Luck and prosperity
Charms for fortune, success, a good harvest and a safe journey.
Luck magic aims at fortune, success, wealth and a safe passage. People keep lucky charms, perform money rites, pour offerings to a god of wealth, and avoid unlucky days. Examples include the Chinese lucky cat and the red packet, the Japanese daruma doll, the Indian worship of Lakshmi at Diwali, the European four-leaf clover and horseshoe, and the Hoodoo mojo bag. This page looks at what luck means and who profits from it.
Ideas of luck
Cultures differ on what luck is. In China, fortune is tied to fate, timing and the placement of objects, giving rise to feng shui and the choice of lucky numbers. In West Africa, success is linked to a person's destiny and the help of the orisha or ancestors. In Europe, luck came to be seen as chance, with charms to tilt it. Many societies see wealth as shared and fear that good fortune attracts envy. Merchants, farmers, gamblers and students are the usual customers, and the amounts asked of them range from a coin to a lifetime of savings.
Customs
Customs are domestic and mostly small. Merchants in Taiwan and China burn paper offerings and put out fruit at the start of the month. Fishers and sailors keep charms and avoid certain words. Gamblers, students and athletes have habits they will not break. Many rites involve giving something away, since reciprocity is thought to keep fortune moving. Lucky days are often chosen by calendar or astrologer, so that a shop opens, a wedding is held or a journey begins on a favourable date.
Schemes and scams
Luck is easy to sell. Lottery charms, gemstone bracelets and sellers who promise riches for a fee make money from hope. Fraud involving fake spiritualists who say a client's money is cursed and must be handed over is documented in many countries. Playing games of chance with charms may feel harmless, but anyone struggling with gambling should seek real help. Some wealth rites are public and religious, as with Diwali lamps for Lakshmi and the Lunar New Year offerings to the god of wealth, and some are private and quiet.
Scholars and sceptics
Psychologists have found that carrying a lucky charm can raise confidence and performance in some tasks, without changing the odds of chance. Economists study the role of luck in success. Religious authorities differ: some see lucky objects as idolatry, others as harmless custom, and prosperity churches around the world teach a faith-based version of the same hope. Those who struggle with debt or gambling harm should look for practical advice, since a charm does not change the odds or pay the bills.
Luck and prosperity on EveryJaadu
The entries written up so far, best known first.
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyAlp
A Germanic spirit that presses on sleepers and drinks milkBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚠馃嚫 Iceland and 1 moreHidden-folkhulduf贸lk
Supernatural beings in Nordic folklore who live in a parallel world within the landscape.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomGhillie DhuGille Dubh
A solitary Scottish fairy known for protecting forests and guiding lost childrenBeing 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreKnocker
A mine spirit of Cornwall and Devon that warns of danger and plays tricks on workersBeing 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚠馃嚜 IrelandP煤ca
A shape-shifting spirit of Celtic folklore that brings fortune or mischiefBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomBrowniebr霉naidh
A nocturnal household spirit from Scottish folklore that performs chores in exchange for offerings.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 3 moreVodyanoy胁芯写褟薪芯泄
A water spirit of Slavic folklore that dwells in rivers and lakesBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚜馃嚫 Spain and 5 moreDuende
A humanoid spirit of Iberian and Latin American folklore, ranging from household pranksters to forest guardians.Being 路 Protection 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚘馃嚬 Austria and 3 morePerchtaPercht
A Alpine goddess of winter who rewards diligence and punishes laziness during the twelve days after Christmas.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Revived
馃嚠馃嚜 Ireland and 3 moreChangeling
A substitute left by supernatural beings in place of a stolen human child or adultBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomPuck
A mischievous domestic sprite of English folklore known for practical jokes and household choresBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 Romania and 2 moreSolomonari葮olomonar
A Romanian weather wizard who rides a dragon and controls the storms.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreEaster Bunny
A German folkloric hare that judges children and delivers colored eggs for EasterBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚚馃嚟 Switzerland and 3 moreTatzelwurm
A cat-headed lizard of the Alps, said to guard mines and drink cow milk.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 5 moreLindwormlindorm
A serpentine dragon of Northern and Central European folklore, often depicted as limbless or winged.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 3 moreChort褔褢褉褌
