hand. Common phrases to accompany the ritual are "God guard us" ( ) and "may the Devil not hear" ( ). In Denmark the saying is 7, 9, 13 / (usually accompanied by knocking under a table), as these numbers have traditionally been associated with magic. In Egypt, ("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. (Citation) 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. In modern day England the expression "touch wood" is more commonly heard than "knock on wood". In Georgia, a ("knocking on wood") is performed when one mentions a bad possibility that could take place in future. Usually the person knocks three times. It is also done when one experiences a bad Omen. In Greece the saying ("knock on wood") is said when hearing someone say something negative in order to prevent it from happening. In India, the 'touch wood' is used to promote continued good luck and/or prevent bad omens. In Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, when someone is saying bad things, the one that hears it would knock on wood (or other suitable surface) and knock on their forehead while saying or (Indonesia), or (Malaysia). In Iran, when one says something good about something or somebody, he or she might knock on wood and say ("[I] am knocking on wood