Samhain Folklore - Halloween Superstitions and Legends

Love Divination:

Keep a sprig of rosemary and a sixpence under your pillow on Samhain night, and you'll dream of your future spouse.

Ever go bobbing for apples at a Halloween party? In England, everyone knows that the first girl to successfully retrieve an apple will be the first to marry!

In parts of England, it was believed that if a maiden carried a lantern to a well on Samhain night and held the light above the water, she would see the reflection of future husband.



The Spirit World:

People were often cautioned that if they heard footsteps behind them on the night of Samhain, they shouldn't turn back because it may be a spirit following them.

 

If you host a dumb supper and no one speaks, the spirits are far more likely to show up.

It was believed that ringing a bell on Samhain kept away evil spirits.

Burying animal bones in front of your house on the night of Samhain will keep evil away, according to some legends of eastern Europe.

Samhain is a good time of year to work on communicating with the spirit world.

Birds and Animals:

Black cats were once seen as bad luck.

One old folktale from Appalachia says that owls flew down on Samhain night to eat the souls of the dead.
If the bats come out early on Samhain night, and fly around, it means good weather is coming.

Some people believe that if you see a spider on Samhain, it harbors the spirit of a dead ancestor, watching you... so don't squash it!

By Patti Wigington

Paganism/Wicca Expert

 

Origins of the Word Mabon

In Welsh folklore, there is a figure known as Mabon ap Modron, or Mabon son of Modron. He appears in some of the Arthurian legends, as one of Uther Pendragon’s loyal servants, and as a follower of Arthur himself.

Also of note, there was a female Cornish saint named Mabyn, to whom the founding of St. Mabyn’s Church is dedicated, although there is speculation that the church was actually started by the Welshman, Mabon, rather than the female martyred saint. Mabyn’s festival is celebrated on November 18, approximately halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice.

There is much discussion in the Pagan community as to whether one of these figures provide the name of the autumn equinox holiday, Mabon. Interestingly, it appears that the tradition of calling the autumn equinox by the name Mabon goes back only to around 1970, when author Aidan Kelley wrote was gathering information for his 1991 book, Crafting the Art of Magic, and assigned new names to the Sabbats, most of which were rooted in Celtic lore. The purpose, Kelly has said, was to conceptualize modern Pagan religious ceremonies.

Historian Ronald Hutton has pointed out that there is no academic evidence indicating that ancient Celts called their equinox celebration Mabon.

In Druidic traditions, the autumn equinox was referred to as Alban Elfed, meaning the light of the water. This name refers to a time of year in which the balance of light and dark shifts, so that the darkness begins to take over.

Weather Magic and Folklore (Part 2 of 2)

Weather Divination

How often have you heard the phrase, “Red sky at night, sailors’ delight, red sky in the morning, sailors take warning?” This saying actually originates in the Bible, in the book of Matthew: He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, they say there will be fair weather for the sky is red. And in the morning, there will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowring.

While there is a scientific explanation for the accuracy of this expression – relating to weather patterns, dust particles in the atmosphere, and how they move across the sky – our ancestors simply knew that if the sky looked angry in the early hours of the day, they were probably in for inclement weather.

In the northern hemisphere, the celebration of Imbolc, or Candlemas, coincides with Groundhog Day. While the notion of holding a fat rodent up to see if he projects a shadow seems quirky and campy, it’s actually something similar to weather predictions done centuries ago in Europe. In England, there's an old folk tradition that if the weather is fine and clear on Candlemas, then cold and stormy weather will reign for the remaining weeks of winter. Scotland's Highlanders had a tradition of pounding the ground with a stick until the serpent emerged. The snake's behavior gave them a good idea of how much frost was left in the season.

Some weather prediction folklore related to animals. In Appalachia, there’s a legend that if the cows are laying down in their fields, it means rain is on the way, although this may well be something that mountain folks tell outsiders – most cows seek shelter under trees or in a barn when bad weather comes. However, there are also stories that if a rooster crows in the middle of the night, it is foretelling rain the next day, and that if dogs begin running in circles, poor weather is coming. It is also said that if birds build their nests closer to the ground than usual, a hard winter is on its way.

