Pirates believed that piercing the ears with such precious metals as silver and gold improved one's eyesight.
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In some parts of England, rum is used to wash a baby's head for good luck.
71
In Asia, the digit 4 never appears in any Nokia handset model number, because 4 is considered unlucky in many parts of Southeast/East Asia.
78
It's bad luck to leave a house through a different door than the one used to come into it.
143
A single magpie is considered a sign of bad luck. A Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar recites an old proverb concerning the incidence of bad weather when magpies forage alone and a possible scientific explanation for this.
49
Before traveling a person should, apparently, sit on their luggage. (Russian)
117
An acorn should be carried to bring luck and ensure a long life.
115
Opening an umbrella indoors is said to result in 21 days of bad luck. Some traditions hold that it is only bad luck if the umbrella is placed over the head of someone while indoors.
75