When someone talks about the great things they have, the good that has happened to them, or how blessed they are, impressed and amazed listeners tell them to “Hold the Wood” to prevent envy.
Knocking on wood, also touch wood (the usual phrase and action for speakers of English) is an apotropaic tradition of literally touching, tapping, or knocking on wood, or merely stating that one is doing or intending to do so, in order to avoid “tempting fate” after making a favorable prediction or boast, or a declaration concerning one’s own death or another unfavorable situation.
The origin of the custom may be in Celtic or Germanic folklore, wherein supernatural beings are thought to live in trees, and can be invoked for protection. One explanation states that the tradition derived from the pagans who thought that trees were the homes of fairies, spirits, dryads and many other mystical creatures. In these instances, people might knock on or touch wood to request good luck, or to distract spirits with evil intentions. When in need of a favour or some good luck, one politely mentioned this wish to a tree and then touched the bark, representing the first “knock”. The second “knock” was to say “thank you”. The knocking was also supposed to prevent evil spirits from hearing your speech and as such stop them from interfering. Alternatively, some traditions have it that by knocking upon wood, you would awaken and release the benevolent wood fairies that dwelt there.
Another explanation links the practice to wooden crucifixes. A more modern theory from a folklore researcher suggests it derives from a form of tag called “Tiggy Touchwood” in which players are safe from being tagged if they are touching wood.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia there is also the habit of knocking on wood when saying something positive or affirmative about someone or something and not wanting that to change. Frequently the movement of knocking on nearby wood is followed by da pokucam u drvo / да куцнем у дрво (“I will knock on wood”), or sometimes by da ne ureknem / да не урекнем (“I don’t want to jinx it”).
In Brazil and Portugal, bater na madeira (“knock on wood”) is something actually done physically, three knocks are required after giving an example of a bad thing eventually happening. No verbalization is required, just the three knocks on the closest piece or object of wood. In the absence of wood, someone can say bate na madeira, to prevent the bad thing to happen. People do not actually believe knocking three times on a piece of wood will really protect them, but it is a social habit and it is polite to do so to demonstrate that one doesn’t want that bad thing one is talking about to actually happen.
In Bulgaria the superstition of “knock on wood” (чукам на дърво chukam na dǎrvo) is reserved for protection against the evil, and is not typically used for attracting good luck. Usually people engage in the practice in reaction to bad news, actual or merely imagined. In most cases the nearest wooden object is used (in some areas, however, tables are exempt); if there are no such objects within immediate reach, a common tongue-in-cheek practice is to knock on one’s head.
Knocking on wood is often followed by lightly pulling one’s earlobe with the same hand. Common phrases to accompany the ritual are “God guard us” (Бог да ни пази Bog da ni pazi) and “may the Devil not hear” (да не чуе Дяволът da ne chue Djavolǎt).
In Denmark the saying is 7, 9, 13 / syv, ni, tretten (usually accompanied by knocking under a table), as these numbers have traditionally been associated with magic.
In Egypt, إمسك الخشب emsek el-khashab (“hold the wood”) is said when mentioning either good luck one has had in the past or hopes one has for the future. When referring to past good luck the expression is usually used in hopes of the good thing continuing to occur via its spoken acknowledgment, as well as preventing envy.
In old English folklore, “knocking on wood” also referred to when people spoke of secrets – they went into the isolated woods to talk privately and “knocked” on the trees when they were talking to hide their communication from evil spirits who would be unable to hear when they knocked. Another version holds that the act of knocking was to perk up the spirits to make them work in the requester’s favor. Yet another version holds that a sect of monks who wore large wooden crosses around their necks would tap or “knock” on them to ward away evil.
In Medieval England knights being sent into battle would visit the wooden effigy of a knight in Southwark Cathedral and touch its nose for luck. The Knight’s Tale in The Canterbury Tales begins in Southwark for this reason. The effigy can still be seen in the cathedral to this day.
