Wichita eagle., 1888-12-13
UNLUCKY FRIDAY
A SUPERSTITION WHICH Has *
iSTED SINCE EARLY TIMES.

| Be Bad-some of the Things to Avoid
| on Friday-others Believe 1t a Lucky
Day.
| A belief in the i'll luck Of certain days Of
the year existed very early il the history of
the world The earliest nations have left
| records Of such beliefs. Classical authors
abound in illusions to these days, which were
| marked in old Roman calendars by black
cross From being few in number during
the year, they increased until the path Of the
superstitious was beSet with minute direc-
tons as to what must be done this day, what
was to be avoided On that dag. or what was
fatal on certain black days of the year.
At some unknown time during the middle
ages there grew up a notion that one day OF
the week in particular was TO be given bad
character, by reason of which any important
undertakings, such as Journeys, weddings,
business enterprises, etc, were certain 10
succeed badly if undertaken ON this day,
known IN cur calendar as Friday. No sII-
perstition has probably affected so many
people as this To this day thousands firmly
believe in the i'll luck of any Friday under
taking. Persons without superstition on any
other point win resolutely adhere to their
belief as to this particular, and quietly avoid
Friday undertakings.
There seems to be no question that this
superstition is entirely Christian in its origin,
and has particular reference to Friday as the
day Christ suffered on the cross. 1t became
custom, moreover, to ascribe other biblical
events OF a sinister nature to that day. and
certain manuscripts of an interesting kind
exist In European libraries, recapitulating
these unfortunate happenings, assigning them
TO Friday, and prescribing increased penance
or abstinence on that day.
PROBABLE SOURCE OF THE BELIEF
1t is probable that the source of these as
sertions concerning Friday was the Jewish
Ialmud and other Jewish writings These
make similar statements regarding these
early events in the history of man. The
fathers OF the church perpetuated the legends,
and monkiSh copyists transmitted them to
posterity.
This unlucky character still clings to Fri
day in most Christian lands-it is curious
that 1t should also be true among the Brah-
minis of India. 1t is the Mohammedan Sun
day, and is not therefore an unlucky day
with Moslenls. 1t seems to have been q lucky
one to the ancestors Of the Brahmins, for it is
recorded that the Mogul Emperor Auuurg-
zebe said: "Oh! that my death may happen
on Friday, for blessed is he who dieth on that
jayn
The things to be avoided on Friday are not
so generally agreed upon as the character of
the day. 1t most European countries mar
rlages consummated on this day of the week
are sure to be unhappy ones, and are rare;
but Germany and Scotland are exceptions, it
being there considered lucky day to wed
In Lancashire, England, it is even thought a
bad day to win a bride and the swain who
goes counting on that day is apt to receive
rough treatment from other SWANS Some
times he is treated to a charivari, or serenade.
with tin pans, horns, ETC., until he pays
money forfeit
Journeys were rarely undertaken on Friday
during the last century in many European
countries They were sure to be unfortunate
in their termination, according to the super
stitious
This phase Of Fridays unpopularity par
ticularly affected sailors and fishermen. That
1t is far from extinct even today appears
from many instances of the unwillingness of
sailors to sail on this day.
DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS CT THE RULE
In very many places the nails and hair
were never cut on Friday, but in Holland it
was believed that you would never have the
toothache if you trimmed the nails on that
day. work published in England in 1851
says this was then deemed an unpropitious
day for bleeding ,physicking or for a journey
An old adage says, ''Sneeze on Friday,
give gift" 1t was also disastrous to sing
on this day. Sing on Friday, weep on Sun
day" The i'll luck of the day was some
times, however, changed to good fortune. 1t
is deemed an excellent time, in the north of
England, to put on new clothes for the first
time. English milknaids thought Friday
dreams unusually ominous.
Many persons reverse the rule, and declare
that this is to them a lucky day. Dickens
said that it was fortunate for his undertake /
ings, most of which were successful when I
begun or ended on Friday.
1t has been claimed as lucky day fer
Observation-Disclosures discovered land on that /
day, the Pilgrims landed On the same day,
and Washington was born on Friday.
1t is only in late years that custom
smacking somewhat of superstition has been /
changed, that Of executions on Friday. New
York took the lead in this respect but it is /
still hangman's day in too many states. The /
prejudice against Friday IS, Of course, in
tensifed in the case of Good Friday. Until /
quite recently no blacksmith in the north Of !
England would drive nail on this, the an /
niversary OF the crucifxion. No edged tool /
was used in Yorkshire nor was it anything /
but unlucky to wash clothes on that day 1t /
is alleged that woman was hanging out /
washed clothes as Christ passed by on his /
way to Calvary. She firted the clothes in I
his face, and Christ not only declared her &C. /
cursed, but also pronounced q curse on any i
one who should choose this day for Z similar I.
task
In one place, it is asserted that the clothes .
washed this day would be spotted with blood. I
Many shoemakers would abstain from work
on this day because Of similar curse pro
nounced on the Jew, Cartaphilus.
In Devonshire, it was thought good day
to plant crops, and in other places 10 conf
nence weaving children.
Eggs laid on Friday viii, If IS said, never
decay, and viii, If eaten, cure the colo.
In north Germany, it was said that II it
rained on Good Friday, the turf would be
parched up three times that year.
An elder bush hung up IN the house on
that day would preserve the dwelling from
danger Of Lightning. 1t was a,so said that
caterpillaTs would increase If the garden ives
visited on that day. By entering tee church,
however, and quitting u before the blessing,
any che could obtain TIE power Of seeing
witches, and 50 avoid them.
Portuguese sailora have custom q dress
ing their ship in mourning On tbs Gay, and
Of scourging and hanging IN et1gy Of JUDAS
at the yard arn.-F. S. bassst. il 81 Louis
Globe Democrat
Sharks Use the Canal