Why Are Black Cats Considered Bad Luck?為何黑貓預示不祥？

People who love feline species are well aware that there’s nothing to fear about black cats. However， for centuries， people have continued to believe that black cats are an ominous sign. Indeed， during the peak of the ancient Egyptian dynasty （around 3000 BCE）， the reverence and worship of cats were widely known—killing a cat was even considered a capital offense. But with the rise of witchcraft in Europe， any trace of goodwill towards black cats vanished.

喜歡貓的人都知道，黑貓沒什么好怕的。但幾個世紀以來，人們卻一直認為黑貓是不祥之兆。誠然，早在古埃及王朝的鼎盛時期（約公元前3000年），對貓的尊敬和崇拜廣為人知——殺死一只貓甚至可被定為死罪——但自巫術在歐洲興起之后，人們對黑貓便不再抱有任何善意。

While black pigmentation isn’t exclusive to specific breeds （in fact， the Cat Fanciers’ Association lists “solid black” as a color option for 22 breeds）， the Bombay breed is likely the classic type that comes to mind when people think of a black cat. Due to a high melanin pigment content， most black cats have golden yellow eyes. Although all-black cats can be either male or female， there’s a slightly higher prevalence of this coloration in males.

雖然并非只有特定品種的貓是純黑色（實際上，國際愛貓聯合會在22個貓咪品種中都列出了“純黑”花色），但提到黑貓時，孟買貓很可能是人們最常想到的那種典型形象。由于體內黑色素含量高，大多數黑貓的眼睛呈金黃色。盡管純黑的貓既有公也有母，但公貓的比例略高于母貓。

Black cats frequently appear in a variety of folktales derived from diverse cultures. Many of these tales about black cats are， in fact， positive. However， due to deep-rooted defamation of these animals in Western traditional culture， black cats have come to be regarded almost as a symbol of misfortune in various cultural circles. This perception becomes particularly evident when Halloween decorations start featuring content like ‘scaredy cats’.

黑貓頻繁出現于不同文化所衍生出的各種民間傳說中。許多關于黑貓的傳說其實都是正面的，但由于西方傳統文化對這種動物的誹謗根深蒂固，以至于在各個文化圈子里，黑貓幾乎都開始被當作了厄運的象征。萬圣節開始以“膽小貓”等作為主打裝飾后，這種看法就變得尤為明顯。

Bad luck for black cats

黑貓的厄運

It seems that the connection between bad luck and black cats can be traced back to the 13th century. The exact reasons and mechanisms of how cats became associated with the Devil during the Middle Ages remain unclear. However， this belief was so deeply ingrained that， during the widespread Black Death pandemic around 1348 CE， a large number of black cats were rounded up and killed. Ironically， the extermination of cats only exacerbated the plague， as the disease was often transmitted through rodents.

把厄運和黑貓聯系起來似乎可以追溯到13世紀。目前尚不清楚它們在中世紀是如何以及為何與魔鬼聯系在一起的，但這一觀念根深蒂固，以至于在公元1348年前后的黑死病大流行時期，大量黑貓被捕殺。具有諷刺意味的是，捕殺貓只會加劇瘟疫，因為這種疾病通常是通過嚙齒動物傳播的。

In the 16th century， rumors of malevolent witchcraft began to circulate in Europe. Cats， especially black ones， got entangled in the witch-hunting fervor simply because many suspected witches had adopted alley cats as companions. Somehow， the term ‘companion’ transformed into ‘servant’， and the steadfast belief that witches could transform themselves into their （usually black） feline servant persisted. This notion even extended to America， becoming an indelible part of the Salem Witch Trials1.

16世紀，關于邪惡巫術的傳言開始在歐洲傳播，貓（尤其是黑貓）也被卷入了這場獵巫狂潮，而這僅僅是因為許多被懷疑是女巫的人收留了流浪貓來作伴。不知怎的，“同伴”就變成了“仆從”，人們堅定地相信女巫可以變形成她們的（通常是黑色的）貓咪仆從。這一觀念甚至傳到了美國，成為塞勒姆女巫審判中難以消除的一部分。

At the time of the witch trials， Salem， Massachusetts， was inhabited by devout Puritans， but this proved futile. The intense fear inherited from the Middle Ages regarding anything devil-related， combined with the steadfast belief that black cats were a traditional element of witchcraft， resulted in deadly consequences.

