Hailey Lanham
hrl003@marietta.edu
When you see a cricket that has snuck into your house, do you kill it or let it live? Most find crickets to be annoying and a nuisance when they sneak into their house and start to sing at two in the morning when you are trying to sleep. Truth is that crickets bring good luck! This old wives tale started around early 500 B.C., and states that they are represented as a sign of good luck. William Shakespeare also associated crickets to be a sign of happiness. This folklore is passed down to generation to generation.
Out of the six people surveyed on Marietta College campus about what crickets meant to them, only two out of the six has heard this old tale. In Asian culture, crickets were known as watchdogs, but they later believed they were much more than that! Asian culture always exhibit and show appreciation to singing insects, but crickets became the ruler of all insects.
A crickets over all meaning is to bring good luck, wealth, and prosperity if left unharmed when crossing your path. According to Garth C. Clifford, this is a spirit animal and when they show up it is a sign to believe in your instincts and follow spiritual guidance. The reason they are believed to have these powers, is due to their long antennas and by living in the grass they are highly grounded and spiritual which create an amazing balance. The lore states, if you notice this cricket or omen appearing more often, you should pay attention to your relationship because its song is a symbol of love. They can also be protectors from evil. When bad energy or predators are near, they stop singing their song.
Furthermore, Native Americans also believe that crickets bring good luck. The reason for this belief starting came when way back when the Cheyenne tribe were hunting buffalo. The tribe watched the crickets and listened in order to predict movement of the herds. Looking at the Cherokee point of view, a cricket has courage and manages to succeed no matter the situation and no matter the physical limitations. Mexicans on the other hand do not find them as spiritual, but found they make a tasty snack!
Looking back to Chinese culture, when crickets chirp, they are singing a song and bringing good luck when they come. They are highly respected in Chinese culture, and one would also believe they are highly respected in American culture as well. In China, they go out and catch these harmonic creatures and bring then in the house to hear them sing. Another fact of the Chinese culture is they use crickets as a harvesting tool. When they crickets appear, it is time to plant, when they disappear it is time to harvest. They lay many, many eggs and with them bringing good luck, it was a common idea that if you witness this, it is wishing your family many children. So next time you see a cricket in your home feel honored, as you have been blessed with good luck.
