盤點十大有理可循的迷信(上)

A 2000 Gallup poll revealed that only 25 percent of Americans considered themselves either very or somewhat superstitious. Despite this relatively low number, many people may find themselves participating in superstitious behaviors — actions that appear to be unconnected to the planned or desired results. Even those who consider themselves to be completely ruled by rationality may be surprised to find out just how many common superstitions they comply with on a regular basis — not because of any magical thinking, but simply because these actions or traditions make sense.

2000年的一份蓋洛普民意調查發現，只有25%的美國人認爲自己非常或者有一點迷信。儘管這個比例相當小，但還 是有很多人發現他們或多或少有一些迷信的舉動，這些舉動似乎都與自己的計劃或者意願無關。就算是那些自認爲完全理性的人也會驚訝地發現，許多常見的迷信說 法其實是有理可循的——這個結論不是任何奇幻思維的產物，而是因爲這些看似迷信的行爲或者傳統都合乎情理。

Think you can avoid the influence of superstition? Check out these 10 tales, which are deeply rooted in common sense, no matter what your opinion of their more mystical associations.

你認爲你可以不受迷信的影響嗎？不管你對迷信傳說之間的神祕關聯有何看法，先把它們放一邊，來看看下面這10個早已深深紮根於我們的常識中的迷信傳說。

d Ladders

10.不要走在梯子下面

One old wives' tale warns that you should never walk under a ladder. Some believe that this action simply brings bad luck, while others feel it will negatively influence your love life. Falling off a ladder is said to bring misfortune because it will cause you to go broke — financially, that is.

有一個傳說，告誡人們永遠不要從梯子下面走過。一些人相信此舉會招致厄運，而另一些人則認爲這樣會使感情生活不如意。據說從梯子上跌落會帶來厄運，因爲從那上面摔下來會讓你破產——從個人財產的角度來說，這確實有可能會造成人財兩空。

The roots of ladder-based superstitions may be due to the triangular shape that the ladder forms when placed up against a wall, reminiscent of the Holy Trinity. Passing through this Trinity is considered disrespectful to God, or even a tribute of sorts to the devil and other evil spirits. Another explanation relies on the fact that hanging victims used to be forced to climb a ladder to reach the noose, giving the ladder an unlucky air. While either of these explanations may be valid depending on who you ask, do you really need a reason beyond the obvious danger associated with hanging around under a ladder? You could easily be struck by a falling tool — or person — which is sure to bring some fairly swift misfortune, no magical thinking required.

梯子迷信可能是源於靠牆放置的梯子與牆形成的三角會令人想起三位一體，而穿過這個三角則被認爲是對上帝的不敬，甚至是在向魔鬼和其他邪靈致敬。另一種解釋是，過去接受絞刑的犯人會被迫爬上梯子到達套索處然後受刑，這就使“梯子”成了不幸的象徵。以上兩種解釋到底哪一個可能是合理的，這取決於你問的是誰，取決於你是否還需要另一個 理由——除了“在梯子底下閒逛明顯是有危險的”之外，來確保人們遠離梯子。毫無疑問，從高處掉下的工具或人很容易打到你，這種情況無需什麼奇幻思維，被打到你就倒黴了。

s on the Table

9.鞋子不放桌子上

Superstition states that placing new shoes on the table can negatively impact future prosperity, while leaving any shoes on the table is likely to lead to a quarrel, or just plain bad luck. Traditionally, this legend may be tied to the mining industry; when miners passed away, their relatives would bring their shoes into the home and place them onto the table.

有迷信說在桌子上放新鞋子會給將來的成功帶來負面影響，而隨便放一雙鞋子在桌子上就會引發一場爭吵或給人帶來壞運氣。據說這可能跟以前的煤礦工業有關。礦工去世之後，他們的家屬會把他們的鞋子帶回家然後放在桌子上。

Though fewer people are involved in dangerous mining jobs today, the shoes-on-the-table superstition still lingers — and makes perfect sense if you think about it. Do you really want people putting their shoes — new or used — on the same surface where you eat? If your family members stuck their shoes on the table, wouldn't you want to argue with them about it, or throw a heaping dose of bad luck their way? This one may date back many years, but it's as valid today as it ever was, though possibly for different reasons.

