Old folk magic

By S Rob
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Contents
Introduction p1
Chapter 1 p2
Chapter 2 p8
Chapter 3 p14
Chapter 4 p22
Chapter 5 p28
Chapter 6 p34
Chapter 7 p40
Chapter 8 p53
Chapter 9 p67
Chapter 10 p79
Introduction
The world has many folk tales. But once these tales were not mere stories,
but were a way of people passing on knowledge. This book serves the same
purpose, to show to the reader the hidden knowledge in these folk tales. The
tales in this book although in my own words are actually very old. So old that
no one really knows who wrote them, and are probably the work of
innumerable people over a very long time. You will find tales of many types
chosen to entertain and also to inform. There is magic in these old tales, real
magic. I will show it to you and how to apply it.
CHAPTER 1
First I will tell you a tale of fairies. It will help you gain a little knowledge of
their nature. The first tale is the Worcester fairies.
Worcestershire fairies
In Worcestershire not far from Alfrick, is Osebury Rock: which was said to
be a favourite haunt for fairies. There is said to be a cave there where fairies
like to be. There was a man and a boy who were ploughing a field nearby.
They heard a call from the steep rock face of the cliffs. They both ran to see
what it could be. But on their way, came upon a fairy: a male one. He said
that he had lost his pick: pick axe. The ploughman being a good man looked
for the male fairies pick axe, he found it and returned it to him. The fairy told
him that if he looked in the corner of the field he had been ploughing he
would get a reward. He looked and found food and drink: bread cheese and
cider which he ate, but the boy would not, out of fear.
It is also said that a male fairy came to a ploughman in the same field and
asked for a hammer and nail so that he could mend his pail: a pail being a
bucket. Likewise it was said that if a woman broke a peel: a tool that was
utilised in a bread oven: and left it at the fairies cave at Osebury rock it would
be mended by fairies. It was also said that a man in Upton Snodsbury: once
upon hearing a cry in a nearby field, found a male fairy with a broken seat, he
mended it and the fairy danced round him until he bore a hole in the Earth
that took him into a cave: he was given food and wine and after that his life
always went well.
It seems from this that fairies like to return help. There have been many
people who have left offerings to fairies for good luck. Also this tale shows
us, that not all fairies are female: most people think of fairies as being female.
There is also no mention of wings: there are many types of fairies. Also it
mentions the tradition of fairies being underground: in some cases.
Leprechauns also have been thought, of as living underground. It also
mentions the fairies possessing magic: this was how the people were repaid:
in one case by a meal and in another by being taken to his home, the cave, fed
and being given good luck.
The way to apply this knowledge is the offering. This is the giving of
something to the fairies. Many cultures have variations of this. A good way to
do this is to place a small drink on the outer windowsill of your house. Or this
can be done inside the home, as there are some variations of fairies that can
be found in houses. This offering will bring you good luck and was also
thought as a good way to help any animals or livestock remain healthy. If you
are lucky you may find they will help you; even mend things for you. It does
not have to be done all the time: in fact doing it all the time is not such a good
idea as the next tale will show: and can be done however at important events
in the year, such as Christmas, birthdays and in fact any important holiday.
The next story shows a different aspect of fairies.
The two serving damsels
Two serving maids always had money to spend on fine clothes as the pixies
were especially kind to them. Every night they left a bucket of water outside
for the pixies. Every night the pixies dropped silver into the bucket as a thank
you. Then one night the maids forgot to leave the bucket of water outside.
The pixies feeling neglected ran upstairs to the maid’s room; went through
the keyhole and complained. One maid who was awake decided not to fill the
bucket saying she would not get up for all the pixies in Devonshire. She
awoke the other maid who happily filled the bucket for the pixies: and the
next day she was left a reward. But at the time the pixies were more
concerned about how to punish and wreck their revenge upon the lazy maid
who would not help them, and fill their bucket. Should they nip her, give her
a red nose: they thought this too unkind for such a good looking person. They
settled upon giving her a lame leg for seven years. Seven years that is unless
she could find a particular kind of herb which had seven syllables, one for
each year she would suffer. The other maid being kind listened to the name of
the herb, and repeated it over and over again. She fell asleep but when she
awoke, she couldn’t remember the name. Just as they had promised the lazy
maid had a lame leg. She had it for almost seven years until a strange looking
boy passed her by, she then tripped when trying to pick some mushrooms and
the boy struck her leg with a plant and then from that moment her leg got
better. Her leg was no longer lame and as a reward for her suffering became
the best dancer in the whole town on the mayday celebrations.
From this it is quite obvious the problems with helping magical beings too
often: note a pixie is often thought of as being an alternative word for fairy.
If a person leaves an offering regularly and then does not, they will feel
slighted. But more than this, it informs us of their nature. They are not always
good and can do much harm. But they reward help and punish neglect. In
some way this makes this an important tale: it lets us know that sometimes it
may be best to keep our distance. The application of this tale is not as easy as
the last. It is a warning and is included to show the danger. But if you decide
to leave them alone, that does not mean they will leave you alone, and at the
time of the above tale there was many sightings of pixies/fairies disguising
themselves as bundles of rags so that they could get the children to play with
them. The next tale is called the fairy banquet.
The fairy banquet
One night, a man in Yorkshire: coming back from the house of a friend from
another town, drunk. He heard the sound of a great party. He looked at where
it could be coming from. When he saw in the side of a wheelbarrow a door;
he looked in and saw a great house and a party inside. The man at the door
offered him a drink. He took it. But he didn’t drink it. He emptied the
contents and ran for his horse. He was pursued by the men, but the speed of
his horse won out. The vessel was a cup of an unknown material. After this it
came into the hands of a king.
This tale tells us some important things. The people in the door in the
wheelbarrow where fairies of some sort: certainly magical being. You may
have wondered: why would the man not drink? This is because it has been
said that if a human drinks or eats food of fairies, then if they wish they can
keep him or her hostage for all their days. But it also introduces one of the
most important messages. This is that fairies really live in a parallel reality.
They were not really in the wheelbarrow at all: the door on the side of it was
just a temporary portal to their world. It introduces us to the fact that they are
not physical beings like us, they can manipulate the physical in ways we
cannot. They may like places underground like caves, but even those are
mostly used as portals to their reality. This means that we need not travel to
any physical place to see them. We can treat their realm as an alternative
plane of existence. Just as meditation can help us see other planes of
existence, then it too can help us see theirs. To tap into their knowledge: to
learn to do this, do this next exercise. Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
First clear your mind and concentrate upon your breath. Do this with your
eyes closed. Imagine your body being filled with light. Do this until your
body feels filled. When you have learnt to do this, imagine the body going
outside of your own: this is your body of light. When you have perfected this
imagine it as looking like you and walking around. When you can do this you
are ready for the next stage. Imagine a cave, an imaginary one. Imagine you
are walking into it: it is a doorway to other realms. When you do this think of
the fairy realm, and as you walk through you will come out to another place.
Once you have done this you have successfully travelled to their realm:
unless you did not concentrate upon their realm. You can now walk around.
But remember the cave can appear at any place it is your portal, and you can
move it around. You can safely walk back through the cave to bring you
back. You can then open your eyes. However if you ever feel trapped: either
imagine yourself back where you where, imagine the cave beneath you,
where you safely are pulled through and back to where you started out. The
next tale is very enlightening and is called the fairy nurse.
The Fairy nurse
There was a woman who was the wife of a farmer. She had three children and
found that she had to work extremely hard to look after the three children,
and to help her husband on their small farm. Her husband went to church.
She however decided the time could be better spent consulting a fairy-man:
male fairy: about a terrible illness of one of their cows. But that night the
farmer was awoken by the sound of shouting “Father, father, father.” It was
their children; he found he had no wife by his side: she had been taken. The
children said their mother had been taken by a crowd of little men and
women dressed in white, red and green. Their mother had walked out in the
middle of them as though sleep walking. The farmer searched every room,
but could not find of her any trace. He heard nothing of her for many days.
The farmer was much distraught to see his children neglected without a
mother: as the farm and children needed the work of him and his wife. Six
weeks later a neighbour had news for him. She told him how as she was
about to fall asleep and tall dark man on a fine black horse told her to get
ready in all haste. That a lady was in her need. She placed on her cloak and
she travelled on the horse so fast could not tell which direction she was
travelling in. The man brushed his hands across her eyes and she was at the
door of a great castle. She went in and there she was, in a great hall. Then she
was ushered to a bedroom in which was a beautiful lady: who was about to
give birth. She explained how the ladies baby was born. She was given a
bottle of green ointment to rub all over the baby. She did this, but her right
eye began to burn and she rubbed it and some of the ointment went into her
eye. At once she could see that the great hall was just a rough old cave, the
lady, lord and child: were really wizened poor creatures dressed in old rags.
But she knew enough to keep quiet about this and act as if she could not see
the truth. She saw the farmer wife who had been captured by the king and
queen of the fairies, to be a wet nurse. She whispered to her how she could be
saved: all the court of the fairies will pass the cross from near Templeshambo
on Friday to visit the fairies of old Ross; and that if her husband catches her
by hand or cloak and does not let go, and then she can be saved. She also told
her not to let on about what she could see: she had seen what she did with the
ointment. She got back on the horse again: this time it was nothing more than
an old weed. She was then rode back home. The king paid her with silver
coins: but the next day they were nothing but old leaves. The farmer was torn
from joy and fear when he heard what she had to say. On Friday he was at the
cross near Templeshambo. He waited and when he saw his wife he grasped
her around the waist. A great hullabaloo started and they were surrounded by
fairy folk. But he made the sign of the cross, and they left. From that day they
avoided all fairy folk: especially on Sundays. But it is hard to have anything
to do with the fairy people and not get a mark on them. The brave midwife
did not escape. She was at a market when she saw the king of the fairies
walking amongst the tubs of butter. She said hello. He asked her what she
thought of his new coat. “It looks not better than a wizened old dock leaf” she
replied. “Well maybe it will look better now”, and he touched the eye that
had been rubbed with the fairy ointment and she saw from it no more.
This tale is very old with slight variations going back a very long way and
through numerous cultures. So what can be learnt from this? One point is that
no mention was made of them being of small height. She was able to ride of
one of their horses: actually a large weed. This tells us an important thing that
fairies can appear as normal human height. The fact that they were able to
control what others see so readily, itself gives us clues. They are many types
of fairies; and these seem quite nasty ones. Also it points out that there is
such a thing as fairy ointment. Although having other uses it can allow
people to see what is really there. You may think how can this be of any us?
Well in addition to the hag stone: a stone with a hole worn in it by water: it
allows people to see through such spells. It allows people to see fairies as
they really are; even when the fairies want to be invisible. The making of
fairy ointment need not be so difficult. Although it is sure that as it was green
it would have been made form parts of plants. There is another way. Simply
get a glass of liquid: I recommend clean water as it will not damage the eyes.
Hold the glass up and say above it “Let me see what is really there.” Keep
saying this above the glass many times; then rub on your eyes the water: the
effect will be temporary, but will let you see things normally hidden from
you.
CHAPTER 2
In this chapter I will show you the magic from tales of creatures. First is the
tale called, the king of the cats
The king of the cats
There sat at a fireside was a woman with her cat, waiting for her husband to
come home. He rushed through the door. “Who is Tim Toidrum?” asked her
husband. “I know of no such name” she replied. Her cat looked over. Well he
explained that he had worked so hard that he grew tired on the way back. So
he rested sitting next to a graveyard. Then he was woken by the sound of cats
meowing. He opened his eyes and to his surprise there was a long line of cats.
At the front were four cats carrying a small coffin, with a larger cat at the
front. Then as they passed a cat said” Tell Tom Tim Toidrum’s dead” His
wife shouted,”Look at Tom. Look”. Her cat old Tom stared at her as he had
never before. Then he said, “Tim Toidrum’s dead. Then I’m the king of cats.”
And ran up the chimney and was never seen again.
