Ah - OK. Not factual then but I suppose it is sound enough reasoning :-) I was sort of hoping that you had come across something that explained these superstitions back to an older root, like throwing salt in the devils eyes, but I guess they don't all fit in that category. Thanks for the food for thought anyway.

I am not sure if "Discouragement of whistling is just another part of the present huge cultural trend of discouraging music-making by ordinary people" is right. Surely the superstitions about whistling go back much further the present 'cultural trend' don't they?

Cheers

Dave