eet. This was complained
of, since every beggar could see the meat and envy it, "and one
might, therefore, as well eat poison as such meat."[1827] An
antidote is to burn a bit of alum, with the recital of the first
and the last three chapters of the Koran.[1828] The Jews of
Southern Russia do not allow their children to be admired or
caressed. If it is done, the mother will order the child to "make
a fig gesture" behind the back of the one who did it.[1829]

The evil eye is mentioned in Proverbs xxiii. 6 and xxviii. 22,
and perhaps in Matt. xx. 15. The emphasis in Proverbs seems to be
on envy and covetousness, not on magical evil.

In China children are often named "dog," "hog," "flea," etc., to
ward off the evil eye.[1830]

+570. Insult and vituperation for luck and against evil eye.+
Amongst the southern Slavs the evil eye acts by bringing evil
spirits into action as the agents, and they "decry" the person or
thing. No doubt this mode of operation is to be generally
understood when not mentioned. The beautiful suffer most. One may
unwittingly do the harm by admiration. One should never say,
"What a beautiful child!" but "What an ugly child!" if one
admires it. The language has become inverted by this usage.[1831]
The superstition is popular in Hungary. A child is never to be
praised or admired. If one looks at a child for a while in
admiration, he should then spit on it three times.[1832] Possibly
the custom of throwing an old shoe after a bride is to be traced
to the same superstition. It is a contemptible and derisory gift
for luck, like vituperative outcries. The fear of the evil eye
and the _jettatura_ is now very strong in southern Italy.[1833]

+571. Interaction of the mores and the evil eye.+ The doctrine of the
evil eye is plainly an immediate deduction from demonism. If the
atmosphere is full of demons, surrounding us all, agents of all things
which happen and affect our interests, human welfare depends either on
their uncontrollable caprice, or on devices by which they can be
controlled. In the former case human beings need to have omens, oracles,
rites of divination, etc., to find out what is to be. In the latter case
all devices of magic and sorcery are of the highest value to men. This
is why magic is so ultimate and original in the history of civilization.
It teaches men _not_ to look for any rational causation in the or