The term “weather magic” is one that is met with a variety of reactions in the Pagan community. The very notion that a single practitioner could generate enough magical power to control such a powerful force as the weather is one that should be met with a degree of skepticism. Weather is created by a complex combination of forces all working in tandem together, and it’s unlikely that you’re going to bump into someone who has the skill, the focus, and the knowledge to actually control anything as vast as weather patterns.
This is not to say that weather control magic is impossible – it certainly is, and the more people involved in it, the more likely the chances of success.

It is indeed a complex process, and one unlikely to be carried out by an inexperienced and unfocused solo practitioner.
However, it is often possible to influence existing weather systems, particularly if you’re looking at a short-term need that has to be met. After all, how many of us remember doing some sort of “snow day” ritual the night before a big test, in hopes that school would be cancelled? While it’s unlikely to work in May in Texas, you’ve got a reasonably good chance of success in, say, February in Illinois.

In the book Nebraska Folklore, author Louise Pound describes the efforts of early homesteaders to make it rain on their fields – particularly since they knew that the local Native American tribes had rituals that were credited with controlling weather. In the nineteenth century, large groups of settlers often stopped what they were doing at a designated time so they could embark on a mass prayer for rainfall.

There is a legend in northern Europe of magicians who were able to harness the wind. The wind was imprisoned in a magical bag with intricate knots, and could then be unleashed to cause devastation to one’s enemies.

Snow days in particular are one of the most popular targets of weather folk magic. Spoons under your pillow, pajamas worn inside out, ice cubes in the toilet bowl, and plastic bags over the socks are just a few of the legends that school children have used for years in hopes of finding the white stuff blanketing their neighborhoods.

In many magical traditions and modern Pagan paths, if one wishes to have good weather for an outdoor ritual or special occasion, a petition and offering can be made to the gods of that tradition. If they see fit, they may just grant you a bright sunny day to suit your needs!

Weather Magic and Folklore (Part 1 of 2)

In many magical traditions, weather magic is a popular focus of workings. The term “weather magic” can be used to mean anything from divination and forecasting to actual control of the weather itself. When you consider that many of today’s folk magic customs are rooted in our agricultural past, it makes sense that an ability to foretell or change weather patterns might be considered a valuable skill. After all, if your family’s livelihood and life depended on the success of your crops, weather magic would be a handy thing to know.

Dowsing

Dowsing is the ability to find a water source in a previously unknown area via divination. In many parts of Europe professional dowsers were hired to locate new places to dig wells. This was typically done with the use of a forked stick, or sometimes a copper rod. The stick was held out in front of the dowser, who walked around until the stick or rod began to vibrate. The vibrations signaled the presence of water beneath the ground, and this was where villagers would dig their new well.
During the Middle Ages this was a popular technique for locating new springs to use as wells, but it later became associated with negative sorcery. By the seventeenth century, most dowsing had been outlawed because of its connection to the devil.

Harvest Predictions

In many rural and agricultural societies, fertility rituals were conducted to ensure a strong and healthy harvest. For instance, the use of the Maypole during the Beltane season often tied in to the fertility of the fields. In other cases, farmers used divination to determine whether the grain season would be successful – a few kernels of corn placed on a hot iron would pop and jump around. The behavior of the hot kernels indicated whether or not the price of grain would go up or down in the fall.

Tortoise and Turtle Magic and Folklore

The tortoise and its smaller water-dwelling cousin, the turtle, has appeared in myth and legend for ages, in numerous cultures and societies. These relics of the prehistoric era are often found in creation stories, but can be associated with a variety of other magical and folkloric aspects. Before we get started, let’s take a quick look at the differences between the tortoise and the turtle.


Both the tortoise and the turtle are reptiles, and part of the family Testudines. The tortoise lives on land, gets fairly large – some species regularly weigh in at hundreds of pounds - and has a pretty long lifespan. It’s not uncommon for a tortoise to live over a hundred years, and many records reveal tortoises in captivity that have reached nearly two hundred years of age. By contrast, turtles are much smaller, and generally live in or near water. Turtles typically live from twenty to forty years, although some species of sea turtles have been documented at nearly seventy years of age.


