IS FRIDAY UNLUCKY?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 72, 14 March 1908, Page 3

IS FRIDAY UNLUCKY?

NEW LHrliT ON AN OI.D QUESTION

The superstition thai Friday is un- J lucky dies hard, ami is supported by, many an old adage and custom. Good Friday is regarded as the bla;k day on the calendar yf our year; and amongst Roman Catholics is held as a weekly fast, and probably from this, more than from any other reason. Friday has gained its unenviable reputation. , . , . The name Friday is derived from Frigga. the wife of Odin, to whom this dav was consecrated, and almost everywhere within the range of Christendom it is held .1- a dav of proverbial ill-luck. This i- especially the case amongst sailors, and shipping statistics show a smaller number of sailings upon Friday than upon any other day of the w-eek. There i- a legend, current in both England and America, that says there was once a 'hip whose keel w-as laid on Fridav. that «a- launched on a Friday, christened Friday, and sent out in the charge of a captain Friday, ami was naturall}, never heard of again. \t the same time sailors should rei member the fact that Columbus sailed, on a Fridav and discovered land on that, day; and the I'ugrim Fathers first touched land on Friday. Tamer, dread the fact o ( , 1 Umh appearing upon this da> of the ne»k: and great stress is laid on the rule that the beginning or ending ot, .■itlier the mowing or reaping must not fall on thi- day. Even should the, weather lie most unpromising, one load of the crop will be left over till next, I Apparently the only good thing that e.m happen to one on a Friday falls L„ the mo«t day of one- ' life—that being the day of opfs birth. I y,. r the old rhyme reus as tolUnw;

■ A Mo#day s bairn will grow up fair, A Tuesday's one of grace and prayer ; A Wednesday'* bairn ha- many ,l * pain. ~ { A Thursday's bairn imi*. J)/4e :li heeam tkome) • \ Fridav's bairn is good ;' nJ sweet, A Saturday's works fra morn to fleet Inishti; Hiu a Sunday'- bairn through lilo is Ai, /-lire"to end '.villi C-aints to rest.'' Never get manic on a Friday, lor 'tis -aid to lie a- uuhj'ky ,i-. to wear a s|>eck of green in any of your bridal j garments. In some part- of England I rid.n eveting is the time when lovers test the affections of their beloved ones by taking a Hat dough-cake about tli£ size ot a five-shilling'piece and pricking upon it the initials of those they love. They, then get three 'mall keys of different -ize- a»d make an impression of each kev on the bottom side of the cake. When they retire for the night the three kev, are threaded on t>; .9 ribbon, and wrapped in some manner round tic rake; then thi- ball is placed near the heart, and results in producing a dream of the one person who loves them above all others in the world. | hi llii-i.l. Friday is under llje rule ot. presiding saint, by name " Mottwr I IVatnit-a-Prascovia." who is said to ! wahder round the house oil her holv I dav and is very much annoyed if she I linds anyone engaged ill spinning, sew-, ing, or doing any unnecessary work, Slfe even avenge- herself upon those who ■ihus err. by sending plagues of whit, lows, sore eves, and other annoying, afflictions.

hvory house must he made serupulmi«lv "clean and free from all trace of du-t on Thursday mgiit, order to lie readv to receive the patron of Fri- . . . -i In Cornwall and Wales it is even .said, to lie irrv nnhn-ky to turn the mattress, ~f „nc\ lied on a Friday; on the other hand, there are a great many people •,ti«.ut who. from pure iierversity. makft a point of f'oin? in the face of all, tradition and eount Fridav as their lucky day. It would he interesting *o know wliich group outweighs the other.