Monday, June 30, 2008

Need More Luck? Get the Poop!

I posted a month or so ago about the superstition of having monkeys in your house bringing bad luck. Today I want to pass along a few superstitions I've collected about things that are supposed to bring good luck.

I've been told that in The Netherlands, folks believe if a bird poops on your head you'll have good luck. I have a very distinct memory of taking a couple of dozen Girl Scouts to Washington, D.C., waiting on a bench below a nice, shady tree while the girls investigated the bazillionth gift shop of the trip, whereupon a bird blessed me with good luck wishes. I did not have any notable good luck the rest of the trip, unless you count the fact that I survived to tell about it. Maybe I should have taken them to The Netherlands?

I've also been told that folks in Belgium believe that if you step in dog poop with your left foot, you'll have good luck. What does it mean if you step in it with your right foot? It just means you have a stinky shoe. Assuming you were wearing shoes. I am so not gonna test this one, in Belgium or anywhere else.