It’s a strange title I know, but ultimately this is one of the folkloric tales portrayed in the movie “The Witch.” I won’t give away all of the details of the movie but instead will discuss some of the historic myths about witches that will give the reader some creepy things to consider when watching the film. I will be adding scenes from the movie to go along with what is written so there will be spoilers and some disturbing scenes ahead.

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In historic times, witches were believed to be women who made a pacts with the devil in order to acquire supernatural powers.

Baby Snatchers

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There was a belief that unbaptized babies were vulnerable to being stolen by witches. It was believed that witches would use babies to make ointments or as sacrifices to the devil. Baptized babies on the other hand, belonged to the church and they were believed to be safe from being kidnapped by witches.

Flying Ointments

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One of the historic legends about witches is that they made flying ointments out of rendered fat and herbs which they would then rub over their bodies. The fat was believed to come from babies and the oils within the mixture would seep into their skin giving them the ability to fly to their Sabbath rites.

WARNING SCARY STUFF AHEAD!

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Modern interpretation of flying ointments

After seeping into the skin, alkaloids from the herbs used in the ointment would enter the blood stream and affect the individual’s brain chemistry making them enter a hallucinogenic or dreamlike state. Individuals who practiced witchcraft did not fly in a physical sense, instead they entered into a trance state and engaged in spiritual journeys to others worlds contained within their own minds. The herbs used in the ointments could have been a variety of hallucinogenic plant based substances like Datura or Nightshade, to name a few.

Ergot

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Ergot is a grain fungus that attacks crops. The fungus behaves similar to LSD when it is ingested and is known to cause hallucinations and strange behaviors. In the movie “The Witch,” the family’s corn crop perishes to a fungus which may hold a symbolic connection to the Witches in the movie. Ergot is believed to be responsible for some of the “witch” like behavior that occurred during the Salem witch trials.

Ravens

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Perhaps because of their tendency to eat dead carcasses and their overall association with death, ravens were believed to collude with witches as winged spies that could keep watch on families.

The Devil and His Book

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Historically the Devil was often depicted as a goat, possibly as a way of demonizing other religions that viewed the goat as a positive entity which represented fertility. In the movie "The Witch," the Devil is represented as a goat named "Black Phillip" who talks to the twin children in the movie.

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Sign his Book and "Live Deliciously"

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It was believed that a women could become a witch by making a deal with the Devil and signing their name to his book.

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