According to Greek a legend, Zeus was in love with a beautiful nymph names Io. Naturally his wife, Hera, was not to pleased. So, to hide Io from her he changed her in to a white heifer. When Io ate the grasses she found them too coarse and bitter for her and she began to cry. Zeus changed her tears into violets that were tender and sweet enough for her to eat.
Superstitions include: wearing violets on your head to prevent drunkenness; given as gifts for good luck; and if violets bloom in autumn, epidemics or death will follow within the year.
According to the Welsh, if a man had been beaten, violets would supposedly divine whether he would live or die. A bruised violet was bound to his forefinger; if he fell asleep, he would recover. Otherwise, he would die.The sweet violet has been used for ages in jams, jellies and for medicinal purposes. Medieval herbalists believed they had antiseptic properties. Even before that Pliny, an ancient Roman naturalist used violets for gout and spleen disorders.