In America some people believed in the magical powers of black cats. Certain bones on the cat has the power to make wishes come true, or even to make one invisible. In Europe, the black cats had nasty connections with witches.
The White Cat in England, at Halloween, is thought to the be unlucky.
The Blue Cat in Russia brings good luck. The "Blue" is often viewed as a "gray" cat.
Some believe if you catch a snail on Halloween night and lock it into a flat dish, then in the morning you will see the first letter of your sweetheart written in the snail's slime.
Many people used to believe that owls swooped down to to eat the souls of the dying. If they heard an owl hooting, they would become frightened. A common remedy was thought to be, turning your pockets inside out and you would be safe.
In ancient November Samhain festivals, bats would swoop over blazing fires to eat the mosquitoes.
'The Dumb Supper' was brought to America by the Africans. This an eerie Hallowmas meal - where nobody is allowed to speak, not even whisper. It encourages spirits to come to the table.
In Britain, people believed that the Devil was a nut-gatherer. At Halloween, nuts were used as magic charms.
If a girl puts a sprig of rosemary herb and a silver sixpence under her pillow on Halloween night, she will see her future husband in a dream.
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