Popular Superstitions: The third to light a cigarette from one match (colour litho)

The third to light a cigarette from one match. Many people to-day will refuse, because they consider it unlucky, to light a cigarette by a match which has already been used for that purpose by two other individuals. This superstition had its origin during the South African War, when three men of the Highland Brigade during the night, at Magersfontein, lit their three cigarettes from the same match. The match burnt long enough for the third man to be picked off by an enemy sniper. This superstition became far more prevalent during the Great War. Illustration for one of a set of 25 cigarette cards on the subject of Popular Superstitions issued by Godfrey Phillips in 1930.