Would You Walk Under A Ladder?

Would You Walk Under A Ladder?

Superstition is becoming rarer, what with the advances and changes of belief in the modern age. We wanted to find out how superstitious children are, so for this poll we asked them whether or not they would walk under a ladder.

The results confirm that children are indeed turning their backs on superstition. Most respondents said that they would not walk under a ladder, but not because it would bring them bad luck. 48% said they would refuse to do it in case something fell from above – a very sensible decision. Only 16% said they would not do it in case it brought them misfortune. The remaining 36% were very brave and would walk under a later regardless of bad luck or of falling objects.

Why Is Walking Under A Ladder Considered To Be Unlucky?

The 48% in our poll are wise. There are risks to walking beneath a ladder. They are there for a reason and it’s likely a worker will be using them. Though rare events, you wouldn’t want to risk a pile of bricks or a pot of paint falling on your head now would you? You also need to consider the safety f the workman. If you knock the ladder he might fall, so ladders are best avoided by pedestrians.

Apart from these practicalities, there are more mystical reasons why some people believe walking under a ladder will bring bad luck. The oldest reason comes from Ancient Egypt where gods were believed to descend and ascend from heaven to earth using ladders. If anybody walked under a ladder they might see the god upon it, who would curse them for their impiety.

A second reason comes from Christianity. A ladder against a wall forms a triangle. This three-sided shape became linked to the Christian idea of the trinity. So walking beneath a las=der was symbolically the same as breaking or disrespecting the trinity. This was a crime which might bring the wrath f god – bad luck in anybody’s book!

The final reason is that ladders were once used to execute people. The victim would climb to the top and have a rope attached to their neck before the ladder was twisted from under them. This association with death has remained.