When cows lie down, chances are good it’s going to rain.
Bullshit!
Cows lie down a lot. At least half of their day is spent lounging around chewing their cud. The chances of catching a cow lying down before or during a rain shower is at least 50:50.
And since cows are herd animals, if one or two of them take to lying down it’s likely most of the herd will follow their lead. Which is why it’s easy to find a whole herd of cows reclining in a downpour.
These facts don’t deter superstitions, according to cow enthusiast Roger Morgan-Greenville, who has heard that it’s bad luck to strike a cow by hand rather than with a stick or to make an offer on a cow that is not for sale.
“If you had found yourself at a funeral in Germany in the Middle Ages, you were likely to find a cow among the mourners, as they alone understood the route to heaven. In Ireland, you might find a cow that had recently given birth with a candle tied to its tail to deter fairies from stealing any butter.
“Just like burning a calf alive protects the whole herd from witchcraft, tarring a cow behind the ears stops pesky witches stealing the milk, and feeding mistletoe to the first calf of the year brings good luck rather than a seriously upset stomach.”
