period in this country a superstitious reverence, for, as Mr. Conway
says,[3] "We find the missionaries sprinkling holy water from brushes
made of it, whence it was called 'herb of grace'."
Respecting the rendezvous of witches, it may be noted that they very
frequently resorted to hills and mountains, their meetings taking place
"on the mead, on the oak sward, under the lime, under the oak, at the
pear tree." Thus the fairy rings which are often to be met with on the
Sussex downs are known as hag-tracks,[4] from the belief that "they are
caused by hags and witches, who dance there at midnight."[5] Their love
for sequestered and romantic localities is widely illustrated on the
Continent, instances of which have been collected together by Grimm,
who remarks how "the fame of particular witch mountains extends over
wide kingdoms." According to a tradition current in Friesland,[6] no
woman is to be found at home on a Friday, because on that day they
hold their meetings and have dances on a barren heath. Occasionally,
too, they show a strong predilection for certain trees, to approach which
as night-time draws near is considered highly dangerous. The Judas tree
(Cercis siliquastrum) was one of their favourite retreats, perhaps on
account of its traditionary association with the apostle. The Neapolitan
witches held their tryst under a walnut tree near Benevento,[7] and at
Bologna the peasantry tell how these evil workers hold a midnight
meeting beneath the walnut trees on St. John's Eve. The elder tree is
another haunt under whose branches witches are fond of lurking, and on
this account caution must be taken not to tamper with it after dark.[8]
Again, in the Netherlands, experienced shepherds are careful not to let
their flocks feed after sunset, for there are wicked elves that prepare
poison in certain plants--nightwort being one of these. Nor does any man
dare to sleep in a meadow or pasture after sunset, for, as the shepherds
say, he would have everything to fear. A Tyrolese legend[9] relates how
a boy who had climbed a tree, "overlooked the ghastly doings of certain
witches beneath its boughs. They tore in pieces the corpse of a woman,
and threw the portions in the air. The boy caught one, and kept it by
him; but the witches, on counting the pieces, found that one was missing,
and so replaced it by a scrap of alderwood, when instantly the dead
came to life again."
Similarly, also, they had their favourite flowers, one having been the
foxglove, nicknamed "witches' bells," from their decorating their fingers
with its blossoms; while in some localities the hare-bell is designated the
"witches' thimble." On the other hand, flowers of a yellow or greenish
hue were distasteful to them.[10]
In the witchcraft movement it would seem that certain plants were in
requisition for particular purposes, these workers of darkness having
utilised the properties of herbs to special ends. A plant was not
indiscriminately selected, but on account of possessing some virtue as to
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