Superstitions ~ Apples and Mirrors

"Everyone has heard the saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This delicious fruit has many uses in addition to keeping one healthy. Here are some old-fashioned ways to use apples to help tell the future. The apple has been associated with predictions of love for many years. And, Halloween is said to be the time to use this method of divination. Apples are thought to help one find true love. There are many superstitions concerning finding out who a future husband will be. They will also help a person ascertain if their lover has been loyal.

To see the image of her future husband, a girl should stand in front of a mirror while eating an apple. She should do this while combing her hair at midnight on Halloween. The image of her future husband will be reflected over her left shoulder.

Another way to find out who she will marry also involved apples and a mirror. The girl should cut an apple into nine pieces at midnight on Halloween. Then, she should pick up each piece with a knife one at a time. This should be done while looking into a mirror. The apple pieces should be held over her left shoulder. As the ninth piece is held up, the image of the future husband will be seen in the mirror.

Apple peels can also predict the identity of a future partner. While peeling an apple, one should do their best to keep it all in one long piece. Again, this should be done at midnight on Halloween night. Take this long piece of peel and toss it over the left shoulder. The shape that the peel lands in will reveal the first initial of one's future partner's name. Or, take that apple peel and hang it by the front door. The first initials of the first man to enter the home will be the same as the future lover.

In a group of unmarried girls and boys, each should mark an apple and place it in a bucket or tub of water. Apples that are not marked should also be added into the group. Each person should try to bite an apple floating in the water without using their hands. The apple one is able to bite is the person who they are fated to marry. This is probably where the custom of bobbing for apples came from. However, the American custom does not have the apples marked. And, whoever snags an apple first will be the first to marry.

Many of these customs have fallen out of practice. However, they used to be used very regularly. If you are looking for a sign as to whom you will marry, perhaps you could try one or more of these.

Source:  Raven/Llewellyn