Superstitous Myths & Beliefs
The albatross as a superstitious relic is referenced in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's well-known poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It is considered very unlucky to kill an albatross; in Coleridge's poem, the narrator killed the bird and his fellow sailors eventually force him to wear the dead bird around his neck.
For many years, sailors refused to utter the word “rabbit” on their boats lest they come to harm at sea. Meanwhile, on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, rabbits are considered to be highly unlucky. Some older residents call them “underground mutton” to avoid saying the word!
One of the more unusual nautical superstitions that still persists today is that bananas are bad luck to bring aboard a ship, especially a fishing vessel. This belief allegedly began during the 1700s, when many trading ships disappeared while sailing between the Caribbean and Spain.
The superstition of black cats bringing bad luck is one of the most well known in modern day society. Unfortunately, this unfounded superstition leads to black felines being the least adopted in animal shelters across the country.
Seabirds were thought to carry the souls of dead sailors and it is considered bad luck to kill one.
Flat-footed people were unlucky on board a ship and were also avoided by sailors before they boarded. Women were bad luck on board because they distracted the crew, which would anger the sea, causing treacherous conditions as revenge.
