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"A woman on a ship" and other signs that pirates feared like plague
"A woman on a ship" and other signs that pirates feared like plague

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Pirates were considered superstitious people
Pirates were considered superstitious people

Pirates are presented to the modern man in the street as such ruthless villains who are not afraid of anything. But they had many fears of their own: to stay alive or to safely reach their destination. The brigands had many superstitions that they believed helped them achieve what they wanted. What the pirates were afraid of, and we will go into this review.

1. The woman on the ship

The pirates represented a ship with a woman
The pirates represented a ship with a woman

"A woman on a ship - to be in trouble." Contemporaries, as a rule, treat this statement with distrust, but in earlier times women were really not allowed on the ship. Anyone who dared to break this rule was immediately executed. It was believed that the ship is already one woman. All ships had a female name, and on the prow there was always a statue of a half-naked girl. According to the pirates, the Sea could endure the presence of one woman (ship), and the presence of another (real lady) would inevitably lead to a shipwreck.

Interestingly, this superstition was not limited to pirates. In Denmark in 1562 a decree was issued: “Women and pigs have no place on the ship. If there are any, throw them overboard immediately."

2. Do not go to sea on certain days

Pirate Ship, Ambroise-Louis Garneray, circa 1800
Pirate Ship, Ambroise-Louis Garneray, circa 1800

Superstitious pirates never went to sea on Thursdays, Fridays, the first Monday in April and the second Monday in August. Friday has long been considered unlucky, since Jesus Christ was crucified on that day. Thursday was considered a bad day, since it was the day of Thor, the god of thunder and storms. The first Monday in April is the day Cain killed Abel. And on the second Monday of August, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. The only good day for sailing is Sunday.

3. No bananas on board

The pirates did not tolerate the presence of bananas on the ship
The pirates did not tolerate the presence of bananas on the ship

In the modern sense, harm from a banana can only happen from the fact that you can slip by stepping on its peel. With the pirates, things were a little more complicated. There are several versions why bananas were not transported by ships. First, in the 1700s, during the busy trade between Spain and the Caribbean, ships that had bananas on board did not reach their destination. Most likely, it was a coincidence, but the pirates did not think so.

Secondly, these fruits quickly deteriorated, after which toxic fumes began to emanate from them, which could lead to a deterioration in the health of the team. By the way, even today many water sports enthusiasts avoid using banana-scented tanning lotions.

4. Don't say certain words

The pirates were superstitious people
The pirates were superstitious people

If the crew wanted to return home, then under no circumstances could the words "goodbye" or "drowned" be said. If someone wishes good luck, it will certainly lead to bad luck. The only way to "neutralize" the negative effect of the spoken words is by shedding blood. Usually pirates hit the "well-wisher" with their fists on the nose.

5. Wearing gold

Pirate. Andrey Shishkin, 2013
Pirate. Andrey Shishkin, 2013

A pierced earlobe implied that the sailor had traveled to all corners of the world or crossed the equator. Superstitious pirates wore gold earrings, because they believed that gold is a magical metal, a talisman that will save them from misfortune. Today, pirates, unfortunately, have not disappeared anywhere. Modern pirates ruthless, and they also hijack ships for profit or ransom.

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