2814. If you go in swimming on the first morning of May before the sun is up, you will not have any contagious disease during that year.......Mountains

2815. If a colt is born in May, he will lie down in the water with you..............Louisville Negroes

2816. It is dangerous to take off your winter clothing until the tenth of May.

2817. To become beautiful, wash your face in dew before sunrise on Mayday.1

2818. If you set hens in June with eggs laid in June, the chickens will die.

2819. If you go in swimming on the first of June, you will not be sick the whole summer.........Mountains

2820. If a turtle-dove sits on a tree the first day of June and calls, looking at you, you have enemies.

2821. The time to cut shrubbery so that it will not come up again, is Ember Day (the day in the Episcopal Church when special prayers are made for those going into holy orders).

2822. Trees are easily killed on Ember Day by removing the bark.

2823. If you hack the bark of a tree on Ember Day, it will die ...........................Mountains

2824. Dog days begin with the cry or song of the katydid..................................Mountains

2825. If it rains on the first day of dog days, it will rain for forty days......................Mountains

2826. There will be no chestnuts if it rains on the fourth of July.

2827. If it rains on the fourth of July, there will be no grapes............................Blue Grass

2828. Martens go south on the fifteenth of August................................Western Kentucky

2829. If you cut your foot while swimming in the water during the first ten days of August, you will have blood poisoning.....................Blue Grass

1 For other superstitions associated with May first, see Divinations and Wedding).

2830. You will have good luck if you are the first to say

"Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year."

2831. A green Christmas makes a full graveyard.

2832. If the sun shines on Christmas, and if it snows On

Easter, there will be a fat graveyard.

2833. Never take up ashes from the fireplace during the

Christmas season...................Blue Grass

2834. It brings bad luck to kill the Christmas fly..................................Central Kentucky

2835. A white New Christmas and a white Old Christmas are the signs of a good fruit year. (Old Christmas is twelve days after New or regular Christmas) . .. ..................................Mountains

2836. At Christmas Eve, trees bleed (because of the

Cross).

2837. At Christmas Eve, spirits walk.

2838. At midnight on Christmas Eve all cows kneel (because Christ was born in a manger).

2839. On Old Christmas Eve, all animals talk to spirits and get on their knees and pray.......Mountains

2840. At midnight of Old Christmas, the elders bloom. ...................................Mountains

2841. It brings bad luck to leave up the Christmas greens after New Year's Day.........Central Kentucky

2842. If you stay up until midnight on December thirty-first, you will see an old man go out your door and a little child come in.................Mountains

2843. If you talk to animals at midnight on New Year's

Eve, they will understand you and you them.

2844. Oysters are not good except in those months which contain the letter r.

2845. If you turn water into a cistern during any month that has not an r in the spelling, the water will sour and not be fit to drink.

2846. It is unlucky to marry a person born in the same month with you. You will not be happy together because you are ruled by the same stellar influence.

2847. The girl born in January will be a prudent housewife, goodnatured, and inclined to be melancholy. In February, humane, affectionate as a wife, tender as a mother.

In March, a chatterbox, fickle, stormy, quarrelsome.

In April, pretty, dainty, inconsistent, not studious. In May, handsome, contented, happy. In June, gay, impetuous, will marry early. In July, fair, surly, jealous. In August, amiable, practical, will marry rich. In September, discreet, generally beloved. In October, pretty, coquettish, moody. In November, liberal, kind, amiable, thoughtful of others. In December, fond of novelty, extravagant.

2848. If a girl is born in October, her marriage will be unhappy ............................Negroes

2849. A girl who is born in November will have a mild disposition.

2850. "A swarm of bees in May,

Is worth a ton of hay.

A swarm in June

Is worth a silver spoon.

But a swarm in July Is not worth a fly."

2851. Birth Flowers:

January - snowdrop February - primrose March - violet April - daisy May - hawthorn June - honeysuckle July - water lily

August - poppy September - morning glory October - golden rod November - chrysanthemum December - holly

2852. Birth Stones:

January - garnet February - amethyst March - bloodstone April - diamond May - emerald June - moonstone

July - ruby August - sardonyx September - sapphire October - amber, opal November - topaz December - turquoise

2853. Wear your birthstone for luck.

2854. If you let your birthday pass without thinking of it, you will die before the next birthday.

2855. It brings you bad luck to be put under the bed on your birthday.

2856. It brings good luck to receive white flowers on your birthday.

2857. It brings good luck to be born on the eighth of the month ............................Mountains

2858. The eighth of the month is a lucky day on which to transact business.

2859. You will be able to get anything that you ask for on the fourteenth of any month.

2860. It is unlucky to be born on either the sixteenth or the seventeenth day of the month......Mountains

2861. At the first of the month say "Rabbits," and you will have good luck through the month......................................Northern Kentucky

2862. When you see in the morning the ground torn up by ants, you will know that summer has begun... ..................................Mountains

2863. Snow out of season brings bad luck.

2864. When a general pause comes in the conversation, the time is twenty minutes before or after the hour.

2865. If you blow dandelion balls three times, the number of white seeds left tells the time of day.