Because of their slow, meandering ways and their long lifespans, turtles and tortoises often appear as symbols of longevity, stability, and wisdom. Let’s look at some of the ways that tortoises and turtles have appeared in myth, magic and legend, throughout the centuries.
In China, tortoise shells, which represent unchangeability, were used as a method of divination. In Chinese legend, the turtle is strongly associated with the element of water, for obvious reasons, and in many tales symbolizes both order, and the creation of the universe.


A number of Native American tribes include the tortoise in their creation stories. The Mohawk people tell of a World Turtle, who carries the earth on her back – and when the earth shakes and moves, it’s because the World Turtle is stretching underneath the weight of all she carries on her shell. Both the Lenape and Iroquois have similar legends, in which the Great Spirit placed all of creation on top of the shell of a giant tortoise.


Turtles appear in folk magic as well. Folklorist Harry Middleton Hyatt, who wrote numerous volumes about the magical culture of the southern United States, says it was common knowledge in some rural areas that carrying a turtle bone in your pocket would bring good fortune your way. In some traditions of hoodoo and rootwork, a turtle’s shell can be used in certain lunar-related spellwork, because the shell is often divided into thirteen sections – the same number as there are lunar months in a calendar year.


The shell of the tortoise also appears in African diasporic religions. The turtle’s shell can be used in rattles or fetishes, and the tortoise appears in several Yoruban folktales as a trickster and troublemaker. The turtle is also sometimes offered as a sacrifice to the gods in Santeria and other Afro-Caribbean religious practice.


Here are some ways you can incorporate the magic of the turtle and tortoise into your life:

• In Feng Shui principles, the turtle has several important meanings. Placed at the north of your home, a black turtle will help attract smooth energies in matters of business. At your back door, a turtle represents strength, and offers protection.
• Carry the bone of a turtle in your pocket or wear it as an amulet for good fortune.
• Use an empty turtle shell for divination purposes – you can fill it with water and use it for scrying, or use it as a catching bowl for bone or stone divination.
• Do you have a pet turtle? They symbolize the strength and stability of your home – keep your turtle happy for a long and healthy life, and he’ll watch over your house and keep you secure.
• If you’re out and about, enjoying nature, keep an eye out for tortoises and turtles. They’re associated with our need for purpose and focus, perhaps because of their slow, deliberate pace. If you see a tortoise or turtle, follow it for a while to see where it goes – and as you do, think about all of the places you need to go yourself.
• Wear turtle earrings or a necklace to bring security and stability into your life.
• If you find a turtle shell that’s no longer inhabited by its original occupant, bring it home and place it near your front door for protection of the house and those who live within.

Wolf Folklore and Legend

Few animals capture people’s imagination quite like the wolf. For thousands of years, the wolf has fascinated us, frightened us, and drawn us in. Perhaps it’s because there’s a part of us that identifies with that wild, untamed spirit we see in the wolf. The wolf features prominently in myths and legends from many North American and European cultures, as well as from other places around the world. Let’s look at some of the stories still told today about the wolf.

Celtic Wolves:

In the stories of the Ulster cycle, the Celtic goddess Morrighan is sometimes shown as a wolf. The connection with the wolf, along with the cow, suggests that in some areas, she may have been linked to fertility and land. Prior to her role as a warrior goddess, she was linked to sovereignty and kingship.

In Scotland, the goddess known as Cailleach is often associated with wolf folklore. She is an old woman who brings destruction and winter with her, and rules the dark half of the year. She is portrayed riding a speeding wolf, bearing a hammer or a wand made of human flesh. In addition to her role as destroyer, she is depicted as a protector of wild things, like the wolf itself, according to the Carmina Gadelica.

