Don’t whistle!
Random anedocte about japanese culture:
To tonight I pack my things and prepare to go jogging. As I walk outside of the laboratory, I start whistling some music that was in my head, and head for the elevator. Midway, I remember that I had forgotten my entrance card, and head back to the laboratory, still whistling.
Y., in the lab, then informs me that I shouldn’t whistle at night: it seems that there is a japanese superstition where whistling at night brings out thieves!
Certainly an interesting new piece of information!
Wanna share any piece of interesting superstition you know?
October 31st, 2006 at 12:36 pm
quando eu era criança, diziam que comer manga com leite matava… uma vez lembro bem que comi manga escondido, e depois tive que tomar o leite que minha mae me deu.. passei o resto do dia esperando a morte!!! serio! Algumas pessoas, principalmente do interior, ainda acreditam nessa superstição.
Agora a parte histórica da coisa.. li em algum lugar, que esta superstição foi “plantada” pelos senhores de escravos, pois os escravos comiam muita manga, e leite, o que nao era interessante para elas, assim, com essa crença, diminuiram o “sumiço” do leite das vacas.
November 2nd, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Good that you found out! I too have the habit of whistling when the place gets less crowded. :-p
To share one from Sri Lanka, eating fried dried-fish and going out at night can bring ghosts. More, Dried-fish should not be fried after sunset, since that invites ghosts.
Just wondering. Should the police use professional whistlers and catch thieves?
November 7th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
Chaminda, that sounds like a plausible technique… although, knowing how brave japanese police is, highly unlikely