Bread and butter (superstition)

"Bread and butter" is a superstitious blessing or charm, typically said by young couples or friends walking together when they are forced to separate by an obstacle, such as a pole or another person. By saying the phrase, the bad luck of letting something come between them is thought to be averted.[1] Both walkers must say the phrase, and if they do not do this, then a bitter quarrel is expected to occur. Many believe that the person who splits the pole has to say it first, however that is not necessarily the case.[2][3] The concept derives from the difficulty of separating butter from bread once it has been spread – buttered bread cannot be "unbuttered".[2][4] Another phrase used in this way is "salt and pepper".[5]

This article is about a superstitious charm. For other uses, see Bread and butter.

The phrase is occasionally heard in mid-20th century Warner Brothers cartoons where two characters pass close to each other.[6][7]

References
  1. Martha Warren Beckwith (Jan–Mar 1923), "Signs and Superstitions Collected from American College Girls", The Journal of American Folklore, 36 (139): 1–15, JSTOR 535105
  2. Richard Webster, The Encyclopedia of Superstitions
  3. Louisiana folklore miscellany, 5
  4. Harry Collis, 101 American superstitions
  5. Phillip W. Steele, Ozark tales and superstitions
  6. Millar, Melvin (writer); Avery, Fred (director); Schlesinger, Leon (producer) (11 March 1939). A Day at the Zoo. Looney Tunes. 6:13 minutes in.
  7. Maltese, Michael (writer); Freleng, Friz (director); Selzer, Edward (producer) (5 May 1945). Hare Trigger. Merrie Melodies. 0:46 minutes in.
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