As you may know, behind Aeternum is a small company based in Brittany (in southern Finistère, to be precise). And it is well known that this region lives to the rhythm of legends, myths, and magical practices that are more or less well known (Brocéliande, Merlin, the Lady Viviane, the Alignments, and many others). Thus, to shed light on our beautiful region, we will regularly publish little-known legends from Breton history.
Today, I am not going to tell you about a legend in the strict sense, but about intersigns. These premonitions that may cross our path are not a matter of chance but signs heralding an event, or even... death. For some, they appear just before the arrival of Ankou.
So here is a non-exhaustive list of these intersigns and their meanings.
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The crowing of a rooster at midnight: this may announce an imminent death in the village or family.
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A sudden shiver: Ankou has just brushed past you without taking you away.
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The sound of footsteps behind you without seeing anyone: a bad omen, often interpreted as announcing a tragedy or misfortune.
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A crow near the house: often interpreted as a bad omen, potentially indicating death or great sadness to come.
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A holed stone in one's path: a good-luck charm that offers protection against witchcraft and evil spirits.
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The flight of birds: the direction and formation of birds in flight may be interpreted as predictive signs concerning the weather or other upcoming events.
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Encountering a hare: seeing a hare cross one's path may be considered a sign of bad luck, particularly in business or ongoing projects.
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Encountering a weasel: death will come for you within the year.
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The words of the waves: if the waves seem to whisper or speak, this may be interpreted as messages from spirits or ancestors.
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St. Elmo's fire: observing these small blue flames appearing on ships' masts was considered a good omen for sailors, indicating protection from the storm.
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Encountering a woman in black: in some accounts, crossing paths with a woman dressed entirely in black may be an omen of bad news.
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Coffin boards knock against one another in the carpenter's workshop: a death will occur during the following night.
It is also said that when two people are traveling and one of them has the ability to see intersigns, they only need to place their hand on that of their traveling companion to pass on this ability.
So, be observant from now on...
Additional source: Wikisource
Par Olivier of Aeternum
Passionate about esoteric traditions and the history of the occult from the earliest civilizations to the 18th century, I share some articles on these topics. I am also co-creator of the online esoteric shop Aeternum.