Native American Tales:

The wolf features prominently in a number of Native American stories. There is a Lakota tale about a woman who was injured while traveling. She was found by a wolf pack that took her in and nurtured her. During her time with them, she learned the ways of the wolves, and when she returned to her tribe, she used her newfound knowledge to help her people. In particular, she knew far before anyone else when a predator or enemy was approaching.

A Cherokee tale tells the story of the dog and the wolf. Originally, Dog lived on the mountain, and Wolf lived beside the fire. When winter came, though, Dog got cold, so he came down and sent Wolf away from the fire. Wolf went to the mountains, and found that he liked it there. Wolf prospered in the mountains, and formed a clan of his own, while Dog stayed by the fire with the people. Eventually, the people killed Wolf, but his brothers came down and took revenge. Ever since then, Dog has been man’s faithful companion, but the people are wise enough not to hunt Wolf anymore.

Wolf Mothers:

For Roman Pagans, the wolf is important indeed. The founding of Rome – and thus, an entire empire – was based on the story of Romulus and Remus, orphaned twins who were raised by a she-wolf. The name of the Lupercalia festival comes from the Latin Lupus, which means wolf. Lupercalia is held every year in February, and is a multi-purpose event that celebrates the fertility of not only the livestock but people as well.

In Turkey, the wolf is held in high regard, and is seen in a similar light as to the Romans – the wolf Ashina Tuwu is the mother of the first of the great Khans. Also called Asena, she rescued an injured boy, nursed him back to health, and then bore him ten half-wolf half-human children. The eldest of these, Bumin Khayan, became chieftain of the Turkic tribes. Today the wolf is still seen as a symbol of sovereignty and leadership.

Deadly Wolves:

In Norse legend, Tyr (also Tiw) is the one-handed warrior god – and he lost his hand to the great wolf, Fenrir. When the gods decided Fenrir had been causing too much trouble, they decided to put him in shackles. However, Fenrir was so strong that there was no chain that could hold him. The dwarves created a magical ribbon – called Gleipnir -- that even Fenrir couldn’t escape. Fenrir was no fool, and said he'd only allow himself to be tied with Gleipnir if one of the gods was willing to stick a hand in Fenrir's mouth. Tyr offered to do it, and once his hand was in Fenrir's mouth, the other gods tied Fenrir so he couldn’t escape. Tyr's right hand got bitten off in the struggle. Tyr is known in some stories as the "Leavings of the Wolf."

The Inuit peoples of North America hold the great wolf Amarok in high regard. Amarok was a lone wolf, and did not travel with a pack. He was known for preying upon hunters foolish enough to go out at night. According to legend, Amarok came to the people when the caribou became so plentiful that the herd began to weaken and fall sick. Amarok came to prey upon the frail and ill caribou, thus allowing the herd to become healthy once more, so that man could hunt.

 

Frog Magic and Folklore

Frogs and toads feature prominently in magical folklore in many societies. These amphibious critters are known for a variety of magical properties, from their ability to help predict the weather, to curing warts to bringing good luck. Let’s look at some of the best known superstitions, omens and folklore surrounding frogs and toads.

• In parts of Appalachia, it is believed that if you hear a frog croaking exactly at midnight, it means rain is on the way. However, in some societies it’s just the opposite - frogs croaking during the day indicate coming storms.
  
• There’s an old British legend that carrying a dried frog in a pouch around your neck will prevent epileptic seizures. In some rural areas, it’s just the frog’s liver that gets dried and worn.
  
• Live frogs appear in a number of folk cures. It is believed that putting a live frog in your mouth will cure thrush, and that swallowing live frogs - presumably small ones - can cure whooping cough and tuberculosis. Rubbing a live frog or toad on a wart will cure the wart, but only if you impale the frog on a tree and let him die.
  
• Some cultures believe that a frog coming into your house brings good luck - others say it’s bad luck - the Xhosa tribe says that a frog in your house might be carrying a spell or a curse. Either way, it’s usually considered a bad idea to kill a frog. The Maori people believe that killing a frog can bring floods and heavy rains, but some African tribes say that the death of a frog will bring drought.
  
