The Hawk Road had considered using this week, the last of only two in the spring lobstering season for districts 33 and 34, to give an industry update and maybe encourage some good fortune for the fishermen at the same time. After consideration, The Hawk Road does not want to risk becoming the "jinx"...the Sifton, Jerry or Bruce, if you will...and has decided to offer a little info for those interested in creating some luck on their own time. So when you steam out this Sunday whistling a merry tune about a pig, don't say you weren't warned.

The encyclopedia defines superstition as "belief, half-belief, or practice for which there appears to be no rational substance". Here are a few of the most common superstitions. While you may have grown up hearing of or perhaps even believing these tales, you may not know where they originated from.

A rabbits foot has been a symbol of good luck for a very long time. Even early sailors would carry one to keep them safe as they sailed. A whole rabbit was a different story. Even when ships carried live chickens and other small animals for food on long journeys, rabbits were never brought. A live rabbit aboard a ship was sure to bring tragedy and death to all.

Breaking a mirror is said to bring bad luck for seven years. This dates back to a time when it was believed that our reflection was a representation of our souls. If we damaged the reflection, we damaged our soul.

Spilling salt is believed to be bad luck, but you are supposed to be able to reverse the bad luck by throwing salt over your left shoulder. The reason for this is because it was believed that an evil spirit stood behind you to your left. If you threw it over your left shoulder, it would get in his eyes and hopefully scare him off.

If you brag about something or speak aloud of some very good news, you are supposed to knock on wood. Knocking on wood is said to ward off the punishment for bragging. People once believed that evil spirits would become jealous if their good fortune was pointed out to them, and would relieve the bragger of that good fortune. Evil spirits were said to be scared away by the noise of knocking on wood three times, and would not hear of the good fortune.

Never put your shoes on the bed, that means a death in your family. If a wild bird flies into your house that means a sign of death. When a hearse passes by, you are to raise your feet and hold your breath and close your eyes. That will keep death away from your door. Itchy ear, someone's talking about you; itchy nose, you'll kiss a fool; itchy right palm, you'll meet someone new; itchy left palm, money's coming; itchy feet, you're on your way somewhere. Cats, black cats the worst, were said to bring on gales of winds and even hurricane force winds if they sat cleaning their paws on a dock within sight of a vessel.

In early days of ships, when the power of the ships' sailing force was dependent upon the winds, no lady could be aboard ship. This was considered very bad luck, bringing stillness to the wind, and thus, no power to sail by. In ancient Ireland if a traveler was to come across a woman with red hair he must turn around and start his journey all over again (bad odds, for sure). And what was the worst luck that could visit a sailor?...if on his way to his ship a sailor crossed paths with a cross-eyed woman, he was sure to have bad luck for the entire trip.

"One of the most striking features of fishermen's traditions was their firm belief in superstition. This has led to strange customs, such as words one should not say aloud. It was, for instance, considered unlucky to meet a woman (especially one with red hair) on the way into the harbour. To meet a minister was even worse and often made a fisherman turn around and not go to sea that day. There were numerous unlucky words that were not to be mentioned in the presence of a fisherman, and especially not on board of a boat. Among the most dreaded ones were such words as salmon, pig, rabbit, minister, hare, or kirk. The fishermen also wore clothes which used to vary according to what district a fisherman belonged to. Luck is a fundamental part in the daily routine of fishing folk and "may be indeed deeply symbolic in the folk consciousness of fishermen." (Anson, 1932)

What's the one myth these days that no one gives a rat's behind about? Whether or not a lobster screams when it's up to the eyeballs in steaming hot water. The Hawk Road hopes the Kiack Brook runs dry from boiling so many of the buggers...knock on wood, of course.

Break a buoy!