Call them funny or call them weird, these popular superstitions or old wives' tales are still heeded and can make the most logical person behave in the most illogical ways!
These colourful beliefs just refuse to die and have been passed down from generation to generation.
Broken mirror Long long ago when there were no mirrors, people looked at their reflections in water. One's reflection was considered to be like one's soul and as such if the reflection appeared contorted then the soul was considered broken. Even after the advent of mirrors the practice continues. A broken mirror distorts your reflection and is thus considered inauspicious.
Black cat crossing your path One of the most popular and oldest beliefs, this one is attributed to various sources. One version goes that black cats forebode doom; another goes that black cats are demons in disguise; and yet another goes that they were once pets of witches that turned into witches and hence they are witches in disguise. Contrary to worldwide beliefs about the black cat, the Japanese consider a black cat lucky. So the next time you see a black cat you decide whether you want turn back or walk ahead.
Walking under a slanting ladder This age-old belief is believed to have originated from those days when convicts were hung from the seventh rung of ladders. The belief those days was that if one walked under such a ladder, there was every likelihood of coming into contact with the ghost of the man who was hung.
13 and Friday the 13th The number 13 has always been and is still considered to be sinister by many. For some, going to office or carrying out any auspicious task is out of the question on the 13th day of a month. Many others consider only Friday the 13th to be inauspicious. Friday the 13th's bad reputation goes back to the days when under pressure from King Philip IV of France, Pope Clement V had ordered his men to capture and burn all the Templar knights, a brigade of powerful crusaders who the king felt were a threat to him.
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