• For the ancient Egyptians, the frog-headed goddess Hekt was a symbol of fertility and birth. If you wish to conceive, touch a frog. The association of the frog with fertility has its root in science - each year, when the Nile river flooded its banks, frogs were everywhere. The annual flooding of the delta meant rich soil and strong crops - so the croaking of millions of frogs may well have been an indicator that farmers would have an abundant season.
  
• Frogs have only been in Ireland for a few hundred years, since students from Trinity College released them into the wild. However, there are still some frog folktales in Ireland, including that you can tell the weather by the color of a frog.
  
• Ranidaphobia is the fear of frogs and toads.
  
• In the Christian Bible, a plague of frogs swarms over the land of Egypt - this was the Christian god’s way of showing dominance over the gods of ancient Egypt. In the Book of Exodus, the following verse details how frogs were sent to frighten the people of Egypt into rejecting their old gods: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs. The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.”

Black Cats

Black cats are usually portrayed with its back arched, claws out, and occasionally wearing a jaunty pointed hat. Local news channels warn us to keep black cats inside on Halloween just in case the local hooligans decide to get up to some nasty hijinks.
But where did the fear of these beautiful animals come from? Anyone who lives with a cat knows how fortunate they are to have a cat in their life -- so why are they considered unlucky?

 

Divine Cats:

The ancient Egyptians honored cats of every color. Cats were mighty and strong, and held sacred. Two of the most amazing goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon were Bast and Sekhmet, worhsipped as long ago as 3000 b.c.e. Family cats were adorned with jewelry and fancy collars, and even had pierced ears. If a cat died, the entire family went into mourning, and sent the cat off to the next world with a great ceremony. For thousands of years, the cat held a position of divinity in Egypt.

 

The Witch's Familiar:

Around the time of the Middle Ages, the cat became associated with witches and witchcraft. Around the late 1300's, a group of witches in France were accused of worshipping the Devil in the form of a cat. It may be because of the cat's nocturnal nature that it became connected to witches -- after all, night time was the time they held their meetings, as far as the church was concerned.

 

Contemporary Cats:

Around the time of World War Two, when the American tradition of Halloween as trick-or-treat time really got underway, cats became a big part of the holiday decoration. This time around, however, they were considered a good luck charm -- a black cat at your door would scare away any evil critters that might come a'calling.
Most people are far less superstitious today than they were in the Middle Ages, but the black cat remains part of our late October decor.

 

Black Cat Folklore and Legends:

• Sixteenth-century Italians believed that if a black cat jumped on the bed of an ill person, the person would soon die.
• In Colonial America, Scottish immigrants believed that a black cat entering a wake was bad luck, and could indicated the death of a family member.
• The Norse goddess Freyja drove a chariot pulled by a pair of black cats.
• A Roman solder killed a black cat in Egypt, and was killed by an angry mob of locals.
• Appalachian folklore said that if you had a stye on the eyelid, rubbing the tail of a black cat on it would make the stye go away.
• If you find a single white hair on your otherwise-black cat, it's a good omen.
• In England's border countries and southern Scotland, a strange black cat on the front porch brings good fortune.

via about.com

Spider Mythology and Folklore

Depending on where you live, you probably see spiders starting to emerge from their hiding spots at some point in the summer. By fall, they tend to be fairly active because they’re seeking warmth – which is why you may find yourself suddenly face to face with an eight-legged visitor some night when you get up to use the bathroom. Don’t panic, though – most spiders are harmless, and people have learned to co-exist with them for thousands of years. Nearly all cultures have some sort of spider mythology, and folktales about these crawly creatures abound!

• Hopi (Native American): In the Hopi creation story, Spider Woman is the goddess of the earth. Together with Tawa, the sun god, she creates the first living beings. Eventually, the two of them create First Man and First Woman – Tawa conceptualizes them while Spider Woman molds them from clay.

• Greece: According to Greek legend, there was once a woman named Arachne who bragged that she was the best weaver around. This didn’t sit well with Athena, who was sure her own work was better. After a contest, Athena saw that Arachne’s work was indeed of higher quality, so she angrily destroyed it. Despondent, Arachne hanged herself, but Athena stepped in and turned the rope into a cobweb, and Arachne into a spider. Now Arachne can weave her lovely tapestries forever, and her name is where we get the word arachnid.

