Spitting for Luck's Sake.
Spitting for "luck's sake," and as a charm against all kinds of fascinations, was regarded with importance by the ancients. Theocritus says—
"Thrice on my breast I spit to guard me safe
From fascinating charms."
Among the Greeks it was customary to spit three times into their bosoms at the sight of a mad man, or one troubled with an epilepsy. Children were lustrated with spittle by their nurses or relations; the old grandmother, or aunt, moved around in a circle, and rubbed the child's forehead with spittle, selecting her middle finger, to preserve it from witchcraft. Persius alludes to this custom—
"See how old beldams expiation make,
To atone the gods the bantling up they take
His lips are wet with lustrous spittle; thus
They think to make the gods propitious."
Spitting, as an Irish luck superstition, is noticed by Camden: "It is by no means allowable to praise a horse or any other animal, unless you say, 'God save him,' or spit upon him. If any ill-luck befalls the horse three days after, they hunt up the person who praised him, that he may whisper the Lord's prayer into the animal's right ear."
Spitting for good luck has still its votaries among hucksters, pedlers and others. The first money received for the day is spat upon by dealers in England, Scotland and Roumania.
A Yorkshire custom to secure luck when a rainbow appeared was marking a cross on the ground and spitting on each of its four corners.