In Sicily several curious superstitions have gathered around the fig tree, because it is there believed to have been the tree on which Judas hanged himself, and since then, it has never blossomed. For this reason, it is considered a "tree of ill-omen".

It is said that an evil spirit hides in each fig leaf, and in its surroundings dwell bloodthirsty spirits or demons known as Fauni Ficarii, meaning "fig fauns" or, in this case, "fig demons".

At the town of Avola, in the southeast of the island, it is considered unwise to rest in the shade of a fig tree during the warm hours of the summer days. To those who dare to take such a risk, a fig demon will appear in the form of a woman dressed as a nun, holding a knife, and will ask: "Will you take the knife by the blade or by the handle?" If the person answers "by the blade", he will be immediately killed. If they answer "by the handle", he will be successful in all he undertakes.

On this island, it is also considered dangerous to sleep under trees on the Eve of St. John (the night of June 24), as on this night, which is the shortest night of the year, the spirits and demons of the trees leave their sylvan abodes and enter the first creature they see. That unfortunate creature could be a sleeping person.

For this reason, peasants living on the slopes of Mount Etna avoid sleeping under trees on St. John's Eve, fearing the tricks of the devil. However, if they must spend the night under a fig tree, they must previously cut off a branch, performing what is called "bleeding the tree" (sagnari l'arvulu) (1517: p.115; 1713: p.119-120; 1714: p.111).