orse shoe lying in the road,
pick it up and throw it over their shoulder, so that no ill-luck may
befall them.

A knuckle bone or a cramp bone carried in the pocket prevents cramp.

A potato, chestnut or a nutmeg carried in the pocket prevents
rheumatism.

A piece of wicken is worn as a cure for the ague.

A mole's foot or a load stone, in the pocket, is a protection against
witches.

Although lamps and gas have generally supplanted candles, in the country
where candles are still used, the spark on the wick is considered to
denote the coming of a letter, and the melted tallow or composition
forming a winding sheet denotes a death.

When a candle burns blue or dim, a spirit is said to be in the room.

It is very unlucky to return to the house for anything after leaving it,
although the spell is broken if the person sits down before coming out
of the house again.

Two people, meeting on a staircase, is a sign of an approaching wedding.

When walking together, two lovers must not pass on different sides of
turnstiles, road posts, or lamp posts, or they will certainly quarrel.

It is bad luck, when two persons are walking together, to separate and
one to turn back against a gate; but if one of them sits down for a
time, whilst the other walks away, the bad luck is turned.

To spill salt is a sign of sorrow or anger; but if the spilt salt is
gathered up in a spoon and thrown over the left shoulder the luck is
turned.

An old shoe thrown after anyone starting on a new undertaking is
considered to carry good luck; especially if it goes over the head and
does not hit the person.

Flies are more troublesome before rain.

Gnats playing up and down in the open air near sunset is a sign of heat.

If in the shade, warm and mild showers, but if they join in stinging
those who pass them it presages cold weather and rain.

Children, even now, when they find a Ladybird or cow lady say:--

Click, Clock, Clay. What time o'day.
One o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, Click, clock, clay.

Another custom is to get a ladybird and put it on the back of the hand
and say:--

Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,
Your horse is on foot, your children are gone;
All but one, and that's little John,
And he lies under the grindle stone.

If it does not fly away then it is thrown up into the air.

In some places the insect is called cow lady, and then the rhyme begins
cow lady, cow lady, etc.