Bacchus, Bacchanalians

A bad year for wine and grape growers (Artemidorus).

Back

To see your own back in your dream indicates misfortune, uneasiness of mind, sickness, etc. This is obviously a dream incited by the physical condition, from backache, and its attendant discomfort that draws the dreamer's attention to that portion of the anatomy.

Backbite

To dream that you are victimized by a scandal promises high success, the favor of great persons (Dream-books). A dream of the contrary, probably inspired by the interpreter's knowledge of the subconscious.

Backbone

Promise of offspring who will adore the dreamer, success in love (Artemidorus). An erotic dream (Freud).

Baggage

A dream of weariness, fatigue, an overburdened conscience (Gypsy). A load of sin (Bunyan).

Bagpipes

A dream forecasting increase in family and fortune (Gypsy). Bayley recounts the legend of the mountain called Caraiman; whenever he played the bagpipes all things that he desired would grow about him (Carpathian legend).

Balloon

Unsuccessful schemes (Gypsy).

Balm

A dream denoting sickness but sure recovery (Ar-temidorus). Obviously a dream incited by discomfort in some part of the body.

Bamboo

A dream of dissension in the family circle (Gypsy). Probably originating in the use of rattan or bamboo for purposes of chastisement.

Bananas

To dream of eating them denotes misfortune (Gypsy). There is a Melanesian legend that the banana was the cause of human mortality.

Banner

To see the banner of your native country augurs misfortune to a loved one, a fatal journey (Gypsy). Obvious meaning to military emblem.

Barefoot

To dream that you have become barefoot, a dream of success and prosperity (Gypsy).

Barley Bread

To dream of eating, denotes health, contentment, etc. (Gypsy); plainly a dream of healthful hunger and its gratification.

Barley Fields

To walk through them augurs trouble and pain to the dreamer (Gypsy); distinctly gypsy symbolism, in view of the penalties attached to damaging the farmer's crops.

Bathing

In clean, clear water, a dream of great good fortune; in muddy water, the reverse (Artemidorus). Symbolism obvious.

Battle

To dream of being in battle implies trouble of a serious nature with friends; to overcome indicates triumph (Gypsy). Evidently the realities of warfare were too grim and too close to admit the rule of contraries to apply to this dream, to which modern interpreters, however, attach an erotic meaning.

Beacon Light

A dream indicating deliverance from care and trouble (Artemidorus). Symbolism obvious.

Beads

This dream denotes success, good fortune, honor and wealth (Gypsies). As amulets beads avert misfortune and the evil eye (Pavitt).

Beans

An unfortunate dream; to eat them augurs illness, to see them growing predicts contentions and quarrels (Artemi-dorus). An erotic dream according to recent authority. The Flamen Diates at Rome, the Egyptian priests, the ancient Hebrews and the Pythagoreans were forbidden to eat them.

Bear

The dream of a rich powerful enemy; to overcome a bear in your dream is a favorable sign (Artemidorus). Although the cult of Artemis worshiped the she-bear, in Christian thought the ferocious animals are usually suspect. Modern symbol of ferocity and surliness. Freudian sex dream.

Beard

To see one in a dream denotes health; if it be long, gain. A beard on a woman, however, is a disagreeable omen (Artemidorus). An erotic dream (Freud). The beard symbolizes the male sex (Smith, Sacred Emblems).

Beasts

See Animals.

Bee

"A dream both good and bad. Good if the bees sting not, bad if they sting. Bees flying about the ears signify harassment by enemies, but to beat them off without being stung signifies victory over foes. Seeing bees profit to country people and trouble to the rich. To dream that they make their honey in the house signifies dignity, eloquence and success to the occupants. To be stung by a bee denotes vexation and trouble. To take bees augurs profit. A dream of bees is auspicious to plowmen and to those profiting from this industry, to others this dream signifies trouble by reason of the noise bees make, wounds by reason of their sting, and sickness by reason of their honey and wax. Jupiter is said to have been nourished by bees, and in his infancy Pindar was supposedly fed on honey instead of milk. They were sacred to Artemis and they appear on her statues and on her coins; Mahomet admits bees to Paradise. In modern Christian art they symbolize industry.

Beetles

This dream signifies that some slander is circulated concerning you; to kill the beetle is to overcome it

(Raphael), The beetle was held as sacred by the Egyptians, a symbol of virility, new life and of eternity (Budge). According to Brewer, it is the modern Christian symbol of blindness.

Bells

A good dream under all conditions (Gypsy). They were believed by the ancients to disperse storms, to drive away pestilence, devils and to extinguish fire. In Christian symbolism they represent the exorcism of evil spirits.

Birds

Freudians regard this as an erotic dream. Oneiro-critics give it a varied meaning according to the nature of the birds. Many small birds signify lawsuits; to catch birds with lime denotes unfair triumph over enemies; singing birds foretell joy and delight; to the poor a dream of birds implies many friends; to the rich it forecasts flight of fortune. The dream of Uta, mother of Kremhild, who married Attila, the Hun, and sent for her kinsmen to avenge Siegfried's death, is symbolic. "Stay here, good heroes," she warns her children; "last night I dreamed an evil dream, that all the birds in the land were dead." The treachery of the Huns justified the evil omen. In Christian symbolism a bird represents the soul; the bird of Paradise especially bears this significance.