Days
- stories from ancient folklore
Cutting Hair and Nails
Cutting Nails - variationsThere is a whole host of material around the subject of nail cutting, it is considered highly unlucky in many places to cut the nails on a sunday, thus according to the Devonshire rhyme ... | “ | Who on the Sabbath pairs his horn, 'Twere better for him he had ne'er been born. | ” |
elsewhere the bad luck is connected to a friday, as seen in another rhyme, which also includes each day of the week in this piece of folklore :— | “ | A man had better ne'er been born, Than have his nails on a Sunday shorn. Cut them on Monday, cut them for health; Cut them on Tuesday, cut them for wealth; Cut them on Wednesday, cut them for news; Cut them on Thursday for a pair of new shoes; Cut them on Friday, cut them for sorrow; Cut them on Saturday, see your sweetheart to-morrow. | ” |
There are various versions of this rhyme, differing somewhat in detail, as, for example, in Hertfordshire :— | “ | Cut your nails on a Monday, cut them for news ; Cut them on Tuesday, a pair of new shoes ; Cut them on Wednesday, cut them for health ; Cut them on Thursday, cut them for wealth ; Cut them on Friday, cut them for woe ; Cut them the next day a journey to go ; Cut them on Sunday, you cut them for evil; For all the next week you'll be ruled by the devil. | ” |
Cutting HairIn some parts, again, it is considered unlucky to cut the hair on Friday, or shave the beard on Sunday; hence the following couplet ... | “ | Friday cut and Sunday shorn, Better never have been born. | ” |
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