The witch - malevolent, magical, multi-faceted - has walked among us for centuries.
Demonic and deviant or liberated and revered, in this enchantingly illustrated book, Willow Winsham explores the many guises of the witch across folklore, history and superstition.
From Hekate to Baba Yaga, from shape-shifting hares to Macbeth, the book starts with a rich dive into the ideas of the witch in myth, legend and fairytale. Next follows an exploration of popular belief and superstition during the witch trials across Europe and the United States, one of the most tumultuous and bloody of our collective history. The last section brings us to more recent times, exploring how how the image and identity of the witch has been reclaimed and reinvented, the significance of the Wheel of the Year, the advent of Wicca and modern Witchcraft and beyond.
Finally and most crucially, we are left with the vital question: what have we learned from the past and what is the best way to approach our - often terrible - shared history of the witch?
Rezensionen / Stimmen
'The Story of Witches really cast a spell over me.' -- Ben Gazur - Author of 'A Feast of Folklore'. 'Of UK writing about witchcraft, Willow Winsham's name should be firmly at the top.' -- Mark Norman, Creator of The Folklore Podcast. 'The Story of Witches offers a fun, fast, well researched historical summary that is also a stunning work of art.' -- NPR Books 'Winsham's expertise is undeniable and expansive' -- The New Statesman
Sprache
Verlagsort
Illustrationen
16 2-colour illustrations
Maße
Höhe: 239 mm
Breite: 157 mm
Dicke: 21 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-84994-906-4 (9781849949064)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Willow Winsham is a historian of witchcraft, specialising in English witchcraft cases. She is author of Accused: British Witches Throughout History and England's Witchcraft Trials. She is co-founder of #FolkloreThursday, a popular website and X account that brings fascinating tales and traditions from all corners of the globe to its followers every Thursday. She is based in Derbyshire.
Part One: From Hecate to Baba Yaga - Witches of Fairytale, Myth and Legend
Goddess of Witches: The Many Faces of Hecate
NicNevin: Scottish Witch Queen
Hubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble: The Witches of Macbeth
From Mother Gothel to Snow White: Witches in Folk and Fairy Tales
The Witch with the Chicken Legged Hut: Baba Yaga
Milk Magic: Butter Stealing and Milk Thieves
Milk Hares and Troll Cats
Witches and Hares
From Ale Wives to The Wicked Witch of the West: Why do Witches Wear Pointed Hats?
'Tis the Season: The Witches of Christmas
Perchta
Frau Holle
La Befana
Gryla
Part Two: The Witch Amongst Us - The Witch Trials and Beyond
Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch To Live
The Hammer of Witches: Malleus Maleficarum
Babyfat and Sex with Satan: The Witches' Sabbath
From Midsummer to Halloween: When Witches Meet
The Witches Sabbath Continued.
In the Name of the Devil
Taking to the Skies: Witches and Broomsticks
Pricking and Swimming: A Discovery of Witches
Swimming a Witch
Witch Pricking
Searching for Teats
Waking and Walking
Weighing against the Bible
Touch Test
Reciting the Lord's Prayer
Making a Witch Cake
Imps and Demons: The Witch and Her Familiars
Protection and Charms: How to Foil a Witch.
Iron
Scratch the Witch
Fire
Words and Charms and gestures
Born lucky
Trees and Plants
Witch Bottles
Part Three: From Wicca to X - The Many Faces of The Witch Today
The History of Wicca:
Margaret Murray and the Myth of the Witch Cult
Witchcraft Today: The Advent of Wicca and Beyond
Boxout: The Mother of Modern Witchcraft: Doreen Valiente
Boxout: The Fraudulent Mediums Act: An historicfreedom for Wicca
King of the Witches: Alexandrian Wicca
Dianic Wicca.
Starhawk and The Reclaiming Tradition
Wicca in Practice:
The Wiccan Rede
Maiden, Mother, Crone: The Great Goddess
The Solitary Witch: Hedge Witches.
The Horned God
The Wheel of the Year
The Thinning of the Veil: Samhain
Burning the Yule Log: Yule
In the Belly: Imbolc
New Life: Ostara
Welcoming the Sun: Beltane
The Longest Day: Litha
Start of the Harvest: Lughnasadh
Gerald Gardner and Operation Cone of Power
Harvest Home: Mabon
The Power of the Moon: Esbats
A Dark Heritage: Remembering Our Witches
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
