The book of forgotten wi.., p.1
The Book of Forgotten Witches, page 1
The Book of Forgotten Witches
Balázs Tátrai
Illustrated by Lilla Bölecz
First published in the UK and USA in 2024 by
Watkins, an imprint of Watkins Media Limited
Unit 11, Shepperton House, 83–89 Shepperton Road
London N1 3DF
enquiries@watkinspublishing.com
Copyright © Watkins Media Limited 2024
Text copyright © Balázs Tátrai 2024
Illustration copyright © Lilla Bölecz 2024
Design and typography copyright © Balázs Tátrai and Lilla Bölecz 2024
The right of Balázs Tátrai and Lilla Bölecz to be identified as the Authors of this text has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
Publisher: Fiona Robertson
Project Editor: Brittany Willis
Copyeditor: Ingrid Court-Jones
Fiction Editor: Gemma Creffield
Head of Design: Karen Smith
Designer: Sarah O’Flaherty
Production: Uzma Taj
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-78678-900-6 (Hardback)
ISBN: 978-1-78678-913-6 (eBook)
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in China
www.watkinspublishing.com
d_r0
Chapters
Authors’ Note
Prologue
I Curse-bringers
PIERCED GITTA’S STALL
II Shape-shifters
THE GREEN ROSE
III Survivors
NIGHTFALL
IV Avengers
WHERE THE MOOR REIGNS
V Mesmerizers
THE THIEF OF SHADOWS
VI Well-wishers
AYODÉ
VII Alchemists
LUTE PLAY
VIII Revenants
DRAGON SISTER
IX Nature Witches
THE STONE-DWELLER’S HARE
X Fate-turners
CROSSROADS
Appendices
TAROT AND ALCHEMY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors’ Note
THE FIGURE OF THE WITCH is so ingrained in our dreams and nightmares that it must have been thousands of years ago when someone told the first story about them. Since then, there have been many attempts – usually by people in power – to quash our fascination with witches, but all have failed. In medieval eastern Europe, King Coloman the Learned passed a law stating: “We will make no inquiry of witches, for they do not exist.” In the centuries that followed, western nations were guided by the star of religion, then science, and more recently consumerism. Yet the belief in the occult – apparent supernatural powers and magical abilities – is as strong as ever. Witchcraft is all around us, from the pages of novels to films to song lyrics, not to mention the growing number of practising witches.
We invite you on a journey to the moonlit side of the world, where every shadow tells a tale of magic, persecution and perseverance. Discover witches forgotten in the mists of time and rediscover familiar stories from a new perspective.
About Witches and Witchcraft
It is surprisingly challenging to define exactly what a “witch” is because people’s ideas about them have varied greatly across ages and cultures. For example, when King Coloman doubted their existence, he was referring to the sorcerers of folk tales, who were said to be able to shape-shift into animals and fly on brooms. However, he passed a law against all malefica or witches capable of harmful magic. Such distinctions between good and evil witches were as common in the Middle Ages as they are today. Literary examples from the last century are the Good Witch of the South and the Wicked Witch of the West in L Frank Baum’s modern classic, The Wizard of Oz.
It is equally difficult to pin down who can be considered a witch. Women are more likely to be accused of witchcraft and have historically suffered the most during the witch-hunts, but sometimes men and children were also put on trial. The benandanti of north-eastern Italy claimed to fight the evil witches known as the malandanti, but in the eyes of the Inquisition, all were guilty of practising forbidden magic. In continental Europe, lycanthropy was so strongly associated with witchcraft that being a werewolf was a common accusation at witch trials. So rather than simply categorizing them based on their intentions, their origin or their gender, we have organized each chapter according to the witches’ predominant abilities, so we have curse-bringers, shape-shifters, nature witches and many more.
The definition of witchcraft itself can also vary from culture to culture. The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce and wicca, meaning “a sorcerer or a magician”. There are many similar beliefs in other parts of the world, and we wanted to include these stories as well. When it comes to non-Europeans, we follow the terminology of the culture they originate from. Sometimes we use the term “witch-like being”, following the example of ethnographic sources.
In addition, we have included some related entities: child-stealing demons who can be seen as precursors to the figure of the malevolent witch. Deities such as Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, and mythological figures like Lilith, who is a symbol of independence and liberation from oppression for women. Witches also have a connection with vampires – there are many folk beliefs about dead witches coming back to life hungry for flesh and thirsty for blood.
Associations with Alchemy and Tarot
We devote a chapter to alchemists to discover the surprising parallels between them and witches. They both seek the secrets of nature and work with forces invisible to many. Alchemists have often been seen as outsiders who kept their most important discoveries to themselves, just as witches do not necessarily share their knowledge with others.
