Encountering a magpie, cat, lame woman, or crowing cock at your doorway is a bad omen for travel and suggests postponing the journey.

Ominous Animals and Figures That Foreshadow Bad Travel

Details

This superstition advises travelers to avoid embarking on a journey if they first encounter certain ‘unlucky’ sights. These typically include a lone magpie (often associated with sorrow), a cat (commonly seen as a witch’s familiar), a lame woman (symbolically linked with physical misfortune), or a cock (rooster) that crows at the doorway as someone is stepping out. According to tradition, such occurrences are interpreted as omens of potential misfortune, danger, or delay that may befall travelers. In some beliefs, if any of these signs appear, the person is instructed to postpone their trip or briefly return indoors before reattempting departure (a remedy thought to reset the omen).

Historical Context

This superstition has deep roots in European folklore, particularly from the British Isles, where animal behavior and individual appearances were widely thought to predict fortunes. In medieval and early modern times, travel was fraught with uncertainty and danger due to poor road conditions and criminal activity, leading communities to develop symbolic rituals and signs to forecast outcomes. Crows, magpies, and roosters frequently appear in old texts as messengers or spiritual intermediaries, while physical ailments (like lameness) were tragically regarded as omens due to superstitions about deformity and divine punishment. These beliefs provided comfort, structure, and perceived control over risky endeavors such as travel.

Modern Relevance

While these specific omens are no longer commonly practiced or feared in the modern world, echoes persist in cultural references and regional folklore, particularly in parts of rural Britain and Ireland. Black cats and magpies still carry superstitious connotations in art and media. Some travelers, especially in Eastern Europe and the British Isles, may still perform small rituals—like spitting over their shoulders after seeing a magpie—for good luck. On social media, folklore enthusiasts and neo-pagan communities have revived interest in travel omens, sharing memes and advice around

Sources

Briggs, Katharine. An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures. Pantheon Books, 1976.

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