This tale tells us more than we may at first think. For one thing it points out
the special place that cats have had in the past. Cats have been worshipped,
claimed to be working for evil, to have magical powers. Some cats have been
thought as being fairies in the shape of cats, or witches who had transformed
into one. There are cat deities that are had the body of humans. The
Egyptians had such a cat deity called Bast. The cat in this tale had been able
to speak all along but never had: at least in their presence. It had more
intelligence that it had shown. It was part of a royal line of cats and they had
not suspected: but also that there is a realm of cats, a kingdom: one hidden
from us, but where at least some cats can go. At one time cats that were black
with a white spot on the chest were thought of as being magical separate from
all other cats. But all cats have been thought of as magical at one time. One
thing which we could do is to travel to the kingdom of cats. But bear in mind
that cats nature can be savage and so be prepared to move out of this
kingdom quickly. To do this: proceed in the same way that you could have to
see the fairy realm: but concentrate upon the cat’s kingdom. Do this my
meditating creating a body of light and imagining a cave and walking through
it. As you do so concentrate upon the kingdom of cats, where the king of cats
lives and to exit simply go back through the cave and awaken, or imagine
yourself back and open your eyes. Also you can give a message to another
realm, set of beings or particular being, simply by telling a cat to relay the
message. The message can be for help, or to ask for a particular thing. Or if
you want to cast a spell tell it to a cat to take the spell to the fairy realm: or
any other plane of existence: to ask for those living there to cast it too:
increasing its strength. This next folk tale shows us some important magic. It
is a very old tale on which there are many variations. This English version is
called Tom Tit Tot.
Tom Tit Tot
There was a woman who had worked very hard baking five pies. When they
had come out of the oven they were hard on top. She decided that the pies
needed leaving to stand a while so that the pastry would be softer. She gave
them to her daughter to put away on a shelf. Her daughter looked at the pies
and smelt them and decided she didn’t care if the pastry was hard: so she ate
them. She ate all of them. A little later her mother came to her she said”Is the
pastry soft on those pies yet?” Her daughter went to where they should have
been and came back saying “Oh no the pastry is still much too hard” “Well
never mind. I will have one anyway. Give me the best one” “Oh no they are
much too hard” her daughter said. “Well give me one anyway” said her
mother. “I can’t. I ate them” she announced. The mother took her spinning
wheel outside, and as she spun she sang “My daughter ate five pies today.
My daughter ate five pies today. My daughter ate five pies today” Just then a
king was coming round the corner. He asked what it was she was singing, as
he could not hear. The woman’s mother being ashamed of what her daughter
had done said” My daughter spun five bobbins today. My daughter spun five
bobbins today. My daughter spun five bobbins today.” The king remarked
that he had never heard anyone that could do that. He explained that he
wanted a wife and that he would marry her daughter. For eleven months of
the year she would live in splendour and eat whatever she wanted. But one
month of the year she must spin five bobbins a day. If she did not he would
kill her. The woman thought that this would be a great opportunity for her
daughter. Anyway she was sure he would forget about the spinning after the
marriage. The marriage was fine and the king was as good as his word: then
after eleven months of splendour and great living, she was placed into a small
room: in it was a chair a spinning wheel and only what else she needed to
spin. “If you haven’t spun five bobbins by night, your head will be chopped
off” said the king. She sat there barely remembering how to spin. Then there
was a knock low on the door. She opened it and there was a small black elf
like creature with a tail. “What are you crying for?” he asked. She explained
about the five pies she had eaten, the deal, the king and everything. “I can
help”, he said. “What is your price?” she asked. “I will spin five bobbins a
day. Every day you’ll get three chances to guess my name: if you do not
guess it by the end of the month. You will then be my wife.” She agreed as
she thought she was bound to guess his name by the end of the month. Also
she could not see another option. The little elf would spin the bobbins as he
said. Every day she would have three guesses. “Is your name Harry?” “No”
“Is your name Robert?” ”No” “Is It Joseph?” “No” As the time went on she
guesses more and more names. But every day he spun the bobbins and every
day she was saved by him. Then came the past night: he had spun the last five
bobbins. “If you do not guess my name this night, then you will become my
wife.” But she had three guesses left. “Is your name Solomon?” “No” “Is It
Zebedee” “No” He stretched his black hands out at her and said “Take your
time. One more answer and you’re mine” She pointed out her finger at him
“Nimmy nimmy not, your names Tom Tit Tot.” When he heard this he
disappeared and was never seen again.
You may have heard one of the variations of this tale. There are many. What
we learn from this is quite profound. You may imagine that what we learn is
that we can make deals with magical creatures. But what we really learn is
that we do not have to. In this tale is hidden a powerful occult technique. In
the occult it is known that if a person knows the true name of an occult entity
such as a demon, an angel or a genie then you can command it to do your
bidding. This is normally done with a talisman. So quite simply the name of
any magical creature whose name you know, you can command by writing its
name and command onto something: such as a piece of paper. It is then
sometimes placed in something. Sometimes the name is part of the command:
like a crossword puzzle. But remember for this to work you must also really
want it to happen as the talisman is being made. But feel free to use the name
Tom Tit Tot, in a talisman to get something you want: to command this
entity. The next tale is called the green skinned children of Woolpit.
The green skinned children of Woolpit
In the village of Woolpit near Suffolk there was a strange occurrence in
medieval times. Woolpit has many deep pits on its edges. Also these pits are
very, very, old. One day two children were found near such a pit wandering
around: one boy and one girl. But these children were very unusual: they
were dressed strangely, talked in a language no one there could understand,
and they were green. At first people tried to wash the green hue from their
skin, without success. It was quite obvious that the green was in their skin, it
was its pigment not painted on. The children were given food to eat, but did
not seem to know what to do with it, eating only beans. In time they came to
learn to eat other foods and slowly their skin lost its green hue. The children
were baptised. The boy became ill after this but the girl survived. She learnt
to speak English and told the story of how they came to be there. She
explained they came from St Martin’s land, an underground place where all
the people were green, everything there was green. She said they were both
looking after their fathers cattle: also green: when one cattle wandered off,
they eventually found it in the cave and followed it in. They found their way
out, by following the sound of bells; found themselves in Woolpit. It was said
the girl came to be named Agnes and married a royal official from the place
kings Lynn: a place 40 miles from Woolpit. What is interesting is that Lynn
in the Celtic language would have been Lein: which means evil. So it could
be interpreted that an innocent fairy married an evil above Earth man: and
that we are all evil by nature.
So what can we learn from this tale? Well for one thing it illustrates how
fairies were at one time seen as being linked to the colour green:, and having
green skin. This probably comes of quite a shock. But if you refer back to the
story about fairy ointment: you will find that the ointment was green. So in
fact fairies were thought of as being of normal or small height and in some
tales as being green skinned. This may not come as that much of a surprise:
as they were considered nature spirits. It also illustrates again magical folk
living underground, and in other realities. But it also illustrates that they have
interbred with humans. Also in Irish mythology this is the case. But also that
they can change skin colour: that they can become human: again illustrating
that we are linked. The children becoming human and losing the green colour
from their skin in the tale is perhaps not that strange: when you consider that
some tales illustrate magical beings stealing the children of humans to replace
their own. We can utilise this knowledge quite simply. As fairies and humans
are linked and thought to as having interbred, for such a long time, then it is
possible to tap into the fairy power within you. You will find that the
following incantations will increase the power of your spells. Also as a way
of raising, magical power. As such you can do it before a spell. Or if you
want daily or from time to time to increase your power: just as some witches
use meditation, yoga or chi kung for the same purpose.
Raising power from fae ancestors
Oh fae ancestors of mine,
Let your power be mine.
Note that fae is an alternative term for fairy. The next tale is called, the fairy
funeral.
The fairy funeral
In a small village called Lelant: that was near Hayle Creek, there was a most
unusual sighting. A man heard the church bell, not found but muffled. This
made him wander over and look into the window of the church. As he peered
in he was in it a small funeral procession: inside the church. The church was
full of fairies: all unhappy as they were in mourning. There was also the body
of a small dead woman: a fairy. She looked quite beautiful. The fairies were
all wearing flowers and holding small tree branches. When the procession
reached the altar, a small hold was dug and the fairy corpse put in it: they
then tossed flowers and branches of trees and cried that their queen was dead.
He was so touched that this, he too began to join in. He was seen and the
lights in the church went out, and he ran for his life.
What this touching tale tells us is the two conflicting ideas about fairy
mortality. On one side we have that this fairy is obviously dead: so this
represents that idea that they can die. But they hold flowers and branches of
trees and this represents rebirth: that fairies being part of the essence of
nature and are reborn: but are still not the same person. It also hints at the
concept of fairies as plants. Fairies have been portrayed in many ways as
plant like. They have been thought of as green at times, and certainly linked
with this colour. So how can we use this? Well much of this tale is drawn
from the Christian ideas, and represents them as good Christians: an odd idea.
But plants and fairies are very, linked. If you want to find a fairy find a plant,
or forest: here is a method of how to find and talk to a fairy. First find a tree,
one in a forest or anywhere where there are many trees: is best. First bow to
the tree, second introduce yourself “My name is ___” . After that is really up
to you. You may ask for more power, for it to help you. This method
addresses a nature spirit: it would be just as accurate to say you are
addressing a fairy as say the green man; the nature of the spirit would be
difficult to ascertain. I would like to point out: that you are not commanding
it and it may have very different ideas than you do: as to what you need. It
should also be noted that it would be best to do this method when either in a
large company of people all doing the same thing, or all alone. Any other
situation and you risk being misunderstood.
CHAPTER 3
This chapter starts with a tale of travelling piskies. It is called the piskies in
the cellar.
The piskies in the cellar
A man was walking back from a celebration, inebriated. All was going well,
when he noticed a group of fairies also celebrating. They were sheltering
under a boulder. He became scared and so avoided them by walking over the
down: which was bog like. Soon he found himself stuck. It was then that was
surrounded by small voices coming from the ground. They shouted” Ho I and
away to Par beach” He repeated the call, and found himself at Par beach.
There were dancing, then the fairies gave another call “Ho and away for
squire Tremain’s cellar” He repeated the call and was in the squires cellar.
Around him were lots of casks of beer and bottles of wine. Just as the fairies
did, he greatly enjoyed drinking the alcohol from the cellar. Then there was
another cry “Ho and away for Par beach” This time he was too drunk to call
in time, and so was trapped in the cellar. The next morning he was found by
the squire in the cellar drunk. He tried to explain how he got there but was
not believed. The man was sent to jail. In court it was decided that he should
be hung. The day came and there he was at the hanging tree, when from the
back of the large crowd was a small voice. It cried “Ho and away for France”
He cried it out too and disappeared.
From this tale we can ascertain that piskies: a type of fairy: like all fairies
have more control over the physical than we do. Such as the instantaneous
travel in the tale. We can use this by utilising this short spell. To perform
spell say “Piskies ho and away (followed by where you want it to go and do
or help)”. For example: “Piskies ho and away to help my brother heal you
go”, or “piskies ho and away to guard my home go”. This spell will need to
be used on lots of different occasions for it to work. You may wonder why
this is so? Well repetition of the spell on many occasions makes a magical
servant: these are called servitors. Servitors can do things which ordinary
spells wouldn’t be able to: as they are as servants, not mere spells. For this
reason it is good to think of how the servant will look when you cast it. Also
remember that this servant has a purpose. This is to go places and do things:
quite simple things, such as bring good luck to people, help people heal. They
are not that useful however for breaking the laws of nature: this servitor has
limits. But a word of warning, once a servitor has been created it must have
work. So use it to bring good luck, to fetch ideas from other realms etc….
This next folktale is called, the she bear.
The she-bear
There once was a king whose queen was ill: very ill. On her deathbed she
made him promise that he would only marry again, if the woman was as
beautiful as she was, of course he agreed, she was dying. He did want to
marry again, as he had a daughter and felt, he needed a male heir: this was the
way back then. For many a long, long time he looked at many women, had
many women who wanted to marry him. But at last he was in despair, as
none were as beautiful as his dead wife had been: none except his daughter.
He wondered if he should therefore marry his daughter. He was going to
consult his advisers on this matter. Preziosa: his daughter: was in terrible
despair. Quite naturally she didn’t want to marry her own father. An old
woman appeared, very old, who seemed to know her plight and gave her a
chip of wood. “This chip of wood”, she said” If put into your mouth will turn
you into a bear.” Preziosa used the chip and left the palace for the forest. But
while wondering in the forest one day, she met a prince, handsome and kind.
She approached him, and him taken aback by this bears gentleness took her
back to his home. All was well for prince and bear, until one day while
combing her hair she took the chip of wood out of her mouth; instantly she
changed into the woman she was. The prince taken aback by her beauty fell
in love instantly. He was so surprised and happy that she told how she
transformed into a woman from a bear. His mother decided that she: the bear:
must have hurt him and ordered her killed. The servants knowing the true
gentleness of the bear set it free in the forest. The prince loving her went to
the woods to seek her. When he found her and begged her to take human
form again, she did not: she stayed as a bear. When he got home he became
very ill at this awful situation: the woman he loved being in the form of a
bear. In the worst of his illness he was asked what he needed. He replied,” I
need the bear to be my nurse maid” The bear was found and became his nurse
maid. Day by day he got sicker and sicker until one day he begged the bear
for a kiss. The bear kissed him and the chip of wood came out. ”She begged
him to let her keep her honour” Which she did and they married and his
mother give her blessing.
