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Current superstitions — Reading Companion
(2 User reviews)
464
Project Gutenberg
2006
Not confirmed
Folklore -- United States; Folklore -- England
Readers of public-domain and historical texts
Project Gutenberg digital edition
en
Edition facts
Words
53,353
Reading time
232 min
Text sections
10
This digital edition of Current superstitions — Reading Companion is described by source-level measurements including 53,353 words, 3 hr 52 min estimated reading time, and 10 detected text sections.
The text analysis averages about 16.9 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.
Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Folklore -- United States,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.
Source:
Project Gutenberg record #18992
Fanny D. Bergen's 1896 collection of superstitions from oral tradition, organized by theme, reveals the regional and social variations in folk beliefs across late 19th-century English-speaking communities.
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Read the Text
1. The bairn that is born on fair Sunday Is bonny and loving, and blithe and gay. Monday's bairn is fair in the face, Tuesday's bairn is full of grace, Wednesday's bairn is loving and giving, Thursday's bairn works hard for a living, Friday's bairn is a child of woe, Saturday's bairn has far to go. _Massachusetts._
2. Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesday's child is sour and sad, Thursday's child is merry and glad, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child must work for a living; But the child that is born on the Sabbath day Is blithe and bonny, good and gay. _Baldwinsville, N.Y._
(Some put it, Sunday's child shall never know want.)
3. He who is born on New Year's morn Will have his own way as sure as you're born.
4. He who is born on an Easter morn Shall never know want, or care, or harm.
5. A child born on a saint's day must bear the saint's name. It is unlucky to take away the day from it. _Catholic superstition._
6. Thursday has one lucky hour, just before sunrise, for birth.
7. If a child cries during baptism, it is the devil going out of it. _Niagara Falls, Ont._
8. It is lucky for the child to cry at baptism, but unlucky for the godmother to wear mourning.
9. If twins are brought to baptism at the same time, christen the boy first, or else he will have no beard, and the girl will be beggared.
10. An open hand in a baby is a sign of a generous disposition, but a habit of closing the fingers indicates avarice, or, as we say, closefistedness. _Cambridge, Mass._
11. If a child "favors its father," it is good luck for it. It will get on well in the world. _Salem, Mass._
12. A baby that has two crowns will live in two continents or kingdoms. _Massachusetts._
13. A double crown on the head means that the owner will "break bread in two kingdoms." _Northern Ohio._
14. "Two crowns will never be satisfied." This is a sign of a very changeable disposition. _Chestertown, Md._
15. A baby born with a veil over its face has good luck. _General._
16. A child born with a veil over its face will never be drowned. Many sailors are known to wear the caul, with which they were born, about the person as a charm against death by drowning. _Sailor's superstition._
INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD.
17. Take the baby first into the sunlight on Sunday. Put it into short clothes and make all changes on that day.
18. To make a child rise in the world, carry it upstairs (or to the attic) first. _Mifflintown, Pa._
19. The baby must go upstairs before it goes downstairs, or it will never rise in the world. _Massachusetts._
20. To be a bright baby, it must go up before it is carried down, and it must be bumped to the attic roof for luck. _New England._
21. A young baby was taken up a short step-ladder by its nurse before being for the first time carried downstairs lest it should die before it was a year old. _Holyoke, Mass._
22. A child will have a nature and disposition similar to that of the person who first takes him out of doors. _Georgia._
23. The first time a baby is taken out of its room, it must be taken up, or it will not go to heaven. If the door of the room steps down, then the person carrying the baby must step up on a chair or book with the baby in her arms. _North Carolina._
24. Let the baby have or touch the thing he starts after on taking the first step, and he will always get what he wishes. If it be the moon, then let him touch something light, on which its light shines.
25. When taking the child into your arms for the first time, make a good wish for him; if you give him his full name and he opens his eyes and looks at you (answers to his name), it is good luck.
