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Salting a bird's tail is a legendary superstition of Europe and America, and an English language idiom. The superstition is that sprinkling salt on a bird's tail will render the bird temporarily unable to fly, enabling its capture. The nursery rhyme "Simple Simon", which dates to at least the 17th century and possibly earlier, includes the verse
Both walkers must say the phrase, [2] and if they do not do this, then a bitter quarrel is expected to occur. [3] The concept derives from the difficulty of separating butter from bread once it has been spread – buttered bread cannot be "unbuttered". [2] [4] Another phrase used in this way is "salt and pepper". [5]
Toi toi toi" (English: / ˈ t ɔɪ ˈ t ɔɪ ˈ t ɔɪ /) [1] is an expression used in the performing arts to wish an artist success in an imminent performance. It is similar to "break a leg" and reflects a superstition that wishing someone "good luck" is in fact bad luck. [2] [3] [4]
Appreciation for the special time is reflected in both Parisien and English tradition. As an ode to the unique year, a special newspaper in Paris, titled La Bougie du Sapeur, is printed each leap ...
Here are some common superstitions associated with bad luck on Friday the 13th: Breaking a mirror : Breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years of bad luck, so handle glass carefully today.
Davy Jones pictured by George Cruikshank in 1832, as described by Tobias Smollett in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle. [1]Davy Jones' locker is a metaphor for the oceanic abyss, the final resting place of drowned sailors and travellers.
Glossary of English-language idioms derived from baseball; Bed of roses; Belling the Cat; Best friends forever; Between Scylla and Charybdis; Bill matter; Birds of a feather flock together; Black sheep; Blessing in disguise; Blood, toil, tears and sweat; Born in the purple; The Boy Who Cried Wolf; Bread and butter (superstition) Break a leg ...
Equivalent to the English actor's idiom "break a leg", the expression reflects a theatrical superstition in which wishing a person "good luck" is considered bad luck. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] The expression is commonly used in Italy off stage, as superstitions and customs travel through other professions and then into common use, and it can sometimes ...