Why do we "touch wood" when we tempt fate ?

[mendyweiss]

Well ?

[d-rock]

i touch wood a lot more than when i just tempt fate!




just wanted to get the obvious out of the way

[d-rock]

i think it has something to do with pagan spirits living in tree's or something like that. touching wood appeases them i guess

[SatCam]

i touch wood a lot more than when i just tempt fate!




just wanted to get the obvious out of the way


you make my job so much easier

[d-rock]

you make my job so much easier

just helpin' out one post at a time

[MadMatt]

Per Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knocking_on_wood):

It is commonly thought that knocking on wood has been a superstitious action to ward off evil throughout history. Some believe it has to do with knocking on the wooden cross. Another explanation for this practice is the pagan belief that spirits (dryads) lived in trees. By knocking on the wood of a tree while making some sort of a bold statement, the speaker could prevent the spirit from hearing him and stop the spirit from interfering.

However, there is no evidence for either theory, and the superstitions have not been traced beyond children's games of tag of the early nineteenth century.

According to Steve Roud, the earliest documented references to "touching wood" are from 1805 and 1828 and concern chasing games like "Tiggy-touch-wood", where you are safe from being "tagged" if you "touch wood". Says Roud, "'Tiggy-touch-wood' was an extremely well-known game, and it is most likely that the phrase passed into everyday language."

[Devo37]

huh huh. he said 'wood'.

[PapaBear]

Didn't Ian Anderson talk about this in the Live Bursting Out album?

[cougarjake13]

i got nuttin

[Bob Impact]

I know everytime Sarah touches my wood shes tempting fate.