女巫審判事件發生之時，居住在馬薩諸塞州塞勒姆的都是虔誠的清教徒，但這于事無補。那種從中世紀繼承而來的、對任何與魔鬼有關事物的強烈恐懼感，加上堅信黑貓是傳統巫術元素的看法，釀成了致命的后果。

Black cats in folklore

民間傳說中的黑貓

In Scottish folklore， there exists a fairy cat known as the Cat Sìth， depicted as a large black cat with a small white spot on its chest. It was believed that this creature had the ability to steal the soul of the deceased before the gods could claim it. This belief gave rise to the practice of ‘Late Wake’， where day-and-night vigils were maintained to guard the bodies just before burial. Scots also employed effective methods such as using catnip and frequent jumping around to ward off potential Cat Sìth soul-stealers. These techniques had been proved consistently successful.

蘇格蘭傳說中有一個名為凱西貓的貓妖，那是只大黑貓，胸前有個小白點。人們曾相信，貓妖會在死者被眾神接納前偷走其靈魂。這種觀念催生出“守靈”習俗：在尸體下葬前，人們會晝夜不眠地守衛。蘇格蘭人還采取了一些有效的手段，比如用貓薄荷和在周圍頻繁跳動，以防范貓妖可能來偷走靈魂。這些方法屢試不爽。

There’s also plenty of folklore and legend associated with the actual movements of black cats. In many European countries， these feline creatures are still considered symbols of misfortune. When a black cat crosses your path， it is regarded as an even graver omen， signaling impending disaster.

還有許多民間傳說與黑貓的實際行為有關。在許多歐洲國家，黑貓仍然被視為厄運的象征。黑貓從你面前走過被認為是更加嚴重的征兆，代表要大禍臨頭。

However， the Germans appear to have softened the severity of this legend. They believe that a cat crossing from right to left signifies bad luck， while one moving from left to right is considered fortunate. May you be able to guide the cat as you wish; every cat owner knows that merely getting a cat （whether black or not） to place their paws in the right spot already requires a combination of luck， skill， and a great deal of patience.

不過，德國人似乎淡化了這一傳說的嚴重性。他們認為，貓從右向左走過代表厄運，而從左向右走則表示幸運。但愿你能讓貓按照你希望的方式行動；每個養貓的人都知道，光是讓貓（不管是不是黑貓）把爪子放在正確的地方就已經需要運氣、技巧和極大的耐心了。

Superstitious gamblers also firmly believe that encountering a black cat on their way is bad news—if a black cat crosses a gambler’s path while they are heading out to gamble， they are meant to turn back.

迷信的賭徒也堅信，黑貓在面前經過是壞消息——如果一只黑貓在他們外出賭博時從面前走過，他們就應當打道回府。

Even some pirates held superstitions based on feline behavior， believing that if a black cat approached them， it signaled bad luck. Conversely， if the cat moved away， it was considered a sign of good fortune. According to their belief， if a black cat walked onto a ship and then departed， the ship would sink on its next voyage.

甚至一些海盜也有這種基于貓的行為的迷信。他們認為，如果一只黑貓靠近，那就是運氣不好；相反，貓離開則代表好運。如果一只黑貓走上一艘船再離開，這艘船就會在下一次出海時沉沒。

Black cats as good luck

代表好運的黑貓

In some local legends in Great Britain， black cats are considered symbols of good luck. In the central regions of England， people firmly believe that black cats can bring fortune， and as a gesture of blessing， they are presented as gifts to brides during weddings.

在英國一些地方的傳說中，黑貓實際上是好運的象征。在英格蘭中部地區，人們深信黑貓能帶來幸運，并把黑貓作為禮物送給新娘，來為婚禮送上祝福。

It appears that the Egyptians’ fondness for cats has deeply influenced some European cultures. Both sailors and their wives believed that black cat is a symbol of good luck. They would keep black cats on board and at home， all in the pursuit of a double dose of fortune.

埃及人對貓的喜愛似乎深深影響了歐洲的一些文化。水手和他們的妻子都相信黑貓是幸運的象征。他們會在船上和家里都養黑貓，以期獲得雙倍好運。

In Japan， black cats are also regarded as symbols of good luck， and are especially valued by single women who believe that owning a black cat will attract numerous eligible suitors. In Russia， all cats are considered lucky.

在日本，黑貓也被視為好運的象征，尤其受單身女性青睞。她們相信養一只黑貓會吸引許多優秀的追求者。在俄羅斯，所有的貓都被認為是吉利的。

During Halloween， a plethora of black cat images always emerge. Additionally， you can express your love for these animals each summer by celebrating ‘Black Cat Appreciation Day’ on August 17th.

萬圣節期間總會出現大量的黑貓圖片。另外，你也可以在每年8月17日慶?！昂谪埜兄x日”，來表達你對它們的喜愛。

（譯者單位：對外經濟貿易大學）

1塞勒姆女巫審判，1692至1693年發生于美國塞勒姆鎮的一樁大型女巫審判案。因鎮上幾個女孩生了怪病，人們以為女巫作祟，開始抓捕女巫。當地約200人陸續被指控使用巫術，最終有20人被處死，5人死于獄中。