This tale has many elements to it, it has transformation, a magic chip of wood
and also it explored the boundary between human and animal. The woman
who escaped her father lived for a long time as a bear. Yes when she
transformed she is portrayed as being fully human. So what can we learn
from this? Well I suppose quite obviously it explored the power of
transformation. I will not pretend that this folk tale will give you the power to
change into an animal. But the chip of wood has many similarities with the
routes of glamour spells. A glamour spell taken here as literally a way to
make a person look more attractive: there are other types: was originally said
to come from a piece of jewellery: the idea being that if a person wore a piece
of jewellery when trying to look attractive that the jewellery itself would
eventually have the power to make a person look younger simply by wearing
it. This is one method to attain this. But in this tale a piece of wood was used.
This is quite interesting as wood would be around bears at this time, and
place of this tale. Also if a person tried to look act like and portray
themselves as a bear when having it in their mouth, it would eventually let
others see them as it: or at least that is the idea. This is an idea to experiment
with: but it isn’t easy and do not expect much success for a long time. But
any item like this can help you get in touch with this animals spirit. Another
technique is Chi-gong five animal frolics: whereby you pretend to be other
animals and this could greatly be assisted by the use of five objects, one each
being worn or places in the mouth for each animal. I will warn you however
be careful what you put in your mouth as it can cause injury, choking and
infection possibly causing you to lose teeth or get ill: better to use an object
that can be worn. There are many benefits of using these talismans and acting
as another animal, or animals: it can let you see things from other
perspectives, increase your chi- or other internal energy types. If not done too
much, it is said to help a person’s health: but do not attempt this practice
daily, I would say once or twice a week would be the most that this should be
done: and help to reduce stress. The objects can at times be worn when not
acting as the animal to give you more energy: this also stops you having a
pavlovian response every time you wear it or them. Another type of
transformation, and much more useful, is not being noticed by others: not
actual invisibility just not being noticed. To do this as walking around,
imagine an image of something that would be unnoticed in that environment:
if in a field think of grass, if in a street think of the path. In this way you can
walk amongst a crowd and be unnoticeable: people who are not noticed or
less likely to get attacked or mugged, but it is best still not to rely on this
solely for safety, do not go looking for bad areas to go unnoticed in. This next
tale is called “The flying ship”.
The flying ship
A poor man and woman had three sons. The eldest was thought of as being
very clever, as was the second oldest, and they fed them as looked after them
and were very proud. The youngest was called Ivan, he was dirty and they
though he was an idiot. One day everyone heard a message that the Great
Russian Tsar wanted a flying ship, and to the person who built it he would
give his daughters hand in marriage, and half of his entire kingdom. So off
went the two eldest sons to make a flying ship: but not before being well fed
by their mother and given a splendid packed lunch. They went to the forest to
chop down trees. But when they had done so they did not know what to do:
they began to argue. An old beggar heard them and asked “Why are you
arguing?” They shouted at him “Go away foul beggar” A short while later the
two came back home. The third son begged that he be allowed to try. His
parents worried that he may get lost and hurt, but they allowed him to go.
They sent him off with a crust of stale bread, and off he went. He went to the
forest, and once there he decided to chop down a large pine tree to make a
flying ship. The old man approached him “What are you doing” he asked. “I
am going to chop down this tree to make a flying ship.” “It is difficult to
build such a ship”, said the old man. Ivan replied that old people were very
wise and could be give him any advice on how to build such a ship. The old
man told Ivan how to build such a ship, and Ivan easily built it. The old man
offered Ivan a snack, but poor Ivan could only offer the old man some stale
bread, but the old man on touching it made it fresh again. The old man
offered some more advice: that he should pick up every lost and wandering
person whom he passes. With this Ivan set off to the palace. As he sailed it
wasn’t long before he saw a man sat with his ear to the ground. Ivan set down
the ship and asked the man what he was doing. He replied “I am listening to
distant birds sing” Ivan invited him onto his ship and the man obliged. He set
off and again he saw a wandering man hopping on one leg: the other was tied
to his ear. “Why do you have one leg tied to your ear?” said Ivan “Because if
I don’t I will run round the world in no time at all” Ivan invited the man onto
his ship and the man joined him. They sailed on and soon they saw a man
with his shotgun which seemed to be aiming at nothing at all. Ivan asked the
man what he was aiming at. He replied that his gun was aimed at a bird
sitting on a tree a thousand miles away. Ivan told the man he should sail with
his ship. As they sailed along they saw a man wandering with a bag full of
loaves on his back. Ivan asked the man “Where are you going with such a
heavy load? “To town to get bread for my dinner”, said the man. But pointed
out Ivan you have a whole bag on your back. “This is nothing I can eat this in
one gulp” Ivan asked the man if he would like to join him on his flying ship.
The man agreed and got on. They sailed a little further and saw a man
walking around a lake. Ivan asked why he was walking round the lake. The
man replied that he was thirsty. Ivan pointed out that in front of him was a
lake full of water. The man said how he could drink the lake dry in one slurp.
Ivan asked the man to join him on his ship; the man agreed and joined him.
Pretty soon they saw a man carrying a bundle of brushwood on his back into
a forest. Ivan asked him why he carried the wood. The man told Ivan that the
brushwood was magical and wherever he laid it a whole army would sprout
out. Ivan asked if he wanted to come with them on his ship, and the man
agreed. They sailed on and saw a man who was carrying a bale of hay. When
asked about the hay he replied that the hay was magical and that wherever he
did lay it, there would be cool and even frost would come from the ground.
He agreed to join Ivan on his ship. They continued and soon were at the
courtyard of the Tsar They landed: the Tsar was having breakfast. But the
Tsar was not happy as the visitor was not of royal blood, a mere peasant and
so did not want his daughter to marry him. So his advisors told him to set
Ivan an impossible task and then he could send Ivan away and keep his word.
So he set Ivan the task of bringing him the jog of life and the jug of death: but
to bring them before he had finished his breakfast. The man who could run
fast unfastened his leg from his ear and ran off. Very soon he had the jugs,
and decided he had so much time he would have a rest before setting back.
But back at the palace Ivan was getting restless; the Tsar had almost finished
his breakfast and there was very little time left. Another of Ivan’s passengers
put his ear to the ground and exclaimed he could hear the man Ivan had sent,
snoring, and at that the man with the gun aimed at the oak tree under which
he was sleeping, hit the tree, acorns fell and woke him up, and again he ran:
back to Ivan. There they were in front of the Tsar with the jugs of life and
the jugs of death. The tsar took one jug and sprinkled some water from it onto
a chicken: immediately it fell dead. He then sprinkled some from the other
and the chicken sprung back to life. So the Tsar set a second task to east one
dozen roast oxen and loaves at one sitting. Ivan was in despair, but the
hungry man who was his passenger announced he could do this easily, and he
did. The tsar set Ivan a third task, to drink forty barrels of beer in one sitting,
and all barrels had to be drunk in one gulp. The thirsty man told Ivan he
would love to do this, and he drank all the barrels of beer in one gulp as he
had been asked to. But the Tsar was not finished yet and he was determined
to stop Ivan with his next task. It was that Ivan was to be placed into an iron
sauna that was to be heated until the metal was white hot, and spend the
entire night there. But Ivan entered the sauna accompanied by the man with
the bale of hay: he spread it out and the entire room became cool and Ivan
spent the night there in relative comfort. The next day Ivan left the sauna,
looking just as he had entered. The Tsar was becoming angrier and angrier.
He set Ivan another task which was to assemble an entire army outside the
palace: after all where could a peasant get an army. But, the man with the
bundle of sticks: laid them outside the palace and a great army sprang up. A
great fight sprang up between the two armies, the Tsar’s army being beaten
and being ordered to retreat. The Tsar lay begging for Ivan to marry his
daughter. Ivan replied “I do not obey your orders anymore” He married the
Tsars daughter and threw the Tsar out of the palace. Ivan became a wise king
and was good to the people including the princess with whom Ivan lived
happily all his days.
There is a lot to be learnt from this tale. One thing I find interesting is the
idea of a flying ship: at this time there was no planes and the idea would
literally be of a ship: that flew. You would think this must have come from
somewhere. So this does seem to point to UFO’s being in Russia when this
folk tale was around: although by UFO’s I take at this point to simply mean
unidentified flying object and nothing more. However the real magic behind
this tale is the old man. He is seen in a forest: this is very important. He is in
the forest because he is a magical creature: he is a type of fairy, a forest spirit
and this is why he knows how to build a flying ship. Also by taking his
advice he helps Ivan by helping him pick up the people he needs to succeed:
although the people seem more magical than normal and are probably
themselves magical and could have been sent by the old man. There also are
other hints in the tale which tells us other things: Ivan treats the old man well
while his older brothers do not. Also Ivan is described as being dirty and
stupid. The important hint here is dirty: this is a hint that Ivan is not
completely human and that possibly he was a child switched at birth or that
he represents some traits from his families mixed human, fairy heritage long
ago. This means that he instinctively knew to be nice to the old man, and to
ask for his advice: the old man being a fairy. Also of great interest is the way
that he picks up the people he needs as the trip occurs. So the whole story is
about a young man who is part fairy who gets the help of an old male fairy to
help him get the hand in marriage of a princess and become a king. Or to put
it another way, a young man being part: of whatever being was flying the
UFO’s over Russia at that time: helped him to build a flying ship and become
a king and so place their blood in a position to rule. But where is the magic in
this? Well the magic from this is very useful and highly applicable. To work
this magic simply close your eyes and imagine yourself at the start of the
story: with slight adjustments. Imagine yourself asking the old man to help
you see what you need to see about the future, those parts that will help you.
Imagine the old man agreeing. Get into the ship and sail, but as you sail
imagine people or objects below you: whatever pops into your head. These
things represent clues as to what you will need, what you should concentrate
upon in the near future: they are ordered clues to help you succeed on your
future. Remember you pick up five of these objects or people: if they are
people they must tell you what they can do. When the journey has finished
you land back where you started: where you actually are: and then open your
eyes. You may want to write down what objects or people you picked up.
This technique will take time to master and to learn to interpret, but is very
powerful. I will point out however that it may be best not to carry this
technique out too often and is best done from time to time.
CHAPTER 4
Here are more folktales, each with their own wisdom and magic to teach us.
The first tale has been called many different names, usually being called after
a place name; I will therefore name it “Lucky place”
Lucky place
There was a man quite poor who had a small house which he himself had
built. One day he had a dream that if he went to a distant city it would make
him rich. He decided that the dream was a prophecy, and so off he went. He
travelled a long time, but arrived there and struck up conversation with a
man. “You seem to have come a long way”, said the man “What brings you
here?” “I had a dream which told me that if I came here I would become
rich.” The man replied that he too had once had such a dream like that, that
there was buried treasure in the garden of a small house. He did not go as he
thought to do so would be foolish.” The poor man recognised his own house
and garden immediately and he left back for home. When he got there he
found the buried treasure the man had dreamt, and talked of. He was: as he
had prophesied: rich.
This story shows a very profound lesson, that dream tell us things. They can
tell us how we feel, what we want, and also at times the future. The
interpretation of dreams is a skill that dates back thousands of years: if not
longer. It tells us that we should not always ignore our dreams. But beware
dreams are usually more to do with what we feel, than about the future. But at
times they can tell us important information: in time you will get better at
interpreting your dreams.
Silver hoof
In a small cottage a hunter, a small kitten and a little orphan lived together.
They were quite poor, but they lived happily together. But as time got on the
hunter got old and it was hard for him to hunt well enough to feed them all.
The orphan had heard the stories of Silver hoof the magic goat: it was said he
had large antlers instead of horns and one of his hoofs was made of silver. As
he walked whenever his silver hoof hit the ground a precious stone appeared:
or so it was said. The hunter and the orphan looked for years hoping to find
Silver hoof. The hunter, the cat and the orphan: now his adopted daughter:
headed deep into the woods, staying in a cabin he had there. As time passed
he had been lucky: he had hunted and killed many goats but did not find
silver hoof, and so the hunter took the skins to town to sell them. This left the
orphan and the cat together in the cabin. But the next day they heard a noise
outside: a stamping: it was Silver hoof. He was running and stamping but
when they saw him he soon fled. The very next day he appeared again, but
this time the cat went out to play with him causing Silver hoof to run around,
and around: leaving jewels everywhere. The old hunter returned and so
surprised, he could barely recognise the cabin. He took some stones and
stuffed them into his hat. He went inside and he and his adopted daughter
went to sleep. When they awoke the cat was still gone, they looked outside
and all the jewels had gone: except for those the hunter had put in his hat.
