Friday 13 October 2023

Black Cats and Halloween



   It’s nearing that time of year when pumpkins and all things witchy start cropping up, well, saying that Halloween goodies have been available to purchase in the shops for weeks now, jostling on the shelves next to the Christmas decorations!

And of course the image of the Black Cat  will be appearing on decorations for this Halloween time. 



Pet shelters refuse to re-home black cats at this time of year due to the practice of sacrificing the poor pussies, so it is advisable to keep your black cats safe during Halloween celebrations.

 In an effort to dispel these myths and superstitions surrounding the black cat National Black Cat Day is celebrated annually on October 27th.


Of course they are battling hundreds of years of folklore, good and bad concerning these animals. Most of this folklore is so ingrained in humans one has to wonder whether it will ever disappear from our lives.

I found this while researching the subject of cats, not too sure about the validity of it though as it seems so barbaric.

During the 16th century cat burning was part of the entertainment at the Midsummer Fair in Paris. In 1758 the Benedictine Dom Jean Francois wrote an account of the spectacle. A stage was built so that the merry makes could lower a net containing dozens of cats into a bonfire; this became known as The Great Cat Massacre.

Other celebrations took place at the summer solstice where citizens  danced and  jumped over the flames and threw  in objects of magical powers ( see below) to avoid disaster and obtain good fortune for the coming year. A favourite object to throw in were cats, either tied up in bags, suspended from ropes or tied to a stake. During this time Parisiens apparently incinerated cats by the sackful while the ‘cat chasers’ of Saint Chamond would set a cat alight then chase the poor creature through the streets.

Fortunately these practices were abolished in the late 1700’s.


In Ypres, Belgium the residents threw cats from the Cloth Tower until it was outlawed in 1837. Apparently it was to signify the rejection of Paganism and the worship of Frejya.

The custom started again in 1938, luckily toy cats were thrown from the tower not the real thing!

More than 3,500 women and children plus their cats were murdered in the witch hunts of 16th and 17th century Scotland. Many were convicted on flimsy evidence such as owning a black cat, making herbal remedies and possessing a wart...

But you will be pleased to know in 2004 that 81 of them had been pardoned in a special ceremony in Prestonpas; no withes hats or broomsticks allowed at the event though.


Considered lucky and unlucky depending on your point of view and where it is encountered. Walking towards you is considered lucky but if one crosses your path that is extremely unlucky. Some people were so superstitious that they would return home if a black cat crossed their path, especially if they were involved in dangerous occupations.

In Wales however it is a different matter;  black cats are traditionally believed to be good luck especially if one deigns to live in your house. They are also considered to be good weather predictors.



The black cat has often considered to have certain powers, probably why it is always linked with witchcraft. A stray black cat, especially at night, would be avoided as it could be a witch in disguise, or a familiar or even a demon disguised as a cat.

From the early 13th century all black cats were treated with suspicion. Which was rather unfair as there were more black cats than other colour due to the black gene being more dominant in the cats DNA. To make them seem even more spooky they have golden irises due to the high melanin pigment.

During witch trials both in Europe and in the USA the so called witches best friend, or familiar as the witch finders declared, would be burnt alongside the poor unfortunate women.



The idea that the cat had special powers probably originated in Egypt with the Cat Goddess Bastet. Depicted as a woman with a cats head she first appears in the third millennium BC.

In Egypt all black cats are believe to be descendant of Bastet and are thought to possess  supernatural powers. Perhaps because of this  it was considered to have the power to cure ailments.



Many ancient remedies often use body parts of a cat for a cure all; from rubbing a stye with a cats tail, eating a stewed black cat to cure consumption, drinking its blood to bring good health and of course a  burned and ground down cats head to cure eyesight!

Perhaps the above are some examples of folklore we can dispense with!

There are other less painful, for the cat, to treat illnesses. According to some, human illnesses can  be transferred to a cat or dog by placing your finger in the animals ear until your affliction is gone. It supposedly will reappear in the cat.

Another strange superstition which I have never heard of before is that cats cannot be left alone with a corpse. They are excluded from the room where the corpse is laid out to prevent them jumping over or onto the corpse. In some case if this did happen the cat would be killed instantly otherwise it would bring bad luck: the soul of the dead person would be in endangered or the next visitor to view the deceased would be the next to die.

As well as being unwelcome near the deceased they are also unwelcome around babies as it was always thought that cats could suck the breath from a new born.

This superstition is said to have originated with Lilith, the dark goddess of Hebrew mythology, Adam’s hated first wife, who according to Hebrew tales was a vampire.            Her name is usually translated as “night monster.” She took the form of a huge black cat called El-Broosha, and in that form sucked the blood of her favorite prey, the newborn infant.



There was a  cult associated with Lilith which survived up until the late 7th century. The evil she threatened, especially against children and women in childbirth, could be counteracted by the wearing of an amulet bearing the names of certain angels.

 

Saturday 5 August 2023


After much tweeking and proof reading

More Faeries and Folklore of the British Isles

has been published and is now available on Amazon.

First published in 2006 by Arris, Faeries and Folklore of the British Isles became a popular and must have handbook for all lovers of English folk and faerie stories. Meeting with critical acclaim from sources across the country, it was shortlisted by a major broad sheet newspaper as one of it's 'top 10 xmas presents for 2007'.

