INTRODUCTION V

at a house, ît will soon be on fire; if his eyes fasten upon a slater, the unhappy man will fall from the roof; in his présence one is sure to break some valuable object; to break the spring of one's watch; fall over the legs of a dog, and stumble down stairs; simply to hâve met him is enough to spoil the day ; one will meet with failure in the most important business; in getting a bill changed, one will receive counterfeît money; an officer will mistake one for some other person and lead one to prison ; or, perhaps, one will hâve an attack of colic, the very moment one is about to go to a rendezvous, looked forward to for six weeks." (Larousse.)

The belief in jettatori is very ancien t. It is met with among almost ail savage tribes. It is also met with among the civilized nations of antiquity; the Greeks and Romans, and it would seem the Hebrews also believed in them. Even to-day there is scarcely a country bearing no traces of it. It is particularly strong in Italy; with the Albanians, the Roumanians, and Slavs (especially the Serbians, Russians and Pôles); in the north of England, and in Scodand. For many centuries it has been known among the Arabs, who spread it over the whole of northern Africa. Ail believers in the jettatura hâve at ail times tried to find means to counteract its injurious influence. Among such means may be mentioned: I. Words. The Arabs believe that verses from the Koran will protect them. 2. Actions or gestures. The Ancients spat repeatedly to ward ofî the eiïects of an evil look ; something may be thrown between the jet ta tore and his victim, so as to eut the line of his look. A number of gestures are in use ; many people make the sign of the cross ; but certain positions of the hand are more frequently employed : the middle finger may be stretched out towards the jettatore, the palm of the hand being closed; or the index and the little finger may be extended; or again the index and the middle finger may be extended, the thumb being placed between the two. 3. Amulets. Thèse consisted formerly of images of the gods.