The cat never did return but they had enough wealth to live well to the end of
their days.
What we learn from this story is quite interesting. The main point is way that
the hoof of Silver Hoof made jewels. This is another variant of the good luck
people feel a horse shoe brings. Silver Hoof brings good fortune because of
his Silver Hoof: being made of metal it is like a horseshoe, and so therefore
lucky. That is why he brings wealth: bringing wealth would be considered
lucky by most. So to use the knowledge of this simply hang a horse shoe in
your home, to attract good luck. I was always taught to hang it upwards to
attract good luck and that downwards is bad luck, but apparently some others
believe the other way around. Next is a tale you may have heard of, and it is
called “The pied piper of Hamlyn”
The pied piper
There was a town called Hamlyn, all in the town was well save one thing: it
was infested with rats. The rats were everywhere and bit everything, the cats,
the dogs, the babies, even the people. The locals were worried: but they could
not get rid of the rats. One day a piper called and said to the town’s mayor
that he could get rid of the town’s rats for good. He agreed a fee with the
mayor, it was high. But if he could get rid of the rats, it was fair. The piper
took out his pipe and played and the rats ran to him as soon as they heard his
tune. They were drawn to him, in a trance. He strode off taking the rats with
him. Later on the piper returned asking for his fee, but the mayor did not pay
him. The mayor thought why should I pay the piper? The rats have now gone.
The piper was furious and began to play again. This time the children
surrounded him on hearing his tune they walked with him, off they went and
he took them to a mountain the side of which opened up they walked inside
and were never seen again.
What lesson can we learn from this folktale you may ask? Well pied means
patches, his clothes were made from multi coloured patches. But more
important is that the time when this tale is said to be set the children of
Hamlyn did disappear. Also at the time there was the Black Death which was
caused by a particular type of rat. So our first question is the story of the pied
piper true? As there is actual documentation to back this up, this tale then is
very much like the green children of Woolpit: perhaps more a historical event
than a tale just to learn from and enjoy. Other variants of the tale state that
Hamlyn treated their children badly and so this was why he took them, in
most it is a punishment for not paying him. A clue from this is the fact that
they went into a mountain: one place where fairies and other magical
creatures are said to sometimes live. Also he was dresses strangely, with
multi-coloured clothes. So this pied piper could be simply from a strange
land, and the children may have left for some other reason: some people say
they went to fight the crusades. The magic from this tale is the flute. Flutes
have been linked to magic before: Pan the satyr also has a flute with which he
can use to make people love him. You can use a flute to direct your magical
power: in the way some people use a wand. Simply cast your spell, the play
the flute while thinking of the spell. The flute should not be played at any
other time: just when you wish to work magic. The routine of doing this will
help you focus and get into the right state of mind when you cast spells, and
for this reason you may want to play it a little at the start before casting the
spell. The next tale is called “The blue belt”
The blue belt
An old beggar woman and her son were on the way home from town. One the
way back they saw a blue belt lying upon the ground. Her young son asked if
he may pick it up, but she said “No. It may have magic in it” But the young
boy, being young managed to grab it anyway: without her noticing. As he
walked behind her he tied it onto his waist: he felt very strong. One the way
back she grey tired and decided to have a rest under a bush. The young boy
asked “May I look from the top of that rock, to see if there are any other
people?” She nodded and he went and climbed the rock. When he spotted
something he ran down, telling his mother that there was a house near. They
walked on but found themselves blocked a large cliff. They climbed the cliff,
but his mother became tired and so he grabbed her and carried her over with
one hand. They then gazed at the house and the old woman said “They aren’t
people, they are trolls”: as there were no people living in that part of the
wood. But as there were lights and so they must be human they walked on.
They came to the house, opened the door and walked in. The old woman fell
to her knees out of fright of the broad man three men high that stood before
her. “Hello granddad” said the boy. “It has been hundreds of years since
anyone called me that” and he smiled. He gave the old woman and the boy
food and lodging’s. The food was a large ox that he killed with his bare
hands. After that the old woman began to trust the large troll. To sleep there
was only a cradle and a bed. The boy slept in the cradle and the old woman in
the bed. The old woman and the troll began to talk. He said how happy they
could be living there if only they could get rid of the boy. The boy listened
intently. The plan was to take him the next day to the quarry, and he did. The
boy went with the troll onto the quarry. The troll then let a rock fall in the
boy’s direction, but the boy grabbed a hold of it, moved out of the way before
letting it fall. The boy maddened a little later on let a large rock fall on the
troll, which broke his leg. But he picked up the rock moved it aside and
carried the troll home. The next day the old woman took the boy to milk
lions: to help the troll get better. The old woman and the troll thought the boy
was not man enough to milk a lion, and it surely meant his death. But he soon
returned, saying here is the lion’s milk.” The old troll thinking it was a lie and
that is could not possibly be lion’s milk. So the boy threw open the door and
there were the lions which leapt at the troll and tore him to pieces. But his
mother had another idea: that she would pretend to be ill and so send her son
for apples from the troll’s brother’s orchard near their castle: they were much
stronger than he, so strong that the troll to hide in his house and stay away
from the castle. He left for the orchard being followed by the obedient lions
he had beaten the day before. After walking the boy fell asleep and the lions
lied round him in a circle and when the trolls came they tore them apart
leaving little trace of their existence at all. The boy awoke, got the apples and
wandered into the castle. Inside was a princess who has been taken hostage.
He grabbed a large troll sword and they lived happily in the castle. After a
time he thought well my old mother was not that bad, and that he should not
leave her to live with the troll. He decided to invite her into his castle. She
came as he had asked, and the troll came too. They all lived happily until one
day she asked how he was so strong, what was his secret? He told her it was
the belt, he showed her. Then she snatched it off him. The troll took a red hot
poker and burnt his eyes completely out. They both put him in a small boat
with the lions and left him to drift. But the lions had seen a place where a
small animal’s eyesight had been returned and took him there to bathe his
eyes. As soon as this was done his eyes returned: he could see again. He
made his way back to the castle, and stole back his blue belt. His mother
beseeched him to give her the belt back. “I will give you the same fate you
gave me” and he burnt out the old woman and the trolls eyes: sending the
troll out adrift alone on a small boat. But he missed the princess and set off
for the far off land she came from and had returned to. He disguised himself
as a bear and so lived there as a dancing bear slowly gets to know everyone
there. Then one day he left and re-entered as himself. There was a great
competition that anyone that could find the princess in twenty four hours
could marry her. There was a large dance and everyone joined in the party,
even the boy although he should be looking for the princess. Then at last the
last hour came. The king wanted his head, but the boy said” Follow me.” He
pushed aside a door and then another and another eventually leading to where
the princess sat. He married the princess, eventually becoming king.
So what can we learn from this story? It is the fact that we can easily make a
magical belt. Quite simply we write a spell inside the belt. Note it is
important that it is a spell not a servitor or magical servant as we do not want
to be possessed of a spirit. Also you should write on the inside so that the side
with the writing is nearest to your skin. But note the effect it will have will be
limited and so do not expect great strength. But this old practice is however
still useful. It can be used for protection from curses, or anything you wish to
make the belt for. Here is how to make the belt for health and strength. You
could simply make a short spell and use that or combine the words such as
HEASTRE, and most importantly make the writing on of the letters quite
fanciful: the power from the belt comes from the time and effort you take to
put the spell on the inside. But remember it is the making and your belief in
the belt which makes it magical. You must put so much effort into it that it
means this to you. This makes this task not an easy one, but is as strong a
talisman as any other if given enough effort.
CHAPTER 5
I will now introduce a wonderful folktale with many magical elements. In
fact this tale tells us so much about magic and the occult. This tale is called
“The soldier and Death”
The soldier and Death
A soldier made his way home after fighting for the Tsar for twenty five years.
He made his way home with his reward, his payment: three dry biscuits. He
thought of the celebration and great feast that would be had, when he
returned home. Then his mind turned to the three dry biscuits as being all he
had after twenty five years. He walked through the forest thinking more of
these three dry biscuits. But as he walked he met an old beggar who asked for
alms for the love of God. Well the soldier had nothing save his three dry
biscuits. But he gave one biscuit to the old beggar. He had not walked very
far when he saw another old beggar, who had to walk with a stick and asked
for alms for the love of God. He had only two dry biscuits, but he gave one to
the old man. He turned a corner and walked only a short time before he came
to another old beggar man, and he too asked for alms for the love of God. He
decided to give him half a biscuit as he had only one left. But when he had
done this, he thought this beggar may come upon the others and upon finding
that he had only been given half a biscuit feel slighted. But as he put out his
hand to give the old beggar the other half: the old man put out his hand and
asked “Are you in need of anything?” “You are a poor man”, said the soldier
“I will accept nothing from you”. “I just want to know what you would like
as I can reward you for your great kindness.” The soldier replied that he
didn’t want anything, but if he had a pack of cards he would keep it as a
memory of their meeting. The old man took out a pack of cards and told him
that whenever he played with them, he would always win. Then he gave him
a flour sack “Whatever it be beast, man, or what else you tell to get into this
sack, then it will: you may then do with it what you please.” The solder
thanked him and walked on. He came to a lake: he drank the water, rested
and thought how good it would be to catch the geese: who were swimming.
Then he remembered the sack the old man had given him. He got it and
shouted at the geese. ”You geese, get into my sack”. The three geese
jumped straight into his sack. The soldier tied the sack shut and walked on his
way. When his path took him to a small town, he went into the tavern and
bartered his three geese one for himself, one for a bottle of vodka and one for
the tavern owner for his trouble. He sat at a good table, drinking vodka and
eating his goose roasted. Sat at his table he gazed out of the windows and saw
a fine palace with many great windows, but no glass. “Why would a palace
such as that have no windows?” he asked. “Well it is a fine palace. But the
Tsar cannot use it as devils live inside: no one can get rid of them. At night
they appear and play cards and make such a noise that no one can live
inside”, replied the tavern owner. The solder set off to ask the Tsar if he can
stay one night in the palace. The Tsar explained that one man spent the night
there and was never seen again. The soldier insisted and walked into the
palace and sat down. At twelve o clock there was a ring and much snorting
and noise and the palace was full of devils. The devils asked him to play
cards with them, and he agreed as long as they play with his cards. They
played a game; the soldier won: another he won again. Pretty soon none of
the devils had any money left at all. The devils asked him to play again for
sixty bushels of silver and forty of gold. “Let me see the silver”, said the
soldier. One of the devils rushed out and back into the room each time
carrying a bushel of silver until all sixty were before him. “Let’s see the
gold” Another devil rushed out and brought the forty bushels of gold. The
devils played again but cheat as they might, they could not win and the
solider won the game. “Why should we pay him when we can tear him to
pieces and eat him?” “Well then get into this sack”, said the soldier, and the
devils leapt into the sack. He tied the top hung it up on a nail and went to
sleep. When the Tsar’s servants came into the house expecting they would
have to clean up the soldiers dead remains, they saw the soldier alive and he
showed them the silver and gold he had won. He sent them to find two
blacksmiths to come here with an anvil and heaviest hammers. He took his
sack and placed it on the anvil and as instructed the blacksmiths hammered
bag, devils and all. The devils shouted out in great pain and promised that no
devil would ever enter the palace again. He untied the sack and the devils fled
off to Hell. But the soldier was not too trusting a man and grabbed a devil by
his hairy leg and cut his wrist to the bone, dipped a pen in the blood made the
devil write that he would be his faithful servant. The devil pulled and pushed
but nothing could be done and so he signed that he would be his faithful
servant wherever and whenever he was required. Then when the soldier let
him go he disappeared. But the word got around Hell of the soldier with the
flour sack, and that he should not at any time be allowed in Hell. When the
Tsar heard the wonderful news the Tsar moved in and the solder too was as
honoured as his own brother. In time the soldier took a wife and had a son.