Following the success of Faerie and Folklore, I published Faerie Flora, a guide to plants and their connection in folklore to the world of faerie.
The popular Psychic Sisters series followed along with a number of illustrated children's stories.

Now for 2023 I have returned to the world of Faeries and Folklore with this new, updated edition. With 192 pages of new content and illustrations 'More Faeries and Folklore is available worldwide through Amazon.


A superbly illustrated introduction to the host of mythical beings who inhabit the British Isles. These wonderful tales of the faerie world have been gathered from all corners of the country, from Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, to the Scottish hills and down to the tip of Cornwall.


Many of the folk tales can be traced back to Celtic times and have been passed on orally, from old wives tales to the spell binding stories we were told as children.

County by county the book explores the different types of creatures from the faerie world, where they may still be found and their customs and habits.  

There are also wise tips on how to protect against faerie magic.


Saturday 8 July 2023

World of Magic Myth and Legend Zazzle shop

Taa daah!
Pleased to announce my new shop on Zazzle
 The place to shop for all faerie lovers
from t shirts, to phone covers, cushions etc







 





                                        https://www.zazzle.co.uk/store/magicmythlegend

More Faeries and Folklore of the British Isles

In a few weeks time the revised and updated edition of 

More Faeries and Folklore of the British Isles 

will be available from Amazon.


"These wonderful tales of the faeries world have been gathered from all corners of the British Isles- from Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, to the Scottish hills and then down to the tip of Cornwall. Many of the folk tales can be traced back to Celtic times and have been passed on orally, from old wives tales to the spell binding stories we were told as children.
County by county Elizabeth Andrews explores the different types of creatures from the faerie world, where they may still be found and their customs and habits.
There are also wise tips on how to protect yourself against faerie magic."

Since the publication of the first edition I have heard many times why did you forget this county and that faerie? So I decided that I had better go on another faerie hunt!
This edition has many more pages, information and illustrations in a larger format.
I hope this edition will be as popular as the original.
I will announce the publication date when the final draft has been finalised.

Wednesday 19 April 2023

The Witch and the Rollright Stones






 The Rollright Stones.

A Bronze Age site, the stones are widely believed to be a King and his Army that were turned to stone by a local Witch.

The circle of stones is a 100 ft in diameter, to one side stands the King stone.

This was a conquering  army that marched as far north as Little Rollright until the King came upon a local wise woman.

She told the King that if he could see Long Compton within seven strides he would be King of the whole country.

Taking the seven steps up the hill his view was obscured by a mound, jubilant, the Witch turned the King and all his men to stone.

And there they still stand waiting for somebody who has enough strong magic to break the spell.


The Witch then turned herself into an Elder tree  close to the stones to stand guard against the spell being broken.


This site is also a favourite spot of the Oxfordshire faeries. 

At certain times of the year ,at the full moon, the stones will come to life and perform strange dances

 with the Faeries . Then they will dance down to a nearby spring for a drink to quench their thirst.

Thursday 9 March 2023

St Winnold and the Mad March Hare

 The month of March is the time when spring is nearly upon us and we all turn 
our thoughts to  seed catalogues, planting and tackling those neglected garden jobs.                                      
Not without reason is March  known as the time of new life, weather permitting!
On St Winnolds Day, 3rd March, dire weather warnings are given out as windy and stormy weather is seasonable and are to expected at the beginning of March. 
First comes David 
Next comes Chad
Then comes Winnold, roaring like mad.

If the storms do not appear at the beginning of the month, it is saving itself for 
the three 'Borrowing Days' at the end of the month.
St Winnold , also known as Winwaloe,was a sixth century Cornish saint whose family fled to Brittany to avoid the Saxons and the plague. Son of Fragan, Prince of Dumnonia  ( Devon and Cornwall) and Gwen the Three Breasted. He was the founder and first Abbot of Landevennec Abbey in Brittany. He founded another Abbey after miraculously opened a passage  through the sea to the other side of the Landevennec estuary. After his death he was commemorated at a Monastery at Wereham, Norfolk.
He is the patron saint of churches.

New green shoots are pushing its way through the soil,birds are attempting to nest despite
 the wind and cold temperatures.



 And of course it is the time for the 'Mad March Hare' to start their mating rituals which include mad chases through the fields and the infamous boxing matches.
 It used to be thought that it was two males fighting over a prized female but now it is thought  more likely to be an unresponsive female seeing off an unwanted suitor.



We were lucky enough to see a field of hares earlier this year on the slopes of Maiden Castle near Dorchester. The chalky soil seems to be attractive to the creatures, allowing them to create small 'scrapes' where they seemingly disappear from view. This ability has given rise to the animal being associated with witchcraft. 
Their odd behaviour  caused people in the past to believe that the hare was a shape shifting witch or were- hares  and as such could only be killed with a silver bullet. Rowan and vervain would be placed on the gun stock as further insurance against the whiles of the witch.
The fact that they could stand upright on their back legs and their strange human like cry when in distress deepened the suspicion against these harmless creatures.

Saturday 4 March 2023

Mermaid Jewellery




Excited to share my new range of sterling silver jewellery, 

available on my Zazzle shop- MagicMythLegend

Faerie and folklore inspired range of products.


https://www.zazzle.co.uk/beautiful_mermaid_silver_necklace-256342389916710955


Matching set available

Necklace, Earrings, charm Bracelet.

Other designs available