Why do shivers rubdown the backs of many people on Friday the 13th? The phobia is called friggatriskaphobia. Frigga is the name of the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named. Triskaphobia means fear of the number thirteen. The fear dates to times long past. The 14th century's Canterbury Tales speaks of unluckyFridays and many people won't drive or fly or begin a new undertaking. Some stay at home all day--often in bed. Then--since the 1800s--there are the Black Friday's of stock market crashes when investors lost everything. Some sources claim that in the United States there are 21 million people with that fear.
But today, Thursday the 12th is considered by numerologists to be a complete number--twelve months in a year, the twelve tribes of Israel, twelve hours of the clock. I remember passing a math test on a Friday the 13th--not my best subject and so no fear of the day after that. No fear of black cats, or spilling salt--just spit over your left shoulder--but I won't walk under a ladder.
How about you? Any superstitions?
Bests,
Elise
My cozy mystery eBook is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Carina Press and wherever eBooks are sold. An audio version has been released by Audible.com
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