Carry a four-leaf clover to ward off bad luck.
- A chin dimple is a sign of bad character. Dimples are made by the devil’s shoe.
- Cows laying down means it is going to rain.
- Deaths come in threes.
- Don’t let anyone sweep under your feet.
- Don’t wash clothes on Sunday.
- Draw an X in the air three times to void bad luck from a black cat crossing in front of you.
- Dreaming of bees is a sign of good fortune.
- Dropping a knife means a man is coming to visit.
- Dropping your fork, it means a woman is coming to visit.
- Seeing a white horse means good luck.
- A foot itching is a sign that you are about to embark on a long journey.
- For good luck, eat black eyed peas with greens and pork on New Year’s Day.
- Gifts of knives to newlyweds will cut their love!
- A girl should hold their feet up when crossing a railroad track or they will lose her boyfriend.
- Hang a horseshoe upside down to keep good luck from running out.
- Hang a mirror by the door to protect against evil.
- A hard to light candle is a sign of coming rain.
- Hearing a screech owl at dusk means someone will die.
- Hold your breath passing a cemetery or you could inhale a dead soul.
- If a man wipes his hands on a girl’s apron, he will fall in love with her.
- If a pregnant woman sees a dead person, her baby will have a birth mark.
- If dough cracks while being shaped, a funeral will follow.
- If your nose is itching, company is coming.
- It is bad luck to walk under a ladder.
- It is seven years of back luck to close a knife you didn’t open.
- It’s bad luck to step on a grave.
- An itching ear is a sign that someone is talking about you.
- Its bad luck to spill salt unless your throw a pinch over your left shoulder.
- Keep a lucky rabbit’s foot in your pocket to ease aches and pains, and for good luck.
- Keep a penny in your washer.
- Knock on wood to continue good fortune.
- Leave one apple on the tree to keep the devil away.
- Leaving a rocking chair rocking invites spirits.
- Leaving diapers on the clothesline during a full moon will attract evil forces.
- Never cut your baby’s hair before their first birthday.
- Never give knives as a gift.
- Never repay salt that you have borrowed.
- Open the window when someone dies and cover mirrors so their soul can leave.
- Plant your crops under the full moon.
- Pour a drop of strong drink on the ground for sprits [ghosts] passed.
- Put a 2-edged axe in a stump facing a storm to have it go around you.
- Rub a chicken over your baby to keep if from getting chicken pox.
- Sleeping on New Year’s Day will lead to an unhappy year.
- Speaking a dead person’s name in your dream is an omen of a death.
- Spit on a new baby to bring it good luck.
- Stepping on an ant’s nest will cause rain that day.
- Stopped the clocks when there is a death, to prevent another one.
- Washing clothes on New Year’s Day will cause a death in the family.
- Wear a buckeye in your bra to ward off rheumatism.
- When walking together, both must walk on the same side of a post, or it will break your friendship.
- Women should not do any canning or gardening during her period.
- Your baby has to fall off the bed before their first birthday.