Symbols & Signs in Polish History, Culture & Life

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Edited by: boletus Jun 16, 11, 17:09 #91

z_darius:

stainless steel to line the inside of the chimney

Yes, that helps..

Superstitions
There are tones of superstitions in Poland, most of them "international", some recently imported - mostly for fun. For example, internet websites offer advice to brides in form of "bride decalogs" or other such stuff. Black magic, voodoo and shamanism are also being imported - as "New Age" interests develop. Some are harmless, other ones are scary. Here is what "Old Poland Encyclopedia" says about origins of imported superstitions:

Illiteracy and ignorance of the natural sciences introduced to the old beliefs of nations the world of prejudice, witchcraft and superstition. After the superstitions of the peoples of Western Europe found their way to manuscripts and printed books they quickly spread among all social strata of the Old Poland.

For example, the work entitled "Secrets of Pedemonte," a treasure trove of thickest superstitions, translated into Polish and published in the form of a large book on 1620, taught such nasty things as incensing by cadaverous tooth to protect from spells or cooking an un-butchered but plucked goose, alive at simmer. The famous book "The Hammer for Witches" (Krakow 1614) is a Polish translation by Stanisław Ząbkowicz from a German work, published in Frankfurt in 1600, by the German witch inquisitors: Jacob Sprenger and Henry Instytor (Spells).

In terms of knowledge and the industrial culture we stood below the West, but our home customs - as in all ethnic Slav cultures - were more human, more gentle and good-natured. If someone took trouble to categorize and sort out all known European superstitions, they no doubt would find with us the enormity of stupid beliefs, but not harmful to anyone - for example, a belief that it is an evil omen if a woman or a hare crosses your road, or the belief that a stake stuck into the ground top-down, or a log - used in house construction - put upside down brings misfortune to the host.
(…)
Translated from Encyklopedia staropolska ilustrowana (tom IV), Zygmunt Gloger, 1900-1903 edition, http://pl.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyklopedia_staropolska/Zabobony

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Jun 16, 11, 17:41 #92

boletus:

such nasty things as incensing by cadaverous tooth to protect from spells

In his memoirs the 17th Century Polish raconteur Jan Pasek wrote that despite his best efforts he was unable to get the widow he had married pregnant and one day he discovered the horrible reason for her inability to conceive. Some sneaks, most probably the widow's children from her previous marriage that didn't want any of their inheritance going to new step-siblings, had hidden a cadaver's severed finger under the mattress of their marriage bed. The nearness of a corpse's digit was superstitiously believed to be an effective method of contraception back in those days.

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Jun 16, 11, 18:23 #93

- spilled salt - quarrel will ensue
- spilled sugar - accord is certain
- fork falls on the floor - someone will visit.
- soap falls on the floor - expect the unexpected
- shattered mirror - 7 years of misery
- itchy nose - someone is gossiping about you or there will be some serious drinking
- bridegroom must not see the wedding dress before the wedding ceremony
on a wedding day in church, all candles have to be of equal length, otherwise the marriage won't be a happy one
- don't lend (or vie as a present) sharp objects, such as knives, needles etc, otherwise there will be quarrel
- bread must always be with the flat side down, or quarrel will ensue
- one does not give away recipes unless they are subsequently passed on to yet another person, otherwise the recipes stop working for those who gave them away
- black cat crossing your path brings bad luck, which can be remedied by spitting over the left shoulder

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