His only wish that his son would grow to become a general, but the boy
became gravely ill. All of the finest doctors were called and none could do
anything. But the soldier had a promise from a devil that he would be his
faithful servant. “I wonder where that devil has hidden all this time”,
exclaimed the soldier. Then all of a sudden the devil appeared and asked
“What is it sir?” “My son is ill. Do you happen to know a cure?” “Take this
glass and fill it with water and place it on your sons head and tell me what
you see?” “I see death standing at his feet.” “Then he will live, if he sat at the
head he would die and nothing could be done for him” Then the devil
splashed the child with the water from the glass and he was again well. The
devil gave the soldier the glass and the soldier released him from his promise
giving him back his contract signed in blood. The devil then fled with all the
speed he could muster. The soldier used the glass to set up as a wise man: if
Death was at a sick man’s feet he splashed him with the water and he was
well. If death sat at his head he said that nothing could be done. He was much
celebrated for his work and so when the Tsar fell ill he was called. But when
he peered at the glass he found Death standing at the Tsar’s head. The soldier
explained that nothing could be done. “You have cured my generals and
soldiers but not me. If I have only a minute to live it is still long enough to
order you beheaded.” The soldier pleaded with Death to take him instead, to
spare him the shame and ignominy. He then looked through the glass and
Death stood at the Tsar’s feet, he splashed him with the water and the Tsar
was cured. The soldier prayed “Oh Death give me time to say goodbye to my
wife and son.” “Yes but hurry up”, spoke Death. The soldier grew tired and
went to bed and looked and there was Death at the head of his bed. The
soldier took his flour sack. He asked Death, “Do you know what this is?” “A
sack” “Then get in it”, and Death leapt into the sack. The soldier’s strength
returned and he was again well. The tied the top of the sack and went into the
forest. He came to the highest tree and hung the sack on the top branch of the
highest tree, and left it there. From then on there was no death in the world.
No one died everyone lived, people were born, but no one died. When years
had passed the soldier was walking through the forest and saw an old woman,
ancient so old she should have died long ago and saw her pain as she
explained that she had lived too long. “I was close to death when you shut
death away in a sack on the top of a high tree. I was to be rid of this world
and it of me. You soldier have sinned before God and me. It is a sin that God
will not forgive.” The soldier: seeing his mistake decide to let Death go. He
asked Death to take him first: so that his punishment would not seem as bad
as it would if he was old: and opened the sack. But Death was afraid of him
and would not take him: he ran away. He thought that it would be best if he
made his way to Hell. So he said goodbye to those he cared about, and made
his way to Hell. It was a long journey but he got there to the walls and gates
of Hell. A demon called out,” Who goes there?” “A sinful soul” replied the
soldier. “What is that in your hand?” enquired the Demon. “It’s a sack”. Then
all the doors and windows and gates of Hell were closed: the soldier was
unable to get in. He cried to the prince of Hell to be let in. The prince cried
back, “Go anywhere, go where you will but you cannot come in.” “If you will
not let me in. give me two hundred sinful souls and then when I take them to
God maybe he will let me in.” “I will throw in another fifty. If only you will
leave here.” The souls were given to the soldier and the soldier set off to
heaven with the two hundred and fifty sinful souls behind. They marched on
until they came to heaven. God told the apostles he would let the sinful souls
in, but not the soldier. The soldier upon hearing this gave his sack to a sinful
soul and told him to tell the soldier to get into the sack. As the soldier had
taken from Hell he agreed. The soldier waited, but Heaven is such a joyful
place that he forgot what the soldier had told him and he did not get in. The
soldier waited but slowly he went back to Earth. Death would not take him,
or Hell, or Heaven and so he is alive still.
From this tale there are many details about the occult. For instance the beggar
who gave him the magical things was in a forest, as was the old woman who
knew what he did: but could not possibly have done so. As you may have
noticed by now, forests are a favourite place for fairies and other magical
creatures to live. What about the pack of cards? Well to me these represent
simply a marked deck. The cards were marked and so he knew how much to
bet: nothing occult in that. However the sack is very interesting. He was able
to imprison things within his sack. There are other cultures which are better
known for using magical bags: for instance Haiti. The bag sounds very much
for a code for a conjure of mojo; what is interesting is that finding this in a
Russian folk tale is incredible, and could be taken as partial proof of cultural
transmission of folk magic. When a person makes a conjure bag they place
items within to make a magical servant. It could however he used just as
easily to imprison one. Instead of putting in things such as leaves or spices to
make something, simply put things in which represent a magical entity that
already exists. It will then: if you put enough energy on making the bag:
imprison the magical creature in the bag. To let it free simply take the
contents out of the bag: or if a made creature to destroy it. I should mention it
is tradition to give the bag a drink from time to time. So the bag can literally
become a person. In the tale is also mentioned a magical glass. Here there are
two elements to this. Well a glass of water can be used for a type of crystal
gazing and so can be used to see Death if you concentrated upon it. Or you
could use a hag stone: a stone with a hole worn in it due to water wearing it
away. There is also the element of the healing water: personally I would
recommend a doctor but this water can be produced as follows. Ask for
healing above the water many times. Say healing power, healing power, at
least ten times over the water and then sprinkle it upon a person or yourself,
or drink it. This tale is also a warning that immortality is a curse, and that
power should be used carefully. I should also warn that trying to see Death:
actually the angel of death: is not recommended at all. But the technique can
be used to see many other things normally concealed too.
CHAPTER 6
The next tale is Russian in origin. It is an old traditional tale, as well as being
a morality tale, it is also about an item of magical jewellery and it is called
“The magic ring.”
The magic ring
An old man and an old woman lives with their only son Martin The old man
was a great hunter, but as happens to us all he passed away. The old woman
and her son lived together and had been left two hundred rubbles by the old
man. Soon the food they had was gone and so they decided to spend some of
the money. Martin was sent to spend one hundred rubbles in town on food.
He borrowed the neighbours cart and horse and went into town. When he was
there he saw a butcher who was beating a poor dog. “Why are you beating
the dog?” asked Martin. “I beat him because he stole from me a whole side of
beef.” “Don’t beat him I will buy him from you” The butcher said” Yes but it
will cost you a hundred rubbles” as a joke. But Martin believed this would be
the price and gave him the full one hundred rubbles that he had. He then set
off home.
When home his mother wanted to see what he had bought. She had tears in
her eyes when she realised he had bought a dog. She told him she had
scraped together a few scraps of flour but that tomorrow they would go
hungry. So the next day she gave Martin their last one hundred rubbles, and
sent him off to town to buy food. When he was in town: he saw a man
dragging a cat and the man told him he was about to kill the cat for stealing a
pie. Martin asked” How much is the cat?” “Well”, said the man “I could not
let him go for less than one hundred rubbles” thinking that Martin was
joking. But Martin handed the man the money and left for home. When he
got home his Mother was furious as again he had wasted their money, and
they would be left hungry. She told him to leave and survive on his own; he
had cost her too much.
So Martin went to find work, he was met by a priest who said he could work
for him: he would work for him for three years and then he would get what
he deserved when he left: getting paid after three years were up. Martin
worked for three years and eventually the priest sent for Martin. “Well Martin
you have worked for me for three years. Here are two sacks, one of sand; one
of silver. Please take whichever you want as payment. Martin thought there
must be more to this than there seems and so took the sack of sand. As he
walked: with the sack of sand on his back, feeling very heavy: he walked
through a forest. He heard the cry of a woman who was on fire. Martin
thinking that the sand was worth nothing anyway used it put out the fire.
When the woman struck the ground with her foot she turned into a snake and
wound herself around his neck. The woman said that her father was a king of
the thrice ten- kingdom, past the thrice nine lands. She told him that if he told
him what he had done, he will offer him anything, but to take only the ring
from his little finger. He travelled and reached the kingdom she had talked of.
Seeing a large rock she leapt from his neck struck it and once again was a
princess. She took him through a tunnel to an underground realm: taking him
to see her father, the king. They explained what he had done: how he had
saved her and so he was offered a reward, and Martin took the kings ring: as
payment for his great deed.
Martin then set off the way he had come. He was returning to his own native
land and returned to see his old mother. But when Martin wanted a wife he
sent his mother as matchmaker to see the king so that he may marry his
daughter then princess. The king replied that let Martin prove his love by
building the largest palace and connecting it to his by a crystal bridge, and let
it have apple trees, which grow apples of silver and gold. But let him build all
this in one night: or you lose your heads if you fail. The woman told Martin
and wept as she did so. But then Martin put his ring onto his other hand and
twelve youths appeared asking for commands and he told them of the palace
that he wanted to build, and the crystal bridge and the golden and silver
apples growing on the apple trees. Martin went to sleep and when he awoke
all was built. The king was surprised and also saw the grand palace that had
appeared. Martin again put the ring on his other hand and told the twelve
servants who appeared to dress him in the dress of a nobleman, and get a
large golden coach with the finest horse ready for his transportation.
He then wed the princess and as was befitting the King gave him a large
dowry. The princess and Martin had been wed and lived together for three
months and all seemed well. But the princess was unhappy to be married to a
peasant and not a royal heir. Eventually however after the princess pretending
all was well was told by Martin the secret of his royal ring. That night Martin
fell asleep but the princess was still awake. She carefully removed Martins
ring and put it on her finger. The twelve servants appeared and she
commanded them to make all they had created for Martin to vanish: the
palace, the bridge, the apple trees growing apples of silver and gold were
soon all gone. She then asked them to take her off the thrice nine-kingdom:
the mice’s realm to live and hide in shame. In a second she was there to live
out her days.
The king woke the next morning and found Martins palace had gone. Martin
awoke to find himself in a simple cottage. The king was shocked and set a
man off to see what had happened. He sent a man to look inside the cottage:
as the king seldom did anything for himself. The princess was nowhere to be
seen, the only people inside were Martin and his mother. So a prison was
made and Martin was placed inside. He sat inside the prison for two days
when Martin’s dog came looking and told the cat of their master’s
predicament. The cat and dog worked together, one making the pie man drop
his tray and the other grab some pies to take to their hungry master. They
then stole a bowlful of cabbage soup, and set off to the thrice-ten kingdom:
the mice’s realm: so they can get back their masters ring. They walked a long,
long way; the dog swam with the cat on his back, and then walked even more
to get there. When they arrived there, the cat and dog worked together: the cat
killing the mice and the dog piling them up. After a week the pile of dead
mice was huge and the king begged them to stop. “Well”, said the dog.” If
you don’t give us the ring from the princess’s finger the cat will keep killing
until you have no kingdom”. So the mouse king agreed and a volunteer was
found to steal the ring from her finger. Soon a small mouse had crept through
the mice’s palace to the princess’s room and slid the ring carefully from her
finger. He crept back and returned it to the dog. The cat placed the ring in his
mouth, sat on the dogs back and started to cross the river, when they were
half way across, a large crow pecked at the cats head. Peck, peck he went
striking blood. The cat cried as he could not defend himself. But it got worse
and worse until he knew if he did not bite the bird, he would surely die. So
dropping the ring bite he did: but he did not tell this to the dog.
When they were across he told the dog. The dog was very angry and told the
cat he must find the ring or he will kill him. The cat being quite wise told him
they needed to work together: just as they had caught mice now they must
catch crabs, and then they will find the ring for us. “Shame.” Cried out the
dog. "Forgive me, Blackie." he said. "I'm sorry. I dropped it into the sea." The
dog let fly at him."You stupid oaf! You're lucky I didn't find out earlier, or I'd
have dropped you into the sea, you dolt. What are we going to tell our
master? Crawl into the sea at once and find that ring, or I'll tear you to
pieces!" "What good will that do?" growled the cat. "We must put our heads
together: just as we caught mice before, we'll catch crabs now. Perhaps they
will find our ring for us." The dog agreed. So they began to walk along the
seashore catching crabs and piling them up. The pile grew and grew. A huge
crab crawled out of the sea to take a walk; in a flash Stripey had him in his
claws. "Don't kill me, mighty warriors, I am the Crab King. I shall do
whatever you order." "We dropped a ring into the sea," said Stripey, "Go and
look for it if you desire our pardon; or we will put your whole kingdom to
waste." The crab king ordered his entire kingdom to search for the ring: they
pinched the fish looking for the ring. After a while a fish was thrown onto
land. The dog bit in the fish: trying to get the ring. The cat though guessed
better where it was and tore straight to the ring. He then ran off to his master
thinking that if he told his master that he found it by himself, he would love
him much more than the dog.
The dog however was finishing off the fish, and did not know the cat had run
off. But he soon was finished and looked round, and guessing what the cat
was trying to do; he ran off to catch the cat. When the dog came close, the cat
ran up a tree. The dog waited there for three days: after that they agreed to
forget about their quarrel, and get one with their quest. They therefore set off
again to their master Martin. Martin was still in the jail, and was very hungry.
The cat gave Martin the magic ring. Martin decided to stay where he was
until night came: he put on his ring and the twelve servants appeared. He
ordered everything be put back as it was: the palace, the bridge, and the gold
and silver apples and to bring back his unfaithful wife: and it was all done.
