Superstitions live on today in many common gestures and actions. Do you still avoid walking under a ladder? Or touch wood to avoid misfortune? Underlying these irrational beliefs are centuries of long-forgotten ways of thought that once inspired or terrified our ancestors. Many of these affect us still.The Encyclopedia of Superstitions is a classic reference work with readable entries that are like sort stories in themselves. In this fully researched book, every superstition was found to have existed in Britain, so many people certainly did (and a lot still do!) believe these tales.