• Africa: In West Africa, the spider is portrayed as a trickster, much like Coyote in the Native American stories. Called Anansi, he is forever stirring up mischief to get the better of other animals. In many stories, he is a god associated with creation, either of wisdom or storytelling. His tales were part of a rich oral tradition, and found their way to Jamaica and the Caribbean by way of the slave trade. Today, Anansi stories still appear in Africa.

• Cherokee (Native American): A popular Cherokee tale credits Grandmother Spider with bringing light to the world. According to legend, in the early times everything was dark and no one could see at all because the sun was on the other side of the world. The animals agreed that someone must go and steal some light and bring the sun back so people could see. Possum and Buzzard both gave it a shot, but failed – and ended up with a burned tail and burned feathers, respectively. Finally, Grandmother Spider said she would try to capture the light. She made a bowl of clay, and using her eight legs, rolled it to where the sun sat, weaving a web as she traveled. Gently, she took the sun and placed it in the clay bowl, and rolled it home, following her web. She traveled from east to west, bringing light with her as she came, and brought the sun to the people. 
•  

In several cultures, spiders are credited with saving the lives of great leaders. In the Torah, there is a story of David, who would later become King of Israel, being pursued by soldiers sent by King Saul. David hid in a cave, and a spider crawled in and built a huge web across the entrance. When the soldiers saw the cave, they didn’t bother to search it – after all, no one could be hiding inside it if the spider web was undisturbed. A parallel story appears in the life of the prophet Mohammed, who hid in a cave when fleeing his enemies. A giant tree sprouted in front of the cave, and a spider built web between the cave and the tree, with similar results.


Some parts of the world see the spider as a negative and malevolent being. In Taranto, Italy, during the seventeenth century, a number of people fell victim to a strange malady which became known as Tarantism, and it was attributed to being bitten by a spider. Those afflicted were seen to dance frenetically for days at a time. It’s been suggested that this was actually a psychogenic illness, much like the fits of the accusers in the Salem Witch Trials.

Spiders in Magic

If you find a spider roaming around your home, it’s considered bad luck to kill them. From a practical standpoint, they do eat a lot of nuisance insects, so if possible, just let them be or release them outside.

Rosemary Ellen Guiley says in her Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft, and Wicca that in some traditions of folk magic, a black spider “eaten between two slices of buttered bread” will imbue a witch with great power. If you’re not interested in eating spiders, some traditions say that catching a spider and carrying it in a silk pouch around your neck will help prevent illness.

In some Neopagan traditions, the spider web itself is seen as a symbol of the Goddess and of creation of life. Incorporate spider webs into meditation or spellwork relating to Goddess energy.

An old English folk saying reminds us that if we find a spider on our clothing, it means money is coming our way. In some variations, the spider on the clothes means simply that it’s going to be a good day. Either way, don’t disregard the message!


Reblogged by by Patti Wigington

-The Crafty Witch

Butterfly Magic and Folklore

Butterfly Legends:

The butterfly is one of nature’s most perfect examples of change, transformation, and growth. Because of this, it has long been the subject of magical folklore and legend in a variety of societies and cultures. Let’s look at some of the magical meanings behind butterflies:
 

Irish Butterfly Legends:

Irish folklore holds that the butterfly is related to the very soul of a human being. It’s considered bad luck to kill a white butterfly, because those hold the souls of deceased children. The butterfly is also associated with the fire of the gods, the dealan-dhe', which is the magical flame appearing in the needfire, or in the Beltane baelfire. It’s important to keep an eye on the butterflies, because in Ireland, they’re known for the ability to pass easily between this world and the next.
 

Ancient Greece and Rome:

The ancient Greeks and Romans also held butterflies in metaphysical regard. The philosopher Aristotle named the butterfly Psyche, which is the Greek word that means “soul.” In ancient Rome, butterflies appeared on denarii coins, to the left of the head of Juno, goddess of weddings and marriage.
 

