In Italian superstition, some people touch iron for protection when they say “in bocca al lupo.”
The phrase literally means “into the wolf’s mouth” and is used before a difficult task, exam, performance, or other uncertain event. The customary reply is “crepi il lupo,” traditionally translated as “may the wolf die,” although some speakers use alternative replies today. Touching iron, known as toccare ferro, is another Italian protective gesture against bad luck.
Iron has long been associated in European folklore with strength and the ability to repel harmful supernatural forces. The Italian practice resembles the English expression “touch wood,” but the traditional material differs: iron is the characteristic object in Italy.
The phrase and the gesture are related in modern conversation but are not literally required together. A person may say the expression without touching anything, or touch iron after mentioning an ominous possibility. The custom is therefore best understood as a cluster of protective habits rather than a formal rule with one universal performance.