In Fiji, if a dog was seen to be sleeping on it's back, people believed that rain was coming soon (within a day).

My observations have led me to believe that it is true (a simmilar prediction of rain is when a cat washes behind it's ears....I am not so sure about that one, but it could have some merit).

What interesting "old wives tales" do you have, and how much store do you hold with them?

I knock on wood. I am convinced that if I do my laundry, even on a sunny day, it will rain. But thats not an old wives tale, thats just because it rains alot I guess

In England you get the same - cows laying down means rail to come.

Reckon they're trying to keep a patch dry when it does rain.

Many of this type of country-lore is based on centuries of observation and is undoubtedly true much of the time. Obviously there will be exceptions, but mostly worth acting on.

The dog on his back is airing his nether regions because the humidity has gone up.

Usually a sign of rain.

A lot of Anglo-Saxon "old wives' tales" are extremely old, dating back to when this type of thing was passed down the generations in sayings and proverbs.

Some from Wikipedia (Obviously a few are of more modern vintage).

* Ice cream leads to nightmares. (We were always told it was cheese, another dairy product).

* Toes pointed up signify low blood sugar.

* High heart rates lead to female fetuses.

* If you step on a crack you'll break your mother's back/step on a line and break your mother's spine.

* Breaking a mirror will earn a person seven years of bad luck.

* Don't swallow gum or it will stay in your stomach for seven years.

* Various other stories, all resulting in "seven years" of something.

* It's bad luck to open an umbrella inside.

* Don't make silly faces or your face will stay that way forever.

The Bible warns against them.

"But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself unto godliness" (I Timothy 4:70)

Bad luck to walk under a ladder.

More common sense really.

I knock on wood. I am convinced that if I do my laundry, even on a sunny day, it will rain. But thats not an old wives tale, thats just because it rains alot I guess

I must confess I struggle with the concept of sbk doing laundry.

I get this mental picture of wannabe moderators knocking on her door begging for the privilege.

I knock on wood. I am convinced that if I do my laundry, even on a sunny day, it will rain. But thats not an old wives tale, thats just because it rains alot I guess

I must confess I struggle with the concept of sbk doing laundry.

I get this mental picture of wannabe moderators knocking on her door begging for the privilege.

i wish!

In England you get the same - cows laying down means rail to come.

Reckon they're trying to keep a patch dry when it does rain.

Many of this type of country-lore is based on centuries of observation and is undoubtedly true much of the time. Obviously there will be exceptions, but mostly worth acting on.

One thing that I have noticed is that when cattle are sleeping and laying down then the fishing is slow. But, when they are all up and feeding the fishing is usually good. It probably has something to do with the barometer.

Hey Ian, check out the fishing thread in the Chiang Rai forum, they're looking for someone to catch some elusive whoppers.

(As opposed to telling them...)

In England you get the same - cows laying down means rail to come.

Reckon they're trying to keep a patch dry when it does rain.

Many of this type of country-lore is based on centuries of observation and is undoubtedly true much of the time. Obviously there will be exceptions, but mostly worth acting on.

One thing that I have noticed is that when cattle are sleeping and laying down then the fishing is slow. But, when they are all up and feeding the fishing is usually good. It probably has something to do with the barometer.

An interesting observation and hypothesis.

Tying that in with Scea's "cows lying down means rain".....Without putting temperature or light intensity into the equation, high atmospheric pressure could very well encourage fish into shallower water (that has been my observation)....so low pressure may indeed mean that the fish have gone deeper.

Not many old wives used to go fishing, or I bet there would be a tale to cover this one.

Fishermen, particularly saltwater fishermen, usually have the same type of sayings as sailors, often to do with the weather.

Red sky in morning, Sailors take warning.

Red sky at night, Sailors' delight.

Mackerel skies and mares' tails

Make tall ships take in their sails.

When halo rings the moon or sun

Rain's approaching on the run.

And another barometric pressure one I found....

Seagull, seagull, sit on the sand,

It's a sign of rain when you are at hand

In general, birds roost more during a period of low pressure. Before a hurricane, flocks of birds will be seen roosting. Take off may be harder when the pressure is low or the air is thinner because the natural updrafts are lessened.

I knock on wood. I am convinced that if I do my laundry, even on a sunny day, it will rain. But thats not an old wives tale, thats just because it rains alot I guess

I must confess I struggle with the concept of sbk doing laundry.

I get this mental picture of wannabe moderators knocking on her door begging for the privilege.

i wish!

I don't wannabe a mod but I'd gladly wash your knickers, sbk

Somehow, that just crossed a line.

Not sure what line.....but I feel uneasy.

Khun Brinky is a notorious line crosser....

My wife told me she shot 85 with her pals at golf the other day ( she's old and tells porkies)

85 what?

Were they in season?

85 what?

Were they in season?

A very good point which i'll admit I forgot to ask.............i bloody will next time she comes home spouting such pap.

I wouldn't have needed to ask, just shut the windows while they were being cooked outside....

The problem is some (most) of her golfing buddies are married. If she cooks them, someone will notice.

These Old Wives.

Who are they really?

I suppose the expression comes from a time when domestic wisdom was held and passed on by the old women of the community.

Of course they had to be careful, if they got too clever they could be accused of witchcraft and then you had all the resulting nastiness.

It was better for men to belittle what they knew by calling it an "old wives tale".

You're probably right on all points.

The thing I have always wondered is....are they old tales that wives used to tell a long time ago, or are they tales told by old wives?

I never know whether to put an apostrophe after "wive".

I think wives should have an apostrophe after the s when it denotes possessiveness.

ie: They threw their wives' hats into the river.

I think wives should have an apostrophe after the s when it denotes possessiveness.

ie: They threw their wives' hats into the river.

Yes....and no apostophe if it is wives, plural.....but an apostrophe after the s if it denotes possession of a plurality of wives.

I still don't know if the tales are old or the wives that tell them.

I suppose the expression comes from a time when domestic wisdom was held and passed on by the old women of the community.

Of course they had to be careful, if they got too clever they could be accused of witchcraft and then you had all the resulting nastiness.

It was better for men to belittle what they knew by calling it an "old wives tale".

Wisdom, I think not.

It probably translates - as it does today - as petty gossip and rumour mongering.

I take that you're all for a re-emergence of the ancient craft of witch burning then?

I take that you're all for a re-emergence of the ancient craft of witch burning then?

There are some in our village that might qualify.....

I have to say ( apologies to SBK, Migsey and others) that burning a few old nags at the stake has to be the way to go. Ecologically sound ( the ashes can be used on the old spud patch ) and so much easier than having to put up with the endless negativity........I'm all for it.

Just throw the grumpy old men who think they are the center of the universe on the fire while you are at it and I am all for it