Superstitions in bushcraft

[happy camper]

No I guess you're right, bad example....I meant more the sort of thing your granny said...."three winged bat at night, tomorrow the weather will be sh**e"....that sort of thing lol

Oh heck I'm still wide of the mark aren't I...

 

[Rebel]

"three winged bat at night, tomorrow the weather will be sh**e"....that sort of thing lol
:

I like that one . My gran would have never used words like that though .

 

[Burnsmeister]

Red sky at night, shephard's warning,
.
.
.
his house is on fire

 

[Carcajou Garou]

Don't whistle in the bush attracts "Wendigo", don't lift up a baby in your arms while dancing at Pow Wow, Creator will think it's a gift and take it.

 

[Longstrider]

I never cut wood from an elder bush without warning it first. Locall superstition has it that a witch will "hide up" for the day by disguising herself within an elder. Cutting the bush cuts the witch, who will then come looking for you the following night. If you warn the bush before you cut it, then any witch within it has time to depart before being harmed.

 

[Scally]

wow some fantastic responses and thanks for sharing some personal thoughts keep them coming

 

[Toddy]

Gathering fruit and some drops; leave it; it's "fairy shares".

Crossing running water, give her a gift, since you haven't given her a chance at yourself.

When you dig up roots or tubers or fungi, put some leaf litter or scat into the ground, the land fed you, feed it back.

Don't leave a baby out of sight out in the woodlands, it looks like an offering or a plea for a blessing and you might not like what's given.

Ask before you cross a river, climb a hill, take down a tree, if there's some sort of "No!" go elsewhere.

Y'know I'd have said I wasn't superstitious, but these are all things I've always known, so they must have come from somewhere.
Interesting thread

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[pumbaa]

if there's some sort of "No!" go elsewhere.

Out of intrest , what would you class as a No ?
Cheers
Pumbaa

 

[Toddy]

Out of intrest , what would you class as a No ?
Cheers
Pumbaa

That's a hard one Sudden gust of wind or water on a calm day; an unexpected noise; flock of birds scattering in haste, dramatic change of light.
A frog jumped out of the burn onto the path in front of me once and sat there looking at me as much as saying, "Go on....try it!" in a kind of smug amphibian way I crossed further up, but my friend couped in

I suspect much of it is an inbuilt unconscious early warning system that most of us don't need to pay heed to most of the time so we get out of synch with it, and 'signs' just remind us to pay attention.

Hope you find some woodland and some peace to regain strength. Sometimes we need to care for the carers too.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[gregorach]

I always heard it was very bad luck to cut green rowan...

 

[match]

There are a lot of wood superstitions - elder, as has been said above, is considered a refuge for witches/faery folk, and so you should not cut it without asking the tree first.

May/Hawthorn flowers should never be cut as flowers, or taken inside (the smell of cut may flowers is similar to that of death, and the flowers can't be kept fresh in water).

There is a lot more on tree superstitions and mythology here:

http://www.mystical-www.co.uk/trees/treemyth.htm

 

[Doc]

I don't smoke now, but I remember that when I did, it was considered unlucky to light a third cigarette with a single flame when outdoors.

 

[running bare]

hi doc
i can answer that superstition..it comes from ww1 when german snipers would be alerted to the strike of the match aim on the flame and fire on 3rd person lighting up. even then they knew that smoking kills!!!!

tom

 

[george]

Gathering fruit and some drops; leave it; it's "fairy shares".

Crossing running water, give her a gift, since you haven't given her a chance at yourself.

When you dig up roots or tubers or fungi, put some leaf litter or scat into the ground, the land fed you, feed it back.

Ask before you cross a river, climb a hill, take down a tree, if there's some sort of "No!" go elsewhere.

Toddy

All of these too Toddy - I was raised in the west of Scotland - are these particularly Scottish superstitions?

Also never shout and never whistle in the woods - you might not like what answers!

Never step over a pan containing food or a cup containing water thats sitting on the ground - even if the lids on or it's covered as it will sicken whoever eats or drinks it. (Easy to see where that one came from!)

Always remember to be polite to "the wee folk" and ask permission before you go through a gate or cross a wall, fence or bridge and despite the "leave only footprints" mantra always pay for a safe nights camp by leaving a little something for them - even if it's only some coffee spilled on the ground or a couple of leaves twisted together or a little bundle of twigs.

George

 

[RovingArcher]

Isn't it odd how different people like and don't like different things, I sleep in a little wood in Wales when I'm over there running in the beacons. I call it sleepy wood because I never seem to get to bed before 3am and am never up before midday...I love it there and feel safe and secure in it's dark gloom (it's a dence plantation wood of larch, not much light). There are always Owls about and it amuses and warms me to cup my hands and hoot to them....and you know what they hoot back too!
I guess I can't understand why Wolf wouldn't stay there any more then he could understand why I like it so much....funny old world hey!

Bam.

A good friend of mine used to talk to the owls too. He was very good at making the sounds of the male and I gave him the name of "He who talks with owls". Anyways, one day he was talking to a little female (remember, he mimmicks the male) and she was starting to respond a little to him with body language and such and out of the night came a male, who was just a little PO'd at him for moving in on his territory. The male came talons first and nailed my friend dead center of his forehead. :aargh4: Now I call him, "he who forgot to duck".

 

[The Joker]

A good friend of mine used to talk to the owls too. He was very good at making the sounds of the male and I gave him the name of "He who talks with owls". Anyways, one day he was talking to a little female (remember, he mimmicks the male) and she was starting to respond a little to him with body language and such and out of the night came a male, who was just a little PO'd at him for moving in on his territory. The male came talons first and nailed my friend dead center of his forehead. :aargh4: Now I call him, "he who forgot to duck".

Great story, I like

 

[Ahjno]

I remember reading somewhere (could have been here or in a book I can't remember) that some folk believe it bad luck to burn poplar on your campfire

That must have been overhere mate, no book can give you more information about the subject, than this forum!

(Truth must be said Tony!!)


I like the bit from RM when he went to Australia (Aboriginals): don't laugh when the sun is shining fiercely. She might think you like the heat and her rays - and will shine even harder.

 

[bambodoggy]

A good friend of mine used to talk to the owls too. He was very good at making the sounds of the male and I gave him the name of "He who talks with owls". Anyways, one day he was talking to a little female (remember, he mimmicks the male) and she was starting to respond a little to him with body language and such and out of the night came a male, who was just a little PO'd at him for moving in on his territory. The male came talons first and nailed my friend dead center of his forehead. :aargh4: Now I call him, "he who forgot to duck".

Many thanks for sharing that... :You_Rock_