儘管現在從事危險的採礦工作的人變少了，桌上不能放鞋的迷信卻仍然存在——仔細想想你也會覺得這種說法挺有道理的。你真的希望有人把他們的鞋子——無論新舊，放在你吃東西的桌面上嗎？如果你的家庭成員把他們的鞋子扔在桌子上，你是不是會想和他吵一架或者希望他們各種倒黴？這個迷信可能要追溯到很多年以前，但出於各種原因它到今天仍然是有效的。

e to a Match

8.三人共用同一根火柴

Sharing a match to light multiple cigarettes makes perfect sense, but when you're a soldier in the battlefield, it can quickly get you killed. The superstition that three to a match will leave one soldier dead dates back to the Crimean War. Striking a match would alert enemy snipers to your presence, which wouldn't do them much good if you put the match out right away. Leaving it lit for a second soldier to use gave the sniper a chance to aim. By the time the third person used the match, the sniper would be ready to fire, and with so much time to prepare his shot, it wouldn't have taken much luck to hit his target. Sure, there's no reason three friends can't light up using the same match at home, but when it comes to the battlefield, this superstition is still spot-on.

用一根火柴點燃多支菸原本是件稀鬆平常的事，但對戰場上的士兵來說，這樣的做法也許是致命的。一個源於克里米亞戰爭的迷信說法是，三個士兵共享一根火柴，其 中定有一人必死無疑。士兵一劃亮火柴，就暴露了行蹤，好在只是一瞬，如能及時滅火，敵方狙擊手也難以做出判斷。但是，如果再把點亮的火柴遞給第二個士兵， 就給了敵方狙擊手可趁之機。等到這根火柴傳到第三個士兵時，狙擊手已準備開槍，有這麼長的準備時間，擊中目標也是不出所料。當然，朋友間三五成羣聚在家中共用火柴是合情合理，但戰場上是斷不能這麼做的。

Bananas

7.香蕉切勿上漁船

If you ever step foot on a fishing boat, you'd better not have a banana in your lunchbox. No, really. As ridiculous as it sounds, the idea that bananas bring bad luck at sea actually makes perfect sense. First, banana peels are really slippery. The last thing you want to have to look out for as you navigate a slippery deck riddled with fish guts is a hidden peel leftover from someone's lunch. In addition, banana peels release methane — a toxic gas — as they ferment. This might not matter much when only one banana is involved, but if you're carrying a larger shipment, the air below deck could quickly turn deadly.

倘若有一天你要乘漁船，記得別把香蕉放到飯盒內帶上去。香蕉會給海航招致厄運的說法儘管聽上去甚是荒誕，但並不是毫無道理。一則，香蕉皮確實滑溜。當你通過滿是魚內臟的甲板時，很難留意到他人飯後扔於此處的香蕉皮，你極有可能會因此摔得四腳朝天；再者，香蕉皮發酵時會釋放一種有毒氣體——甲烷。只有一個香蕉皮 時並無大礙，但香蕉皮數量較多時，吸入甲板下的空氣將會是致命的。

Fables

6.食物怪談

According to some common food superstitions, it's bad luck to leave a plate of unfinished food sitting out overnight. Legend has it that you'll invite the devil in by doing so, but in reality, you're much more likely to invite mice, roaches and other unwanted pests. In other food fable news, it's supposedly a bad omen to drop food on yourself accidentally while you eat. Ya think? Even if it doesn't end up bringing you any serious bad luck, you've still wasted food and left yourself with an unpleasant mess to clean up, or maybe an ugly stain on your clothes, the carpet or your furniture.

根據一些關於常見的食物迷信說，把吃剩的食物放在餐盤中過夜會交厄運。傳聞，這樣做會招來惡魔，但實際上引來老鼠、蟑螂和其他噁心害蟲的可能性更大。還有其他關於食物的迷信說法，比如吃東西時不小心把食物掉在身上是厄運的預兆。你覺得可信嗎？即使食物掉在身上不會招致厄運，但它確實是一種浪費，同時你還要去清 理桌上地下的狼藉，還有衣服、地毯或傢俱上的污漬。

審校：梅子九 來源：前十網