Facts and Fables

Toe of Frog - buttercup

Wool of Bat - holly leaves

Tongue of Dog - houndstongue

Lizard's Leg - a creeping plant such as ivy

Scale of Dragon - leaf of dragonwort, tarragon

Tooth of Wolf - leaf of wolfsbane

Gall of Goat - honeysuckle or st. John's wort

Nose of Turtle - turtle's cap

Adder's Fork - bistort

Tiger's Chaundron - lady's mantle

from: The Magical Almanac, 1993, Scott Cunningham

The popularity of such figures does indeed seem surprising, given the 'wicked' image that Witches have suffered for centuries.

Wise woman, who were often midwives, healers, herbalists, psychics and folk magickians were an established part of European culture for centuries. Most of these women knew spells of love, protection and health, and were frequently called upon for their magickal assistance.

In the olden days, the elderly were held in high esteem for their wisdom and experience. Older wise women were naturally thought to possess more knowledge and have access to greater power.

For hundreds of years, wise women were allowed to openly practice their 'arts'. Some called these women Witches, but at the time this was no crime. Female Witches were akin to fairy godmothers: they were respected, not feared.

Soon the great persecution of the heretics began. Wise women were suddenly labeled as enemies of the dominant religion. Many were falsely accused of worshipping the devil and were executed.

And so, the wise women, who were healers and helpers; who cured with spells and herbs; who birthed babies; counselled the depressed and blessed the fields came to be hated and feared through no fault of their own.

Since the Witch wasn't originally seen as evil, it seems likely that the modern day popularity of the Kitchen Witch is based upon the growing knowledge of the true nature of Witches, past and present. Kitchen Witches are depicted as flying as a sigh of their magickal ability. The advanced age of most Kitchen Witches may indicate respect for the accumulated wisdom of the wise woman.

Kitchen Witches seem to be an apology to the wise woman falsely accused of devil-worship. It also may be a yearning for a return to the past, when magick was an accepted practice and when the wise woman helped those who came to her.

from: The Magical Almanac, 1993, Scott Cunningham

**Rain before seven, fine before eleven.

**The louder the frog, the more the rain.

**The last Sunday in the month indicates the weather of the next month.

**When pigs carry straw to their sties, bad weather may be expected.

**If cocks crow during a downpour, it will be fine before night.

from: The Story of Weather, Bill Giles

Storms:

Clovers contracting their leaves.

Horses standing in a group facing away from a hedge.

Unusually busy ants.

Marigold flowers not opened before 7 AM.

Spiders destroying their webs.

Rain:

Cats sneezing.

Bees remaining in their hives.

Smoke refusing to go out the chimney.

Snakes hunting for food.

Good Weather:

Bats flying at twilight.

Wind blowing from the west.

Robins singing on a barn.

Spiders creating webs in the morning.

from: The Magical Almanac, 1993, Scott Cunningham

A bird in the house is a sign of a death.

If you drop a comb while combing your hair it is a sign of a coming disappointment.

Fingernail cuttings should be saved, burned, or buried.

An onion cut in half and placed under the bed of a sick person will draw off fever and poisons.

Light a candle on the night of November 1 for each deceased relative and place in a window.

Windows in a deceased person's home should be opened to allow his soul to leave the body.

Carry a bent nail in your pocket for luck.