Omens and beliefs - Merja Leppälahti

If the cuckoo doesn't fall for three years, the end of the world is near. A child with big ears lives to be old. If the girl does not wash the door clean, she will get a black and hairy man. Throughout the ages, people have had the desire to see the future, to know in advance what to expect. Omens have been looked for seriously and under the guise of play. Different beliefs have been passed down from one generation to another, but they have also moved with people from one place and country to another. Folklore beliefs can be forgotten wisdom, but also peculiar and amusing. On the other hand, many old beliefs have been proven to be incorrect and sometimes even harmful. Merja Leppälahti's work is a delightful and fascinating collection of traditional omens and beliefs that are also of interest to the modern reader.