A Slavic demon spirit with horns and hooves, known in folklore as a trickster or minor evil force.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚪馃嚧 Romania and 2 moreStrix蟽蟿蟻委尉
A classical bird of ill omen that evolved into a term for witches and vampires across Europe.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 4 moreFiery serpents芯谐薪械薪薪褘泄 蟹屑械泄
A pan-Slavic spirit of fire and wind, seen as a demon or a household helperBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚘馃嚤 Albania and 3 moreKulshedra
A multi-headed serpent demon in Albanian folklore that controls storms and droughts.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 RomaniaZ芒n膬
A Romanian woodland spirit linked to Diana that guides travelers and blesses children.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 1 moreSkogsr氓
A forest spirit in Swedish folklore who appears as a beautiful woman but hides a hollow back and animal feet.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainAnjanaan藞hana / an.xa.n蓽
Cantabrian fairies who protect forests and bring gifts to children.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚪馃嚫 SerbiaCikavac褑懈泻邪胁邪褑
A winged creature from Serbian folklore that fetches honey and milk for its ownerBeing 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Power and authority Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 Romania and 1 moreS芒nzian膬
Romanian fairies and a summer solstice festival of flowers and magicBeing 路 Protection 路 Love and attraction Living
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceMargot the fairy
Earthly fairies of Brittany known for dancing, building monuments, and testing human guests.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 1 moreNis PukNi脽 Puk
A legendary household spirit from Northern Germany and Denmark that helps or torments its owner.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Protection Legendary
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyWitte Wiwer
Subterranean spirits of Low German folklore known for music and child exchangeBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚜馃嚫 SpainXana
A water spirit of Asturian myth who offers treasures or madness to those who hear her song.Being 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Cursing and harm Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomHobgoblin
A household spirit from English folklore known for chores and mischiefBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚟馃嚭 HungaryLid茅rc
A shape-shifting spirit from Hungarian folklore that brings wealth or illness.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyFeldgeist
German folk creatures tied to crops, weather and harvest ritualsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceFarfadet
Small helpful spirits of French folklore that perform chores for foodBeing 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomBuccabocka
A Cornish sea-spirit and mine-dweller who receives fish offerings from coastal communities.Being 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenSj枚r氓
A Swedish lake spirit that rewards kindness and drowns the disrespectfulBeing 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚭 Russia and 5 moreFiredrakeognennyi zmei
A European dragon myth born from sightings of shooting stars and will-o'-the-wispsBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomCeffyl D诺r
A Welsh water spirit that takes the form of a horse to test or harm travellers.Being 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomBluecap
A blue flame spirit of English mines that guides miners and warns of dangerBeing 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
馃嚪馃嚧 RomaniaS芒ntoaderi
Supernatural beings in Romanian folklore known for causing illness through music and danceBeing 路 Cursing and harm 路 Luck and prosperity Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Huldra: Bernard Evans Ward, Public domain, source
- Xana: John William Waterhouse, Public domain, source
- Alp: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Hidden-folk: Schorle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- P煤ca: Wirt Sikes, Public domain, source
- Brownie: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Vodyanoy: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, source
- Duende: Ren茅 Mayorga, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Easter Bunny: Dr. Bernd Gross, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tatzelwurm: Abrasax, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, source
- Lindworm: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Strix: Prosthetic Head, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kulshedra: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, source
- Skogsr氓: Gunnar Creutz (Achird), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Perchta: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hobgoblin: Herbert Railton, Public domain, source
- Feldgeist: Zwoelefant, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Farfadet: User:Mattes, Public domain, source
- Bucca: Frederick Whymper, Public domain, source
- Puck: Joseph Noel Paton, Public domain, source
- Firedrake: Ramesh Kumar R, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chort: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- S芒nzian膬: Saturnian, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nis Puk: R2D3LA, CC BY-SA 4.0, source