August stands at the threshold between the height of summer and the hush of early autumn superstition. It’s a month woven with the last warmth of sunlight, the Sunday evening of summer. Here are a few of our favorite folklores for the season:
The First Thunder After Lammas
In English folklore, the first thunder heard after August 1st (Lammas) was said to predict the abundance—or failure—of the harvest. A loud, rolling thunder meant a strong yield, and a sharp crack meant there was trouble ahead.
Rowan’s Red Warning
If the rowan berries turn red early in August, it’s a sign of a harsh winter to come. Highlanders believed the tree spoke for the land, its fruit a quiet prophecy.
The Bleeding Stone
Some tales from rural Ireland tell of ancient stones said to "bleed" on the hottest day of August, a trick of iron-rich mineral and heat, but once seen as a warning that the land was growing restless.
Don’t Sleep in the Fields
In late summer, it was once taboo across Europe to nap in harvested fields. Spirits, now displaced by the cut grain, were said to wander, bitter and sun-dazed. Falling asleep in their path could bring nightmares or illness.
Spiders Spin the First Frost
It was believed that if you see spiders spinning long threads across paths or grass in August, frost will follow within 6 weeks. Their silver bridges were thought to stitch summer to fall.
The Blackberries of Lammas
By late August, blackberries begin to ripen. But folklore warns: after Michaelmas (September 29), the Devil spits on them. Eating them after this date was said to bring bad luck or misfortune.
Standing in Grain Shadows
Some traditions in Eastern Europe held that if you stood between tall stalks of wheat at twilight in August, you could hear the voices of the ancestors, whispering between the rows.
The Last Blossom Curse
Picking the last flower from a blooming plant, especially chamomile or foxglove, was believed to offend the fae. It was better to leave one blossom untouched, as an offering.
The Sun-Warmed Stones
It was once believed that if you pressed your hands or back to a large, sun-warmed stone in August, it could draw out illness or grief. In parts of the British Isles and Appalachia, certain boulders were known as “healing stones,” especially when touched on the hottest days of the year.
The Hollow Wind
Some said if the August wind whistled through a hollow tree, it was a sign the tree housed a spirit, or was near death. Either way, the wind was a warning to steer clear.
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