26. To be a bright baby, it must fall out of the crib before it is eleven months old. _Brookline, Mass._
27. If a baby does not fall out of bed, it will be a fool. _Eastern Massachusetts._
28. A child's tumbling out of bed is a sign he will never be a fool. _Maine._
29. To drink water out of a bucket which is being carried on a child's head stops its growth. _Virginia._
30. To step over a young child stops its growing. _Virginia._
31. About 1860 the Alabama negresses believed that if any one stepped on their pickaninnies it would dwarf them.
32. Pass a baby through a window and it will never grow. _South Carolina._
Fanny D. Bergen's Current Superstitions (1896) presents a catalog of folk beliefs gathered from correspondents across the United States and Canada, with some English material. The collection originated from a 1886 article in Popular Science Monthly that solicited readers' contributions, yielding about seventy responses from diverse locales. Bergen's editorial method is evident in the thematic arrangement: items are grouped under headings such as "Sweeping," "Turning Back," and "Miscellaneous," each entry tagged with its geographic source. The voice throughout is matter-of-fact, recording beliefs without commentary, though the preface reveals Bergen's personal interest in the nostalgic power of these traditions. William Wells Newell's introduction and notes add a scholarly frame, but the core text remains a straightforward compendium of oral lore.
Geographic Variation in Superstition
The entries in Current Superstitions are consistently tagged with their place of origin, revealing striking regional differences. For example, the belief that spilling salt brings bad luck appears in multiple forms: in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the remedy involves throwing salt over the shoulder and crawling under a table; in Iowa, the ill luck is directed toward the person toward whom the salt is spilled; in New England and Canada, the consequence is a whipping. Similarly, the superstition about returning for a forgotten article shows variation: in Prince Edward Island, it is simply unlucky; in New York, sitting down before leaving again averts misfortune; in Alabama and Kentucky, a cross-mark and spit are required. These geographic tags allow readers to trace how a core belief adapts to local custom, though Bergen does not analyze these patterns herself.
The Role of Children and Domestic Life
Bergen's preface notes that her initial collection focused on "Animal and Plant Lore of Children," and the resulting book retains a strong emphasis on domestic and childhood contexts. Many entries concern household actions: sweeping after sunset, carrying ashes out at night, or letting a tea-kettle boil noisily are all deemed unlucky. The superstitions about sewing in twilight or looking over another's shoulder into a mirror reflect the daily routines of women and children. The language of the entries is often simple and direct, as in "Never sweep the floor after sunset; it is bad luck" (Alabama) or "Sewing in the twilight is an ill omen" (Chatham, N.H.). This focus on the mundane suggests that the collection preserves the informal, oral culture of home life rather than public rituals.
Narrative Voice and Editorial Restraint
Bergen's editorial voice is notably restrained. She does not evaluate the beliefs as true or false, nor does she impose a narrative arc. The entries are presented as raw data, each a single sentence or short paragraph. The preface explains that the material was "assorted and catalogued after some provisional fashion of my own," but the published text offers no overarching interpretation. This neutrality gives the collection an ethnographic quality, letting the superstitions speak for themselves. However, the absence of commentary also means that readers must infer context. For instance, the entry about sailors fearing sweeping after dark (Westport, Mass.) hints at occupational lore, but Bergen does not elaborate. The result is a work that prioritizes documentation over analysis, inviting readers to draw their own conclusions about the logic and persistence of these folk beliefs.
Readers approaching Current Superstitions should treat it as a primary source document rather than a finished analysis. The geographic tags and thematic groupings offer a framework for comparing beliefs across regions, but the lack of editorial commentary means that interpretation is left to the reader. Pay attention to the wording of each entry: small differences in phrasing often signal deeper variations in practice. The collection is best read in small doses, allowing the patterns and contradictions to emerge naturally.
I kept thinking about how Bergen’s book makes superstitions feel like quiet family heirlooms, passed along without ceremony. That same warmth lives in More Russian Picture Tales — Inside the Classic, where old tales sit close to the heart, unhurried and gentle. It lingered with me like a familiar voice, just as hers did.
Sofia Roberts
2 weeks ago-
Angela Bailey - 1 month ago
The book covers many superstitions, but some entries are very brief and lack depth. It's a useful reference, but not a thorough analysis of any single belief. The organization by category helps, though the writing can feel dry at times. Still, it's a decent starting point for understanding common superstitions. -
Robin Stokes - 3 weeks ago
Current Superstitions is a fascinating compilation of folk beliefs and practices from various cultures. The author provides a comprehensive overview, explaining origins and variations, which makes it both educational and entertaining. It's a great resource for folklore enthusiasts, writers, or anyone curious about the quirky superstitions that still influence our lives. Well-researched and accessible. -
Jeffrey Williams - 2 weeks ago
Current Superstitions is a superficial compilation that rarely goes beyond listing beliefs. The explanations are often simplistic and lack cultural context or historical research. The book could have been far more engaging with better narratives and deeper analysis. As is, it reads more like a dictionary than a scholarly or entertaining work.
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