Scary superstitions and weird beliefs:
Whistling at Night
In many Asian countries, it is believed that if you whistle at night, you will be visited by a snake or a ghost.
Death Bell
When someone dies, a bell is rung at the church. This is to ward off evil spirits, because it was believed that they were afraid of bells. However, if you hear a tolling bell and no one else hears it, that means someone you know will die before the week is over.
Three Knocks
If you hear three knocks in the middle of the night, it means someone in your family is dead. This is also known as The Death Knock.
Shivers Down Your Spine
If you shiver or a chill runs down your spine, it means that some one is walking over the place where your grave is going to be.
Moon Face
Years ago, it was believed that it was dangerous to sleep with the moon shining on your face. If the moon shines in your face as you lie in bed at night, they say you will die within a year. A book from 1621 advises: “When thou goest to thy bed… draw close the curtaines to shut out the Moone-light, which is very offensive and hurtfull to the braine, especially to those that sleepe.” If you were careless enough to sleep under the glare of a full moon, you would risk going insane, going blind, or even being turned into a werewolf.
Sneeze
If you sneeze, your soul could escape from your body and your heart could stop. This is why people say “God bless you” when you manage to sneeze without dropping dead.
Howling Dog
If a dog howls twice, it means a man will die. If it howls three times, it means a woman will die. This belief comes from ancient mythology. In Egypt, the god of the dead was named Anubis and he had the head of a jackal, so a dog howling meant it was calling souls for Anubis. In Ireland, there was a mythical pack of hounds who ran across the sky on a wild hunt, gathering the souls of the dead.
