PukhtunWomen

It was wonderful to watch my kids soak up the culture and local customs, but what was more delighting was the way they soaked up the superstitions.

1) If something dissapears, then in all likely hood the Peryan have taken it. The only way to get it back is to go round and round in circles and say, "Peryanoo, mamaganoo, khpal khwaley siz wakhlay, zamoong nawaley sis rakay"

2) If you are throwing anything, make sure that you give all the Peryan in the area due warning. The Peryan being delicate beings could get hurt and the wreck havoc in your house or turn your beds upside down while you sleep.

3) Cut your nails on Friday, it brings prosperity.

4) Refrain from travelling or washing clothes on Wednesdays, it will definately bring you bad luck.

5) Refrain from eating watermellon and yougurt together, it will definately result in an exploded stomach.

6) Refrain from eating fish with milk products, it will cause extreme discoloration of the skin.

7)Refrain from swallowing seeds as they could possibly germinate in your stomach and then you would have to walk around with a plant/ tree growing out of your mouth.

8) The graves of the righteous glow green on Thursday evenings.

9) Pregnant women should refrain from leaving the house in the event of an eclipse, and most definately refrain from even accidently touching or rubbing or scratching of any part of their bodies as this will result in a corresponding congenital defect in the unborn child.

10) If the fire talks, then somewhere someone sitting around another fire is talking about you.

11) Shaking the legs of the trousers you are wearing during an earthquake is a sure way to get rid of all your sins.

12) Stealing salt from your brothers house will bring prosperity to yours.

13) At the end of a womans menstrual cycle she should go out and break a branch/twig with at least seven leaves and as she plucks each leaf she should repeat, "Sta da shna ooraz di zama shi, zama da zyra ooraz di sta"

14) All the water in any kind of vessel should be spilt out in the event of a death in the family, since the water has been tainted with the passing of the angel of death through the house and consumiong such water will most likely produce sickness.

15) Finish everything on your plate, the cleaner your plate the more goodlooking and well behaved kids you will have.

16) Never leave your cut hair or nails in a place where someone may be able to identify them as yours and thus give an evil wisher the power to do kodi taweezoona on you.

17) The best way to get rid of any evil spells is to sprinkle the water from a hookah all over your house, or shower under a hanging knife.

18) The evil eye can be warded off by spitting and thus making the child/ thing unclean.

19) Clean up salt immediatley after you spill it as you will be cleaning itr with your eyelashes on the day of judgement.

20) After rubbing your eyes quickly kiss your fingers or your adams apple will grow really really big.

21) If girls play with boys or boys play with girls then the boys will grow a tail and the girls will grow horns.