15. The Jonah: Bad Luck Passengers
The term “Jonah” became synonymous with a bringer of bad luck at sea. Sailors believed that certain individuals—sometimes through no fault of their own—attracted disaster just by being on board. This superstition has roots in the biblical tale of Jonah, whose presence brought a terrible storm upon his ship. Both history and literature recount instances where so-called Jonahs were blamed for misfortune and even cast off the vessel. Learn more about the Jonah legend.