The next morning the king woke to see that there was a palace again, with
silver bridge and all as splendid as before. Martin told the king how all this
was taken away because of the princess. The king ordered the princess to be
executed for her behaviour. Martin however still lives there happily still.
You may have heard of magical rings before: perhaps in Tolkien’s works.
You may have gotten the idea that magical rings are rare: in fact nothing
could be further from the truth. There are many roman and rings from other
civilizations that still survive. They survive in such great numbers that they
are not even expensive most of the time. A magical ring is in its most basic
form, is a ring with a symbol on it: a magic symbol. This symbol can be
anything magical and may even be a symbol which only means something to
the wearer, a one off. Rings with magical symbols upon them are still
manufactured. Some popular symbols on rings are, the five pointed star, the
Star of David which is one version of Solomon’s seal which was a magic
ring: the other version being one circle inside another. There are symbols
linked to any God or deity. Also the evil eye protective symbol could be
used: which is very similar to Solomon’s seal. The Christian cross on a ring
could also be thought of as being protective. Some rings however go further
than simply protecting.
There are rings which command entities. In the tale there are twelve servants:
actually magical servants which are normally referred to as servitors. In this
case the servitor would be commanded by having the true name of the
servitor on the ring: in some form not necessarily in English words, and could
be a symbol: and also it’s command. Normally a servitor is commanded to do
a specific task. But this tale introduces something very interesting; that it
could be commanded to do as commanded when the ring is worn on the right
hand. The entities true name need not be placed on the ring; it could be
hidden inside if it were hollow. This knowledge can also be combined with
what we learnt from the tale” Tom Tit Tot”. Then a crossword like symbol
combining, tot, tit, tot, commanded, do- as, ring-on-right. Then simply by
placing on the right hand you could command the entity. However the effect
would be somewhat diluted because of the vague nature of the spell. But it is
very interesting nonetheless. The same could be done for any other magical
entity. But I would like to add that it is not just rings that can be magical. All
other types of jewellery can be magical too. All it needs is to add a symbol to
them, or an internal parchment, or piece of paper with the symbol on and it is
transformed into a magical piece of jewellery. I will add though that magical
jewellery works because you have some faith in the symbol: and is most
important that it means something to you. It is this knowledge and belief
where most of the magic comes from. But so long as that is done you can buy
such a piece of jewellery, or make one quite easily. Some people believe that
they are best made on certain important dates. But before making one,
perhaps try the symbol out first: to make sure it works for you. These magic
jewelleries: they are worn by men and women: can be a talking point, or look
completely ordinary and anonymous.
CHAPTER 7
The flying carpet, the invisible cap, the gold-giving ring and the smiting
club
An old woman and her son: who in, she had great pride: lived in a cottage by
a river. Her son was good looking, honest and an excellent fisherman. He put
food on their table by fishing and was so good that neither he nor his mother
ever wanted for bread or food. He was so good that everyone simply called
him “The fisherman.”
One day he was fishing at dusk, and throwing his nets into the river. He stood
there with a bucket in his other hand. He stood there for fifteen minutes and
then pulled two bream: a type of fish: which he had caught. They were
thrown into the bucket and he was about to head home, when he saw an old
man. The old man was dressed in clothes so worn he could only be a beggar.
His hair and beard was as white as a dove. The old man begged him to give
him money or bread. The fisherman told the man that he had nothing to give
him and that he lived in the near cottage, and that his mother waits for the
fish he had caught. He said if he would return to the cottage with the fish, he
would and throw his nets in again and with God’s will, there would be
enough fish for all three of them for supper, and breakfast the next morning.
But when he handed the fish to the old man he melted away and was nowhere
to be seen. He and the fish had gone. The amazed fisherman looked around
but he was nowhere to be seen. He therefore had no choice and again threw
his nets into the river. He felt a pull and knew he had caught a fish. He pulled
in his nets but the fish was like no one he had ever seen. It had eyes of
diamonds and fins all the colours of the rainbow and scales of gold. When on
shore the fish talked to him, much to his amazement. “Please don’t kill me.”
Said the fish “As you can see I am no ordinary fish and in exchange for you
sparing my life I will give you this golden ring. Every time you put it on your
finger repeat these words:
“Oh magic ring whose gold can give
In the name of the fish of gold
For the good of all men everywhere
And the honour of heaven, you send new or old,
As great or small as I now need,
Coins of gold let them fall like seed.
After saying these words a shower of gold coins shall fall.”
The fisherman accepted the ring and freed the fish back into the river. As he
walked back he said to himself “My mother and I may be hungry tonight but
tomorrow I shall make golden coins and we shall live like Lords.”
But one arriving home he found that the table was covered in a white cloth
and upon it in on a fine china soup tureen was the two Bream, freshly cooked.
His mother entered and explained that she had not laid it out, that it merely
appeared there and that the fish although waiting for him to arrive had not
gotten cold. They then ate and went to bed. On arising the fisherman put on
his ring and said the magic words and gold coins rained down from above.
His mother on hearing the sound of the coins falling woke up to find the
coins falling from above. “This gold will remove poverty from your life
mother.” Said the fisherman “But use them as you need them.” He then asked
for her good luck on his journey. He explained that he was going to the city
to join the army to defend the king. His mother wanted him to stay,
explaining that one man would make little difference. He explained that one
more man added to the others may help the king overcome his enemies;
maybe grant me a castle or a few acres of forest land, a suite of armour or a
horse and maybe even the hand of his daughter in marriage. His mother gave
him a small shield to protect him, and so he left.
He went on his was and in a three days was in the Capital city. But he found
many enemies of the king surrounding it who threatened to destroy the
capital and the people in it unless the king agreed to pay a huge ransom: gold
filling many wagons. But the ransom was so large the king did not have the
gold to pay it and the people would perish. But the fisherman told the king he
would help and that he would see the gold fill the wagons. He said the magic
words and the gold rained down filling the wagons. The wagons of gold were
sent to the king’s enemies and they were satisfied and left.
The king rewarded the fisherman with the hand of his daughter in marriage.
When the king asked him how he had so much gold. The fisherman being a
trusting person told the king that he was just a fisherman and got his gold by
a magic ring: which he showed him. The king was hurt at this: that he had
given his daughter for a wife to a peasant. He did not show this to the
fisherman, he did not realise this.
After a wonderful meal the Chamberlain on the king’s words asked the
fisherman for some wonderful jewel as a gift to his future wife. But the
fisherman had nothing but his magic ring, which he gave to the chamberlain
to give to the princess. The chamberlain said”Look at the moon above. That
is the witness of your marriage. Look below that deep pit is to be your bridal
bed” He then pushed the fisherman in. He fell a long way and finally was just
about to hit the water below, when he found himself in a boat. In it was the
old man to whom he had given the bream. The old man disappeared leaving
the fisherman in the boat.
The next morning the fisherman saw that in the boat was fishing nets; he
started to fish. He caught many fish which he sold in the next town. He then
continued on foot. Travelling by foot was hard and much, much, later when
crossing open country he heard sounds: the screams coming from the forest.
He walked into the forest and he saw two small demons fighting who had
escaped from the nether world. But the fisherman was not afraid and asked
the demons,” Why are you both fighting each other?” “We both worked
extremely hard for many years, to entice a person down below and so Hell
haves him. We tempted him to learn something of sorcery so that he could
easily commit many crimes and so we taught him and through the crimes
forfeited his soul. But we want to divide between up his property. But he has
three things and there are only two of us.” “What are these three things?”
asked the fisherman. “There is a magic carpet and when someone stands on it
and says
‘Carpet with me on take flight
Travelling by day and night
Until my destination is in sight’
The second is a club and when a person says
‘Oh great club of mine
Hit my enemies many times
Until die or flee to different climes’
Thirdly we have a cap which renders the wearer invisible. This is why we
fight as we need to divide them into two equal amounts.”
The fisherman agreed to help them and said that if they leave the three item
where they are and that if they went to the bottom of the hill he would roll a
stone from the top of the hill, whoever caught it would get two shares. The
small demons agreed and the fisherman rolled down the stone. As they
walked to the bottom of the hill the fisherman put on the invisibility cap took
the club. The demons were walking up with the large stone that the winner
had caught: the fisherman was sitting on the magic carpet. But the fisherman
repeated the magic words and the club pounded the demons, hitting them
again and again. When the demons were nothing more than dust, the club
returned. The fisherman uttered more magic words and the carpet sped off.
In a few days the carpet and the fisherman had arrived at the palace on the
capital city, and sat itself onto the courtyard. The place was not as peaceful as
he had expected. The invaders had returned for more money: their loot was
so much last time that they went back for more. The king had promised his
daughters hand in marriage to the commander of the invading army: who
were outside the city walls: if he would leave himself, his family and all his
people alone. But before giving her hand he addressed the crowd or his
citizens saying,”In a short time my army and I will fight the foreign army. I
will never give her hand to such as them. If any among you who can win
victory then to him I give my daughters hand in marriage, half my kingdom
and the heirship to my throne.”
The king had barely finished speaking when the fisherman ordered his magic
club to destroy the enemy army. The land around shuddered with the
thumping and banging of the magic club and the enemies were killed or fled
in fear of death and the club returned to the fisherman. The fisherman was
still wearing the magic invisibility cap as he walked through the palace.
Everyone was joyful at having won and more importantly at not having been
killed. The king asked for the man who saved them to present himself so that
he can get his rewards. The people stood silent and looked around. Then the
fisherman took off his cap, and he could be seen by all.”I destroyed your
enemies. I was offered the hand of your daughter in marriage once before and
half your kingdom and the heirship to the throne.”
The king however was a master deceiver and said how happy he was that the
fisherman was still alive. How he had heard of the awful accident and how he
had slipped. “There was no slip.” replied the fisherman,”I was pushed by
your chamberlain. I escaped by good fortune and gods help and returned here
on my magic carpet.” The king acted angry at the chamberlain: not telling
that he was acting on his orders: and he had him imprisoned in a cell. But the
king still did not want a peasant as a son in law. “We will have the marriage
soon after getting my blessing for it.” Said the King” And as tradition you
will need a wedding gift. Some jewel to present to my daughter the princess.
Then I will give the marriage my blessing.” The fisherman admitted he had
no such jewel and no the money to buy one as the chamberlain had stolen his
magic ring: which he wished returned. The king agreed.”But before the return
of the ring why not use your flying carpet to fly to the valley of diamonds?”
he suggested. The fisherman agreed and they both sat upon it: the fisherman
said the magic words: and made the journey. The valley of diamonds had the
finest jewels anywhere and after a flight of but a few hours they were there.
The carpet landed and the king pointed to a large diamond which was at a
distance. It looked the most large and splendid in the place. The fisherman set
off to get it.
When the fisherman was gone the king said the magic words the fisherman
had said and left: but not before collecting some diamonds of his own. In a
few hours he was back at the palace. The king was extremely pleased as he
now had a magic ring, a magic carpet and a fabulous collection of diamonds.
They were all placed with his other ill gotten riches. But when the fisherman
came back with the diamond he could still see the carpet flying off. So while
the king was happy in his palace he was alone in the valley. The rocks were
so high as to seem impossible to climb, and the vegetation so little as to make
starving seem a certainty. But as night was drawing on, and he did not want
to be eaten by the snakes which lived there, he climbed up a tree put on his
invisibility cap and held tightly onto his club. The valleys diamonds were
useless now and instead he sought what little food grew there. Consuming
nothing but berries, mushrooms, water from the stream and whatever he
could eat that grew: he stayed alive. One night his cap fell off as the night
came and the snakes came out of their holes. He was awoken by hissing and
found himself surrounded by them. He uttered some magical words and the
club moved. The club bashed and pounded until all the snaked were gone and
he was safe. The out of nowhere the old man he had helped appeared, at the
very top of the valley. “Help me please”, said the fisherman. The old man
opened his arms and the fisherman floated upwards to the old man, and he
was free. The king has been punished for his wickedness: his enemies have
returned as he was bragging about his magic ring, flying carpet, and new
diamonds. “Now you are free be quick to save your king, the princess and
their kingdom.”
The old man then explained how the king’s enemies had consulted Yaga the
evil witch. She told them to seek the help of Kostey the mage. Kostey offered
his help in carrying off the princess: but upon seeing her great beauty became
determined to make her his wife. So wanting this he put all the kingdoms
inhabitants into a deep sleep, and locked up the princess in a room in his
palace because she did not want him. The old man explained that his
kingdom is sighted at the end of the world at the west, and pointed out that
there was now nothing to stop him taking back his magic ring and carpet,
which was hidden in the king’s treasury.
