Mole-Like Familiar May 10, 2017
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern , trackback
There is a long tradition of witches having familiars, animals who act as a source of power, or perhaps the medium between the witch and the devil. Britain has rather few references to sabbats and witch orgies compared to continental witch trials: but it arguably has more familiars than French, German and Polish witch investigations. Here is a particularly striking example from Baxter’s Certainty of the World of Spirits [53]. It is unusually vivid, perhaps because of the description of ‘something like a mole’, which gives a wonderful sense of a shiny black and formless thing.
One penitent Woman confessed, that her Mother lying sick, and she looking to her, somewhat like a Mole ran into the Bed to her, which she being startled at, her Mother bad her not fear it, but gave it her, saying, Keep this in a Pot by the Fire, and thou shalt never want. She did as she was bid; shortly after a poor Boy (seemingly) came in, and ask’d leave to sit and warm him at the Fire, and when he was gone, she found Money under the Stool; and afterwards oft did so again, and at last it laid hold of her, and drew Blood of her, and she made no other Compact with the Devil, but that her Imps sucked her Blood; and as I heard she was delivered.
Can anyone offer any equally good and creepy familiars: drbeachcombing AT yahoo DOT com
Interesting the giving of money: reminiscent of fairylore.
