Samhain Folklore

belladonnaswitchblog:

• Love Divination:

1. Keep a sprig of rosemary and a sixpence under your pillow on Samhain night, and you’ll dream of your future spouse.
2. In parts of England, it was believed that if a maiden carried a lantern to a well on Samhain night and held the light above the water, she would see the reflection of future husband.

• The Spirit World:

1. People were often cautioned that if they heard footsteps behind them on the night of Samhain, they shouldn’t turn back because it may be a spirit following them.
2. If you host a dumb supper and no one speaks, the spirits are far more likely to show up.
3. It was believed that ringing a bell on Samhain kept away evil spirits.
4. Burying animal bones in front of your house on the night of Samhain will keep evil away, according to some legends of eastern Europe.
5. Samhain is a good time of year to work on communicating with the spirit world.

• Birds and Animals:

1. Black cats were once seen as bad luck.
2. One old folktale from Appalachia says that owls flew down on Samhain night to eat the souls of the dead.
3. If the bats come out early on Samhain night and fly around, it means good weather is coming.
4. Some people believe that if you see a spider on Samhain, it harbors the spirit of a dead ancestor watching over you. So don’t squash it!

*Source.