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.
🇷🇸 Serbia and 5 moreVampire
An undead creature from folklore that feeds on the blood or life force of the livingBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇫🇷 FranceHoly GrailSaint Graal
A cup or stone from Arthurian tales that grants healing and eternal lifeFigure · Healing · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomCat-sìth
A spectral feline from Celtic lore that haunts the Scottish Highlands and guards the dead.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanOni鬼（おに）
A horned demon of Japanese folklore known for strength and evil deedsBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomTylwyth Teg
Welsh mythological beings linked to the fairy folk of neighboring traditionsBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesPukwudgie
A short forest spirit from Algonquian lore, known for mischief and danger.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇸 IcelandFylgja
A Nordic guardian spirit that shadows a person and their fateBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇸 Iceland and 3 moreDraugr
A malevolent undead revenant from Nordic folklore, often guarding buried treasure.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇪 IrelandPúca
A shape-shifting spirit of Celtic folklore that brings fortune or mischiefBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBrowniebrùnaidh
A nocturnal household spirit from Scottish folklore that performs chores in exchange for offerings.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreVodyanoyводяной
A water spirit of Slavic folklore that dwells in rivers and lakesBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇸 IcelandNábrók
A pair of pants made from human skin, said to generate endless wealth in Icelandic folklore.Charm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreRusalkaрусалка
A water spirit of Slavic folklore, often linked to drowned women and seasonal ritesBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇩🇪 GermanyPied Piper of Hamelinder Rattenfänger von Hameln
A medieval legend about a piper who leads children away from the town of HamelinFigure · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreFirebird
A glowing bird of Slavic folklore that brings both fortune and peril to those who seek itFigure · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 moreChangeling
A substitute left by supernatural beings in place of a stolen human child or adultBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaZhang Guolao张果老
A Taoist immortal known for his white donkey and fish drum, said to be a bat spirit.Figure · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇿🇦 South AfricaMamlambo
A South African river spirit linked to wealth and reported cryptid sightingsBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomPuck
A mischievous domestic sprite of English folklore known for practical jokes and household choresBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreSolomonariȘolomonar
A Romanian weather wizard who rides a dragon and controls the storms.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanOsaki尾先
A mountain spirit in Japanese folklore that brings wealth or possession.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanUchide no kozuchi打ち出の小槌
A legendary Japanese magic hammer that taps out desired items from thin airFigure · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreDragon
A serpentine mythical creature found in global folklore and art, representing power, chaos, or imperial authority.Being · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇫🇷 France and 2 moreMelusineMélusine
A water spirit of French and Luxembourgish lore, known for her serpent form and the castles she built.Figure · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇭 Switzerland and 3 moreTatzelwurm
A cat-headed lizard of the Alps, said to guard mines and drink cow milk.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇺 RussiaGolden apple
A mythical fruit that sparks quests, wars, and linguistic confusion across culturesFigure · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇸🇪 Sweden and 5 moreLindwormlindorm
A serpentine dragon of Northern and Central European folklore, often depicted as limbless or winged.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇦🇱 Albania and 3 moreKulshedra
A multi-headed serpent demon in Albanian folklore that controls storms and droughts.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇪 IrelandFar darrigFear Dearg
A solitary Irish faerie known for cruel jokes and the ability to shift sizeBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇴 RomaniaZână
A Romanian woodland spirit linked to Diana that guides travelers and blesses children.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇸 SerbiaCikavacцикавац
A winged creature from Serbian folklore that fetches honey and milk for its ownerBeing · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaZouyu騶虞
A legendary Chinese creature said to appear only under benevolent ruleBeing · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇸🇪 Sweden and 1 moreSkogsrå
A forest spirit in Swedish folklore who appears as a beautiful woman but hides a hollow back and animal feet.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaPeaches of Immortality仙桃
Legendary Chinese fruits said to grant eternal life to deities and mortalsSubstance · Luck and prosperity · Change and initiation Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaAbada
A two-horned mythical beast from Central African and Southeast Asian loreBeing · Healing · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇺 RussiaPitsen
A shapeshifting forest spirit of the Siberian Tatars that brings luck or leads travelers astrayBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇾 ParaguayJasy Jatere
A Guaraní spirit of the moon who guards yerba mate and enforces the siestaBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇦🇲 ArmeniaVishapվիշապ
A water dragon of Armenian myth linked to storms and the sunBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇹 ItalyMonacielloMunaciello
A Neapolitan sprite linked to the city's underground waterways and hidden wealth.Figure · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇹 PortugalEnchanted Mouramoura encantada
A supernatural maiden from Portuguese and Galician folklore who guards treasures and ancient stones.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesKushtakaKóoshdaa káa
A shape-shifting creature from Tlingit mythology that can appear as an otter or human.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreDokkaebi도깨비
A one-legged supernatural being from Korean folklore, often linked to household objects and magical items.Being · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaNine-tailed turtle九尾龜
A legendary Chinese creature linked to divination and folkloreBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇭🇺 HungaryLidérc
A shape-shifting spirit from Hungarian folklore that brings wealth or illness.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇫🇷 FranceFarfadet
Small helpful spirits of French folklore that perform chores for foodBeing · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanYama-uba山姥
A Japanese mountain spirit depicted as either a cannibalistic monster or a benevolent guardian.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇺🇸 United StatesGonakadet
A mythical sea creature of the Pacific Northwest believed to bring wealth and luck.Being · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBabi ngepet
A Javanese myth about a person who turns into a boar to steal wealthBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Firebird: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY 3.0, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Vampire: Edvard Munch, Public domain, source
- Zhang Guolao: Hong Zicheng, Public domain, source
- Draugr: Kim Diaz Holm, CC BY 4.0, source
- Púca: Wirt Sikes, Public domain, source
- Brownie: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Vodyanoy: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, source
- Uchide no kozuchi: Yashima Gakutei, CC0, source
- Pied Piper of Hamelin: Edmund Evans, Public domain, source
- Rusalka: Andrey Shishkin, CC BY 3.0, source
- Nábrók: Bernard McManus, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dragon: Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, source
- Melusine: GilPe, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tatzelwurm: Abrasax, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, source
- Lindworm: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Kulshedra: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, source
- Skogsrå: Gunnar Creutz (Achird), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Zouyu: Chen Menglei, Public domain, source
- Peaches of Immortality: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Farfadet: User:Mattes, Public domain, source
- Yama-uba: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Babi ngepet: Tropenmuseum, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Puck: Joseph Noel Paton, Public domain, source
- Holy Grail: Photographed by the National Library of Wales, CC0, source
- Oni: Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760-1849), Public domain, source
- Jasy Jatere: Patty P, Public domain, source
- Cat-sìth: John D. Batten, Public domain, source
- Vishap: Kulttuurinavigaattori, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Golden apple: Guido Reni, Public domain, source
- Enchanted Moura: Henrique José Teixeira Matos, Public domain, source