The fisherman walked for three days until he came to the royal city. Everyone
was asleep, and could not be woken by him, no matter how much noise he
made, or how he shook them. He made his way to the treasury finding and
taking back his magic ring and carpet. He rolled out the carpet and sat upon it
and again utters the magic words. The carpet rose up and he was off. He flew
off above roofs and then trees as the forest lay below. After some days had
passed, the carpet rested in Kostey’s castles courtyard. He stood up, put his
cap upon his head, carefully rolled up the carpet and placed it under his arm,
and with club in hand he entered Kostey’s own room. There in the room was
Kostey himself gazing at the beautiful princess. He spoke aloud to the
princess in anger. ”You have vowed to marry none but he who can solve six
riddles. I could attempt to guess them in vain. I therefore give you two
choices: either release yourself from your vow and become my wife, or do
not and release my anger and vengeance upon you. You have a few moments
to decide, no more.” These words made the fisherman angry and he
whispered the magic words and his magic club pounded itself on Kostey. But
Kostey was not ordinary man: he was immortal: he opened up his eyes and
got up. The club beat upon him and he looked for his attacker. He bellowed
smoke onto the princess, hissed like a snake, turned himself into smoke and
wisped out of the window.
The fisherman carried the princess out of the courtyard into the fresh air. He
put her carefully upon the grass. She was noticed by a Raven and her family.
She looked quite a feast to them: that by shear chance had moved into their
reach. The Raven told her children to take a bite of the princess: the
fisherman still had the hat upon his head and was invisible. He grabbed the
bird and took off his hat so that he was visible once more. The Ravens father
talked to the fisherman “Leave my birdling alone and I will give you
whatever you want.” “Bring me the life giving water.” said the fisherman.
The bird flew off and in almost an hour the bird carried a small clear bottle
and gave it to the fisherman. He sprinkled the water on the princess’s face
and she woke up feeling well. He told the princess his story of how he was
thrown into the river, and how he was lost in the valley of diamonds. He told
her everything that had happened. She listened realizing all that he had done
and told him of an apple tree behind the palace which bears golden fruit; on
one of the its branches is a stringed instrument, a guzla which plays beautiful
music without assistance from anyone. The tree is guarded by four strong
men. The guzla has magical powers: those who are ill become healthy upon
hearing it, the ugly become beautiful, it brings happiness to the miserable and
hexes and curses of any strength are lifted and destroyed.
The fisherman walked: wearing his invisibility cap: to the garden. He
searched for the four strong men. When near them he uttered the magic
words for his magic ring, and gold coins rained down from above. The four
strong men seeing the money and not wanting to pass up a reason to be rich
scrambled on the ground for the money. This allowed the fisherman to take
the guzla off the tree and ran off to the courtyard and with the princess, his
invisibility cap, the magic club and the princess holding the guzla: they flew
off. In a matter of a few days they had flown over the rustling forest, under
the clouds and to the great palace. The people there were still all asleep, they
did not wake through noise or anything. These people were in a powerful
enchanted, and there seemed no wakening them.
Some of these people were standing, while others sitting, the king was
holding a wine goblet filled to the brim, but all were rigid but yet asleep. The
villages of the kingdom were themselves quiet, as the villagers were in the
enchanted sleep too. All stuck rigid, but sound asleep, stopped when going
about their daily work. The huntsman holding his gun, the harvesters with
their sickles even the very birds stuck in mid flight suspended in mid air. No
sound of movement could be heard. The fisherman with the princess near
him, at his side spoke aloud,
“Oh guzla play the sweetest music,
Let it be heard by all this sound,
By everything that is around,
Let the melody be a wakening sound.
Let long sleepers waken all around.”
The guzla started to play and all that was asleep began to waken. The people
began to move, and make sounds again. The people began to talk and they all
started where they had left off. They were quite oblivious to what had
occurred. Even in the villages everything started where it had left off. The
harvester cut with his sickle and the hunter with his gun.
The king soon saw his own daughter on the arm of the fisherman. He was
angry this king, unhappy at this peasant with his daughter. But the princess
ran to her father and told him, all that the fisherman had achieved and done.
The king heart changed and he felt great shame for how he had acted. The
king’s tearful eyes drew the fisherman towards him and thanked him for
everyone to see, for saving his life yet again. The king came to believe that
God had punished him for his wicked behaviour, but appreciated how the
fisherman had so generous a heart, that he forgave him. The king announced
how the fisherman was to marry the princess that very day. The princess said
“I cannot bear to break my word. When in Kostey’s palace I made a vow that
the man I would marry would know the answer to six riddles. The fisherman
agreed to answer them for the princess’s sake. The first riddle was:”It walks
without legs and strikes without arms. Without life it moves continually” “A
clock”, answered the fisherman. The princess then uttered the second riddle,
“Without being either, bird, reptile, insect or any animal at all, it ensures the
safety of the whole house.” “A bolt”, answered the fisherman. “Now for the
third riddle: who is the pedestrian who walks fully armed, season’s dishes
and on each side of his two sides has two darts? Without a boat or boatman
he swims across the water.” “A lobster” answered the fisherman. The
princess clapped her hands with glee and begged him to answer the forth
riddle. “It runs and moves along two sides. It has one eye, and a coat of
polished steel, and a tail of thread.” “A needle” confidently answered the
fisherman and again he had answered the correct answer. “The fifth riddle
was then spoken by the princess aloud. “It walks but has no feet. It beckoned
but has no arms. It moves but has no body.” “It must be a shadow” and the
fisherman was again correct. He had succeeded in guessing correctly all five
of the riddles: but must answer the sixth riddle correctly to marry the
princess. “It has four feet, but it is not an animal. It is provided with feathers
and down, but it is no bird. It has a body and gives warmth but it is not alive.”
“It is a bed.” Spoke the fisherman. The princess gave her hand to the
fisherman. They both knelt at the king’s feet and got his blessing. The
messengers were already travelling to bring the fisherman’s mother to the
palace. The guzla played the most marvellous music at the wedding. The king
enjoyed himself and with his generosity, made sure the guests all did too.
Their happiness even today is a thing of envy and wonder. This is how a poor
fisherman through virtue married a beautiful princess, received half of a
kingdom and the right to succession to the throne after the death of the old
king.
This tale has four magical items in it: a flying carpet, an invisibility cap, a
magic ring, a smiting club and the guzla. But there are other things it hints at.
The most obvious is that the main character is a fisherman, as the twelve
apostles in the bible were fisherman. Also he always acts morally not matter
what other people do. There is an old man who keeps helping him. Is this old
man God or is he a magical creature? There is a mention of the old man
opening his arms and the fisherman floating up: this does not sound like a
magical creature; for some reason sounds more like it is supposed to be God.
But the old man does help him; it was after helping him that he got the magic
ring from the magic fish. The magic ring brings wealth to him: gold coins
rain down from above. So how do we make such a ring? Well really it would
be a talisman with a symbol to bring wealth. It would rain down from above
but instead would draw wealth to you: it would do this by bring opportunities
to you, increasing your good luck where money was concerned etc. In fact
magic rings have been mentioned already. It would just require the correct
symbol to do so. Sometimes the best ones are those that only mean something
to you. The ring could be commanding a magic creature, or it could be a good
luck symbol, such as a horse shoe: which is seen as lucky.
There also is a flying carpet in the tale. The route to flying carpets is
supposed to go back to King Solomon and may have been a machine similar
to a hovercraft. But I do think that in fact there is another more usual way in
which it derived. Many people meditate, and many people who do practice
astral projection. The most natural thing for a person who meditates with a
prayer mat would be to astral project on it: I apologize if this gives offence I
do not speak as a theologian and intend no offence to anyone. But also astral
projecting on a carpet may have some added element: with time it would help
you key into the correct frame of mind in order astral project where you
wanted. However the journeys would not take days, they would take much
less time: perhaps more like seconds or minutes. Taking elements from the
folk tale I can now tell you the flying carpet technique to astral projection.
First kneel on the carpet and say these words:
‘Carpet with me on take flight
Until my destination is in sight’
Please note that I have omitted the second line from the tale as we want the
journey to be quick. Now close your eyes and imagine you are kneeling on
the carpet: which you are. But imagine it take off and take you quickly to
wherever you want. You can imagine yourself to be anywhere. If you get off
the carpet take it with you. But better still stay on the carpet and move it
around. Simply think of yourself travelling back home on the carpet. When
you land open your eyes. However if you are ever stuck you can ask for an
old man to appear who will give you another magic carpet to take you back.
This magic carpet technique also provides a memory technique: the journey
method. If you remember a journey you have made you could leave things to
remember along the journey and as you flew the journey in your mind you
would remember the objects. Also in the tale is an invisibility cap. There is
mention of such a cap in a very old magic book called Abremlin the mage.
The cap would simply be a normal hat with a square crossword type thing
which would be a talisman to make you invisible. In reality however, do not
think invisible think less noticeable. A far easier method is to think of
something which fits in where you are. Think of something like grass or
pavement. This will make you less noticeable to others. But to me the most
interesting aspect of the tale is the smiting club. The smiting club is a magical
club that on command hits the persons enemies, and when finished
automatically comes back to the owner. The truly interesting thing about this
as a more usual magical weapon would be a sword or knife, as these are used
to direct power, to focus it. A club however would not be seen as directing
power: it is quite crude has no point to it and it hurts people by hitting them
with it. The idea of a magical baseball bat, which is effectively what the
smiting club is: is therefore quite a rare one. There is mention of an axe being
used for magical purposed. This is where a person places their arthritic joint
on some wood, and the person with the axe carefully cuts next to the joint
and so cuts away the arthritis: but not the joint or person. But even then an
axe has a blade. But I have invented: or reinvented: a method. It is the
utilisation of a spell using the club to add emotion and feeling but not for
direction. You say the following hex while pounding the club into the
imaginary person: your enemy and visualise them as you do so.
‘Oh great club of mine
Hit ENEMIES NAME many times
Until dead or hurt many times ’
Also in the tale is the guzla. The guzla is self playing stringed instrument.
This is much easier than the others all you need to duplicate this is a radio,
CD player etc. Just to show that the world we live in and are taught to think is
magic and wonder free, if seen from the perspective of those long ago would
be anything but. So there is a lot of magic in this tale. We now have many
techniques which we can use that we otherwise would not have. But
remember the smiting club technique should be used with care. Remember
some people believe that the bad you do when hexing magic comes back
thrice. Others believe that such bad would damage your soul. I will add that I
included it for completeness and care must be taken when it is practiced and
should only be attempted by an experienced practitioner. Although I hope it
still helps those others who choose not to use the technique a greater
understanding of the tale as a whole.
CHAPTER 8
This tale is about three oranges but tells us much about nature spirits and
fairies.
The love of the three oranges
There was a wealthy king and queen who had everything anyone could want,
such was the greatness of their wealth. But they had one thing which they
wished could be improved, it was their son. They thought he was a fool a half
wit, a moron and wished this could be changed. Being a queen she asked the
Lord what they could do. The lord thought about it, wrinkled up his nose and
replied “You should do something to make him laugh.” The queen replied
she had nothing but a jar of oil. Because although there was much jewels and
finery all control of it was done by the king. “Well” said the Lord, “Take the
oil and give it away to charity. There are many hunchbacked, bent straight
and odd looking creatures which your son may laugh at.”
So the queen made a proclamation that she had a jar of oil and that all could
come and take some down the jars last drop. Everyone from all around
headed for the palace. People walked, or came by horse and cart, carriage or
donkey. They all headed for the palace so they could get a little of the queens
oil. But her son didn’t laugh, not a titter or a smile. At last an old witch came
to the queen and begged for some oil. But the queen explained that the oil
was all gone. The witch asked to look at the jar. So the queen took the jar and
took off the lid. But the old woman climbed inside it and was all covered
with the left over dregs of what little smears of oil was left. The queens son
laughed and laughed, then laughed some more. The old woman saw this and
did not take it well. She looked at him and uttered a curse”May you never
know happiness until you find the love of the three oranges.” The son spoke
to his mother that he shall never settle until he has found the love of the three
oranges. The queen asked “But son how will you find the love of the three
oranges?” But the prince went anyway and got his horse and rode and rode
until he came to a great gate.
He knocked upon the gate loudly and a person from within came to meet him.
“Who is it that knocks on this gate?” “A soul created by God.” replied the
prince. The other person said “In all the years I have been here to one has
every knocked at this gate.” “Well open up I am a soul created by God” An
old man came down and opened the gate. The man had eyelids which reached
to his feet. “Oh my son, take those small forks and use them to lift my eyelids
up.” The prince did so as he wished to help the old man. The old man then
asked “Where are you going to in this direction?” “I am going to find the love
of the three oranges” The old man solemnly told him that many have gone
there and never returned. “Do you wish not to return as the others had done?”
