The Greco-Etruscan form of the practice seems to be the most common in Europe, historically. But the rites of the practice varied widely even into the early Renaissance. In "The Works of Rabelais, Book III" (published in 1693), Sir Thomas Urquhart claimed that the ashes and soot must be allowed to rise naturally from the fire. The ashes were interpreted as they rose. Ashes which dispersed quickly were a positive sign, but ashes which hung in the air were not. Another tradition indicates that spodomancy may also be practiced by writing a question or message on a piece of paper and then burning it. The burned ashes and soot of the burned message were then examined for omens and interpretation. In Slavonia, only women were permitted to practice spodomancy. A woman would scratch in the ashes. An even number of scratches meant a positive outcome, while an odd number meant bad luck. In Poland, too, only women could practice the art. Ashes would be spread around the bed of a sick person, and the signs which appeared in the ashes were interpreted to indicate whether the person would become healthy again or not. The practice of spodomancy continues to evolve even today. For example, modern Wiccans argue that the fire used by the spodomancer must be a sacred one.