To explore the wisdom of folklore as deeply as possible, we have linked the chapters of the book to the first ten cards of tarot’s Major Arcana. The first card, the Fool, has no number. He’s the one who embarks on a spiritual quest, while the other cards represent steps along the journey. We have also linked the chapters and tarot cards with the steps of the alchemical process called the Great Work, which aims to create the Philosophers’ Stone and, with it, turn base metals into gold. But what exactly is this gold? Some say that the alchemists did indeed seek material riches – and this might be true in most cases. But there were also some who practised spiritual alchemy, whose “gold” may mean something much harder to put into words. So, rather than potentially misleading ourselves by trying to define exactly what it is, we hope this journey through folklore, tarot and alchemy will bring us closer to that elusive spiritual gold.
For example, the first chapter introduces curse-bringers such as Baba Yaga, who disrupt the lives of those who encounter them. The corresponding tarot card, The Magician, serves a similar purpose: it reveals to us that there is more to reality than what we are accustomed to. After exposing ourselves to the hidden magic around us, we must embark on a journey of self-discovery to find our place within the expanded horizon of this strange new world. The alchemical step associated with the first chapter is calcination (subjecting something to intense heat in order to purify it). This first step involves fire, the element capable of immense destruction. Paradoxical as it may sound, this fire is vital to initiate a meaningful spiritual change within us.
In the folktales we have relied on ethnographic sources wherever possible, but as with all oral traditions, there may be more than one version of a tale. To bring them to life, we have included our own artistic interpretations in the form of short stories and illustrations. While the folktales offer a glimpse into the lives of witches, the short stories at the end of each chapter allow for deeper reflection on tarot, alchemy and contemporary themes of witchcraft. For example, we look at how consumerism demands our souls and what we can do to resist its dark charm, a witch trial of two women who want to start a family together in a town where they are not accepted, and the distant but inspiring possibility of reconnecting with nature.
We hope you enjoy the book and discover tales you have not heard before. So, without further ado, let’s get started and dive into the dark and twisted folklore of witches!
Lilla and Balázs
I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK nobody would ever find me again among the gothic ruins atop Raven Hill. Many years have passed since anyone has heard my call. People who stray into this place only see old stones and silent statues; they have no idea that centuries ago there was a witches’ library here – the Corpus Corvorum. I had almost given up hope of receiving new visitors when you appeared in the moonlit night.
I know, too, that you felt my presence before you even set foot on the path leading up Raven Hill. So, when you reached the ruins, I was sure you would find the secret entrance. You passed the dark rocks and headed straight toward the only remaining wall of my erstwhile library, to be greeted by the statues of Hecate in her guises as a young girl and an old crone standing resolutely among the vines. Above them you saw a rose window, its stained glass miraculously intact. The masterfully crafted window depicted her as the goddess of the night, looking down at you, radiating the same power as always – for not even storms dare
Of course, you had no idea what this veil was or why you were called a fool. You didn’t know I was looking for people brave enough to face the illusions in their lives and to break through the barrier that blurs the world from their eyes – people like you! And nothing could prepare you better for this journey than the magical tarot cards in my library and the ancient books and manuscripts that have taught so many witches the well-guarded knowledge of the alchemists and the wisdom of folklore.
Fortunately, the night decided you were worthy of finding the secret entrance. The full moon took on the colour of the rose window and bathed your face in its light. The rays hit the wall, the vines withdrew behind the statues and the power of Hecate revealed the arched door. For a moment you hesitated, seized with doubt, but your innate curiosity spurred you on and you entered the invisible hall of the Corpus Corvorum.
COME CLOSER, LET ME SEE YOU! Yes, you might be able to understand what others could not even hear. Well, what are you standing there for, now you’ve found me? Come inside but remember – now you’re in the library of the Keeper, the custodian of the vast knowledge of the Corpus Corvorum, not among the peaceful ruins of Raven Hill. Go ahead, look at the treasures piled up on these bookshelves under the arches. Most books and manuscripts – we often call them codices – are about witches whom very few people are familiar with nowadays, so they are close to being forgotten forever.
Let me light a few more candles to make it easier to read. Their violet-coloured flames cast light the spiders like. Sit yourself down – that moth-eaten old armchair is much more comfortable than it looks.
Now … let’s see … yes, here it is! The oldest codex in the Corpus Corvorum, written by my predecessors. The only additions I’ve made are a few entries about more recent witches. The mysteries of the tarot and the knowledge of the alchemists were included by my master and we will explore their surprising connections. We will see how a witch’s curse can set us on the path to knowing our true selves, just as the spell of The Magician does in the tarot. We will discover what witches who see into the future know about The Wheel of Fortune and our destiny. The chapters of the codex will also give us a glimpse into the Great Work of alchemy and show how the tales of witches can help us on our own alchemical journey through calcination, dissolution and separation to the ultimate goal – the creation of spiritual gold.
Let us start at the beginning, with the chapter on curse-bringers! Yes, the ones like Baba Yaga, but have you heard of the others, too? Of Grýla from Iceland? Of Zhalmauyz Kempir? Of the kudiani of Georgia or the nightmare demons that are feared all over the world? No? Then listen carefully while I tell you about them. But beware, because they are sinister and powerful, and the darkness of the night will tighten its grip and only release you when you have heard my last tale. Are you ready?
