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The Story of Witches - Willow Winsham

The Story of Witches

Folklore, History and Superstition

(Autor)

Buch | Hardcover
192 Seiten
2025
Batsford (Verlag)
9781849949064 (ISBN)
CHF 34,90 inkl. MwSt
An entrancing introduction to the complex history of witches and witchcraft that uncovers a world laden with myth, magic and superstition.
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?

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

Erscheinungsdatum
Zusatzinfo 16 2-colour illustrations
Sprache englisch
Maße 152 x 234 mm
Gewicht 267 g
Themenwelt Sachbuch/Ratgeber Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie Esoterik / Spiritualität
Geisteswissenschaften Religion / Theologie Weitere Religionen
Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie
ISBN-13 9781849949064 / 9781849949064
Zustand Neuware
Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR)
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