Native American Butterfly Folklore:

Native American tribes had a number of legends concerning the butterfly. The Tohono O'odham tribe of the American Southwest believed that the butterfly would carry wishes and prayers to the Great Spirit. To do this, one must first catch a butterfly without harming it, and then whisper secrets to the butterfly. Because a butterfly cannot speak, the only one who will know the prayers that the butterfly carries will be the Great Spirit himself. According to folklore, a wish given to a butterfly is always granted, in exchange for setting the butterfly free.
The Zuni people saw butterflies as indicators of weather to come. White butterflies meant the summer weather was about to begin - but if the first butterfly seen was dark, that meant a long stormy summer. Yellow butterflies, as you might suspect, hinted at a bright sunny summer season.
 

Butterflies Around the World:

The Luna Moth - which is often mistaken for a butterfly but technically is not one - represents not only spiritual growth and transformation, but also wisdom and intuition. This may be because of its association with the moon and lunar phases.
William O. Beeman, of the Department of Anthropology of Brown University, took a survey of all the different words that mean “butterfly” around the world. He found that the word “butterfly” is a bit of a linguistic anomaly. “The terms for butterfly have several things that generally unite them: they involve a degree of repetitious sound symbolism, (Hebrew parpar; Italian farfale) and they use visual and auditory cultural metaphors to express the concept.”
Beeman goes on to say, “The Russian word for 'butterfly' is babochka, a diminutive of baba, (old) woman. The explanation I have heard is that butterflies were thought to be witches in disguise in Russian folklore. It is or was therefore an emotionally highly charged word, which may be the reason for its resistance against borrowing.”
In the Appalachian mountains of the United States, fritillary butterflies in particular are numerous. If you are able to count the spots on a fritillary’s wings, that tells you how much money is coming your way. In the Ozarks, the Mourning Cloak butterfly is seen as a harbinger of spring weather, because unlike most other species of butterfly, the Mourning Cloak winters over as a larvae and then makes its appearance once the weather gets warm in the spring.
In addition to butterflies, it’s important not to forget the magic of the caterpillar. After all, without them, we’d have no butterflies! Caterpillars are determined little creatures who spend their entire existence preparing to become something else. Because of this, caterpillar symbolism can be associated with any sort of transformative magic or ritual. Want to shed the baggage of your old life and embrace a new and beautiful one? Include caterpillars and butterflies in your rituals.

Butterfly Gardens

If you'd like to attract magical butterflies to your yard, try planting a butterfly garden. Certain types of flowers and herbs are known for their butterfly-attracting properties. Nectar plants, such as heliotrope, phlox, coneflower, catnip and butterfly bushes are all great plants to add. If you want to add hosting plants, which form good hiding places for caterpillars, consider planting alfalfa, clover and violet. For more information on planting a lovely butterfly garden, read Marie Ianotti's article here: Designing a Butterfly Garden.


Reblogged By Patti Wigington

-The Crafty Witch

Happy 2014 Everyone!! / Birthday of folklorist Sir James Frazier

Sir James George Frazer is perhaps best known for his collection of folklore and mythology, The Golden Bough, published in 1890. The work details legends and myths from many different cultures throughout history. Frazer theorized that human belief systems had begun as primitive magic, which was then replaced by religious dogma, which has now been replaced by scientific knowledge.

Frazer was perhaps one of the first anthropologists to analyze the link between myth and ritual ceremony. The Golden Bough is a study of legend and myth and how they are interpreted into ritual and celebration. Frazer's interpretation of the cycle of life, death and rebirth has carried on to this day, and in his work he explained that ultimately, this cycle is at the core of myths from every part of the globe.

For many modern Pagans, this book of folklore is a worthy thing to own, simply because it details religion and ritual from its early day, and follows the evolution of man's belief. If you plan on picking up a copy of The Golden Bough, get an unabridged edition, because it contains archeological support for Frazer's theories which was left out of the abridged version. It can be found at many used bookstores, and there are illustrated editions available.

- The Crafty Witch