Alp, Trud and Mahr
TYPE nightmare demon
AREA Central and South-Eastern Europe
POWERS nightmares, paralysis
TALE These evil spirits usually visit people at night in the form of a gruesome creature. They cause sleep paralysis and difficulty breathing by exerting physical pressure on their victims that still bears their names today: Alp is part of the German word Alptraum (literally “Alp dream”, meaning nightmare) and Mahr can be found in the English word nightmare. Incubi, who attack women, and succubi, who seduce men afflict people in a similar way.
María Pujol, the Last Witch of Catalonia
TYPE witch
AREA Catalonia, Spain
LIVED late 1600s–1766
TALE It was an exceptionally dry, arid season in Prats de Lluçanès. Crops were so meagre that both people and their livestock starved. Naturally, they blamed the Devil for this difficult period, along with María Pujol, a lonely old woman whom they thought was a witch. Some, though, did not believe this rumour and even during the harshest famine, they gave her food so she would not starve to death. However, in 1766, the body of a four-year-old girl was found in the village, and there was no turning back. María was accused of killing her and the liver of the girl fried in blood was found in her hut. At least this is what the witch-hunters claimed. They then took María to court, she was found guilty and was eventually hanged in Barcelona.
Lamashtu
TYPE demon
AREA Mesopotamia
POWERS death through one touch
TALE Ancient Akkadians thought she was the demonic daughter of Anu, the God of the Sky. She takes the shape of a lionheaded, donkey-eared and bird-legged being with snakes in her hands, and she comes up from the underworld to visit expectant women. If she manages to touch the belly of the mother-to-be with her sharp claws, the child will never be born alive and even the woman might not survive the encounter. If she finds a newborn child, she kidnaps it and breastfeeds it with her own poisonous milk, while the mother suffers from horrible nightmares. People protected themselves from her with magical objects and incantations.
Toad Witches
TYPE witch
AREA wherever toads are found
POWERS evil eye, curses
TALE We know of witches from countries in Africa to the UK who gain their power from the bones of toads and similar creatures. They use the remains in a powdered form or as a harmful talisman to curse anyone who confronts them or has simply turned up in the wrong place at the wrong time. They can also give you the evil eye – you can try to protect yourself with amulets, but these are often not strong enough to ward off a powerful toad witch familiar with dark magic.
Zhalmauyz Kempir
TYPE witch
AREA Kazakhstan
POWERS transformation, supernatural speed and strength
TALE Zhalmauyz Kempir has a ravenous appetite. She feels she could swallow up the whole world, along with all its horses and yurts. Even when she has just eaten 40 cauldrons of human flesh, she is already scanning the dusty horizon of the steppe for the next hero she can make into a quyrdaq, a meat stew. That’s after sucking out his blood first. She sits under her lonely tree disguised as a little girl, then at the right moment she transforms into her real shape – a seven-headed, sharp-clawed, hoofed monster – to pounce on and devour her victim. Yet she hardly knows what her real form is because she can also change into anything: an animal, a human, fire or even a lung floating on water. Vaguely she recalls the image of a powerful shaman mother goddess guarding the underworld eons ago … if only she wasn’t always so hungry!
Vasorrú Bába
TYPE witch
AREA Carpathian Basin (Hungarian and Székely peoples)
POWERS kidnapping fetuses
TALE In the Carpathian Basin, the Vasorrú bába or “iron-nosed midwife” appears in many folktales. In some versions she is the mother of dragons who swallow the sun, the moon and the stars. After the hero has killed the dragons, the Vasorrú bába follows him to take revenge. She opens her mouth so wide that one jaw touches the earth and the other the sky, but the hero throws the mace he has received from the Blacksmith of the world into her mouth and kills the evil witch.
She is also known as the Vasfogú bába or “iron-toothed midwife” and, in this form, she is the wife of the child-stealing Devil King, but she is even more powerful than him. She scrapes out fetuses with her iron nose or teeth, so she is a popular figure for scaring children. The Hungarian bába or “midwife” reflects how the women helping with childbirth were sometimes seen as witches who could curse the mother and the child. This belief might have originated in the high mortality rates of earlier ages.
Baba Yaga
TYPE witch
AREA Eastern Europe (Slavic peoples)
POWERS kidnapping children
TALE Baba Yaga is the ugly hag of Slavic folklore. She lives deep in the forest in a hut that turns around on a chicken foot, its fence decorated with human skulls. She kidnaps, cooks and eats the children who stray near her home. She can even fly around in an iron cauldron or a mortar – she pushes herself forward with a pestle and creates a storm all around her. Whoever strays into her hut will see a bony-legged, ancient witch, bending over her stove and stirring her dinner, which bubbles away in a huge cauldron.
