ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — If a bird flies into your house, you might want to worry. And if the dog starts howling after dark, well, that might be even worse.

At least that’s what some old North Carolina superstitions would have you believe.

For generations, people passed down warnings about strange sounds, unexpected visitors and everyday occurrences that supposedly meant trouble was coming. Some predicted bad luck. Others warned of death. And a few involved witches and restless spirits.

Many of those beliefs were preserved in The Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore, which gathered stories and traditions from across the state between 1912 and 1943. The collection includes accounts from Western North Carolina, and two volumes devoted to popular beliefs and superstitions were published by Duke University Press.

Not all these beliefs originated in North Carolina, and most weren’t specifically tied to Halloween. But they’re certainly enough to make you think twice about that strange noise in the hallway.

So, in the spirit of Halloween, here are 10 old superstitions that might make you hesitate before turning out the lights.

Don’t let a bird into the house

A bird flying through an open door or window might seem harmless, but some North Carolinians once considered it a warning of death.

One belief recorded in Catawba County held that a bird entering a house where someone was sick meant that person would die.

Another, recorded in Marion in McDowell County, warned that a bird flying into a room with a bed meant someone would die.

Maybe keep those windows closed tonight.

Don’t ignore a howling dog

If the family dog starts howling tonight, you might want to pay attention.

An old superstition recorded in Shelby held that a howling dog meant someone in the family would soon die.

Other versions warned that dogs howling near a sick person’s home were especially ominous.

Of course, your dog might just be hearing something you can’t.

Don’t ignore an empty rocking chair that moves

Here’s one to remember the next time you’re sitting on the porch.

According to an old superstition, if an empty rocking chair began moving by itself, the spirit of a deceased family member had returned to choose who would die next.

That gentle creaking might not seem quite so comforting after dark.

Don’t sweep the house after sunset

Think twice before reaching for the broom tonight.

One North Carolina superstition warned that sweeping after sundown meant you would die before morning.

Another, recorded in Person County, held that sweeping anything out the door after sunset would bring death to someone in the family.

Maybe the dust can wait until tomorrow.

Don’t ignore an owl calling near the house

Owls have long been associated with mystery, but in some North Carolina traditions, their calls carried a particularly grim warning.

A belief recorded by several people, including Joseph E. Kanipe, of Asheville, held that hearing an owl in the trees near the house at night meant a relative would soon die.

So, if you hear an owl outside your window tonight, remember that it’s probably just an owl.

Probably.

Don’t look into a mirror after someone dies

In some North Carolina households, mirrors were covered or turned toward the wall when someone died.

Why?

One superstition held that the first family member to look into a mirror after a death would be the next to die.

Another warned that anyone looking into an uncovered mirror while a body remained in the house could die within the year.

Suddenly, covering the mirrors doesn’t seem like such a strange idea.

Don’t ignore a picture falling off the wall

A picture suddenly crashing to the floor might mean a loose nail or a worn-out hook.

But according to an old North Carolina superstition, a picture falling from the wall and breaking could signal an approaching death.

You might want to check those picture hangers before bedtime.

Don’t trust a door that opens by itself

You know that unsettling feeling when a door slowly swings open and nobody is there?

According to a superstition recorded in Mount Airy, a door opening without any apparent cause was a sign of death.

A draft, a crooked doorframe or a loose latch might explain it.

But that’s not nearly as interesting.

Don’t assume a nightmare is just a bad dream

In old mountain folklore, nightmares weren’t always blamed on something you ate before bedtime.

Some people believed witches or other supernatural beings could ride or torment sleepers during the night, leaving them exhausted or frightened.

The Brown collection preserves accounts of these nighttime experiences, along with beliefs about ways to ward off nightmares.

So, if you wake up feeling like something has been sitting on your chest, there’s an old superstition for that, too.

Don’t take a shortcut through a cemetery on Friday night

Here’s one worth remembering if you’re out exploring old graveyards.

A belief preserved in the North Carolina folklore collection warned that anyone passing a graveyard on Friday night would see a ghost.

Whether that’s a reason to stay away or an invitation to investigate probably depends on how brave you’re feeling.

Just old stories — or something more?

There’s no evidence that birds, howling dogs or rocking chairs can predict death. And a door opening by itself is usually just a door opening by itself.

But the beliefs survived long enough to be collected and preserved, giving us a look at the stories North Carolinians once told about the things they couldn’t explain.

So, if the dog starts howling tonight, a bird flies into the house and that picture of Grandma suddenly falls off the wall, don’t panic.

It’s probably nothing.

Probably.