So the old man handed the prince some twigs and told him that he would
meet three witched who would be sweeping out their oven and to give them
these twigs so that they will let you pass. The prince took the twigs put them
safely in a pocket and galloped away on his horse. He rode and rode for a
very long time. He eventually saw the witches: he could not miss them the
witched were of such a great size. The witches were walking towards him
towering above. He threw them the twigs and they let him pass.
He continued to ride on. He rode for a very long time and came to another
gate. This monstrous gate even larger than the first, and again an old man was
there. He also had long eyelids, but longer than the first and the prince took
the small forks and propped the man’s eyelids up. The old man handed him
some ropes. He explained that he would encounter witches drawing water
with their tresses, and that he should throw them these ropes so that they
would let him pass. He rode and rode and just as the old man had foreseen:
there were witches: very large and tall. The prince threw them the ropes and
they let him pass. So the prince continued on and came to a third gate. A gate
that was much huge and larger than the first or second. There was an old man
with eyelids even longer than the first or second. The prince once again as
instructed propped his eyelids up with small forks. The old man handed him a
bag of bread and one of tallow. He explained that he would meet some large
dogs and that he should throw them the bread and they will let him pass.
Then you will see a large gate with rusted padlocks and past this will be a
large tower and within is the love of the three oranges. When you are at the
gate, anoint the padlocks with the tallow and climb the tower: at the top
hanging on a nail are the three oranges. But there also lives an old woman
with a son who is an ogre who has eaten all the Christians who have come
there and he warned the prince to be very careful.
The prince took the bag of bread and tallow and quickly rode away. After a
long time riding he was at a long distance from three large dogs. So large
were these dogs that he feared that as their mouths were open that they may
want to eat him. But he threw the dogs the bread and they let him pass. As he
journeyed on he came to a large gate with rusted padlocks locking it. He
dismounted his horse ties it firmly to the gate and using the tallow anointed
the locks. After a while, they creaked but opened. He then entered and seeing
the tower began to climb it. Up and up he went until he was met by an old
woman. “Why have you come here?” the old woman exclaimed. ”My son is
an ogre and he will eat you.” She ushered the prince to hide under the bed:
which he did. But the ogre could smell him and began to cry out. “A
Christian, a Christian I smell a Christian” The old woman told her son there
was no one there. She threw her son a piece of meat. Her son tore at it like a
madman, more beast than man surely. While her son was busy eating she
gave the prince the three oranges and told him to flee or when he has finished
with the meat, he will then start on you. But after she had given him the
oranges and the prince was already on his way: she wished she had not.
Realising she had helped someone else in preference to her son she cried out
“Stairs throw him down. Locks crush him.” “We will not” they replied “He
gave us tallow” So she cried out again “Dogs devour him and tear his flesh.”
“We will not” they howled “He gave us bread” He was not through the gates
and he was about to come to the witch. The old woman hollered “Witch
strangle him” “I will not for he gave me rope” She hollered to the other
witch” Witch kill him” “I will not” she replied “He gave me twigs”
As the prince continued his journey he became thirstier and thirstier. He rode
on until he thought of the oranges. So he opened one of the oranges to eat.
But as he did, out came a beautiful girl. She spoke to him, “Please, love will
you give me a drink?” He replied,” I have none” “Then love I die”
Instantaneously she dies. He ate the orange and did not feel as thirsty. But the
journey was long and as he continued on he again felt thirsty. He went on
until he felt so thirsty that he again thought of the oranges. So he opened
another orange and out came another beautiful lady. “Oh love, please give
me water” she said. He replied “I have none” She then died. There was now
only one orange left. But the journey was long and again he became thirsty.
But this time he was at a well. So he dismounted from his horse and had a
drink. Then he opened up the orange and out came a lady so much more
beautiful than the others. She said “Please love give me a drink” So he gave
her water from the well. Then he took her out of the orange and put her and
himself on horseback and rode back home.
When he was nearly home he said to the beautiful lady. “I will leave you here
for a short time. Here is a tree which has golden leaves and silver fruit. Here
is a tree with golden fruit and silver leaves.” He made her a couch between
the two so that she may comfortable sit. He explained to her that he will go
and tell his mother, so that she may be brought to the palace in a beautiful
carriage. On his horse he rode off. But while he was away the old witch
approached the great beauty and she beseeched her to let her comb her hair:
she refused. The witch asked again, and the beautiful lady not wanting to
seem impolite let her. But the witch being very bad stuck a pin in her temples
and one in her forehead. The beautiful lady then transformed into a dove and
flew away. The queen was delighted to see her son once again. He explained
how what a beautiful woman he had found and where he had left her. The
queen had a grand banquet arranged and had many wonderful carriages to
bring the young woman to the palace. But upon reaching the trees with the
golden and silver leaves and fruit, they saw the haggard old witch sitting on
the couch. The poor prince his heart sank at how his beautiful lady had
become so haggard. The king and queen were aggrieved at seeing the
haggard woman. But they comforted their son that her beauty would return.
So the old witch was put into a carriage: which the white dove now sat on the
top of; they set off.
But the banquet commenced. The dinner was brought out. As they did so the
dove flew up on the kitchen balcony and sang “Let the cook go asleep, let the
roast burn, let the old witch of it not be able to eat.” The guests waited for
the dinner. The waited, they waited more. But the cook was asleep. When
they found him, they were unable to wake him. He could not even stand he
was so tired. But eventually he put the roast into the oven. The dove again
sang “Let the cook go asleep, let the roast burn, let the old witch of it not be
able to eat.” The guests waited again. The prince went to see what saw the
matter. The cook was again asleep and told him of the dove and repeated
what it had sang “Let the cook go asleep, let the roast burn, let the old witch
of it not be able to eat.” The prince went out on the balcony and saw the
dove. The dove flew near him and he caught it and pulled out the pins stuck
in it’s head: one through the temples and one into the forehead. On doing so
the dove was transformed back in the young woman only more beautiful than
before. He presented his true bride to his mother and father: the queen and the
king. On seeing the young woman the witch cried to take her away. The
young girl told everyone what had happened. The guests present gave their
opinion on what should happen to the evil witch. One said she should be
burnt. They all agreed she should be burnt. So they took the old witch into the
middle of the city, had wood brought and burnt her. Then they returned and
had a finer, better wedding than they had before.
This folktale is one I find particularly interesting although it has much
disinformation within it. For instance it has an evil witch: not that there aren’t
evil witches, after all there are evil cobblers, evil economists so why not evil
witches: but she looks ugly suggesting that evil witches look ugly. In fact
they may be ugly or beautiful or anything in between: not that all witches are
female either, as there are many male witches and not all of the call
themselves warlocks as this originally had negative connotations. However
this evil witch does cause quite some problems. It also mentions that the
prince was thought by the king and queen as being stupid. But as we have
learnt from other tales this may have been a suggestion that he was switched
at birth and was actually a fairy child and this was why he could get to the
place where the three oranges were. It may also have been a morality tale that
a good person who is not intelligent can achieve much as God will be on his
or her side.
But mainly the tale centres round the three oranges, and those beautiful
women that are within. What were these females? Well these females were
nature spirits: fairies. It has been believed by many that within plants reside
nature spirits. Even today there are people who do ceremonies based on
paying respect to trees, and the spirits within. But this nature spirit is clearly
quite different from many others. It has less power than one would expect
from a fairy: they don’t seem to be able to transform on their own, and they
need water to survive when fairies always seemed more robust. But the tale
also gives much more information than this. It also tells us of a ritual that
allows us to contact them. In the tale the orange is opened and if the fairy or
nature spirit within was given a drink it survived and became his wife. I will
add that although there have been historical stories of fairies and men mating
I will add that this is added to make the tale work. I say this because what
you are really doing is creating, or using a servitor. A servitor is a magical
servant. They can be created or you can utilise one that already exists.
Whether the suggested ritual is creating servitor or using a nature spirit that
already exists is open to speculation. But once given a drink: which would be
an offering: the spirit would survive but it is then that an instruction would
normally be given. An offering as a drink is also given to servitors created
through a mojo bag: the bag has some rum poured into it. The mojo created
servant would also need to have something living put into it, such as a leaf or
tree bark: as I have already talked about. In some ways therefore this ritual
with an orange is similar. To perform the ritual, do as follows. Open up one
orange and have a small bowl of water and dip part of each part of the orange
into it and say “Here is your drink nature spirit.” Then next you would ask for
what you wanted. I would suggest. “Oh nature spirit, protect me. But do
others no harm.” This last part stops it harming anyone loved ones if they
accidently would cause you pain or suffering.
However as this tale uses an orange as mentioned this technique will work
with other living plants and their fruit. This is because it works on the
principle that all living things are imbued with their own spirit. So just as
from this tale we can use the power of the spirits of oranges, but also apples,
bananas, cherries, even potatoes. Also we can ask for their help with anything
at all, and so we really get a lot of magic from this one tale. For instance if we
wanted good luck we would simply take the fruit etc, open it up place it
momentarily into a bowl of water and say “Please oh nature spirit I give you
this drink. I ask you to bring me good luck.” Afterwards the fruit would be
eaten, for this reason it is best to pick a fruit you really like. If you pick a
potato, you will need to make chips or a jacket potato afterwards. If you have
the feeling the spirit is around you, you can extend its lifespan by leaving a
drink of water in your house while you are asleep, saying it is for the nature
spirit. Or after a while you can repeat the process and simply make or
summon a new nature spirit.
The lad who went to the north wind

There was an old widow who was old and weak, but luckily had a son. He
used to go inside to her pantry: which was a building on its own: to get the
food for her to cook. He did so often. But one unfortunate day he did so and
the north wind blew and the meal went into the air and away. So he had to go
back to the pantry for more food, but again the north wind blew the food up
and away. Although he hated having to go back again, he had no choice. So
he went again and brought more food from the pantry, but still the cruel north
wind blew, and blew until the food was again whisked away. He was furious
at how cruel the north wind had been and how it had taken away the food. So
he thought he would go, he would go to talk to the north wind and ask him to
give him his meal.
So he set off. He walked and walked for a very long time but eventually came
to the north wind’s house. “Hello”, he said to the north wind. “You came to
see us yesterday.” He added. “Thank you for coming to see me. I don’t get
many visitors.” said the north wind. “Well yesterday I was fetching food
from the pantry, which is a separate building outside. And you blew it away.
So I went to get some more and you blew that away too. I was forced to get
more and you even blew that away. So I came to ask for my meal back. My
mother and I have little to live on and without it we may starve. So I must ask
that you return it.” “Alas I haven’t got your meal. But I can see your problem
and so I will give you a cloth which will solve your problem. Just take the
cloth and say cloth spread yourself out and serve up all manner of good
dishes. This will solve your problems” As the north wind had solved his
problems, he was content, more than this he was pleased as his mothers and
his problems were solved completely. It was such a long journey that he
could not get home by light, and so he went into an inn to stay the night. It
was comfortable and warm but before he fell asleep he tested the cloth. He
spoke aloud “Cloth spread yourself out and serve all manner of good dishes.”
The cloth did just as the north wind said it would, and before him was a
bountiful feast. Unfortunately the landlady saw and she thought it splendid
too. So when she was sure he was asleep she swapped his magic cloth for
another. One with no magic in it at all, that could not manage to serve up so
much as a dry crust of old bread. The lad awoke and took the cloth and
walked home to see his mother. He told her that he had journeyed to the north
winds house and of the magic cloth he had been given. He told her how it
worked and that it would give them a great feast to eat. But his mother ever
cautious told him that seeing is believing. The lad wanting to show him
mother, please her and feed her said “Cloth spread yourself out and serve up
all manner of good dishes”. But nothing happened at all. Not even the
smallest crumb appeared.
Feeling cheated he went off to see the north wind again, and off he stormed.
“Good evening”, said the lad. “Good evening” said the north wind. “I want
the meal you took as the cloth you gave me isn’t worth a penny.” “I have no
meal. But I have a ram brings gold coins to you when you say: “Ram, bring
me money.” He thought this a great thing to have and so he was satisfied and
went along his way home. But it was a long way home and so he stayed at the
inn again. The landlady seeing the ram wondered if that too was magical, and
so when he was asleep the landlady swapped his ram for another. The lad
awoke next morning and made his way home. So he told his mother about the
north wind and the magic ram. So he wanted to show her, so he spoke aloud
“Ram being me money.” Nothing happened. No gold coins, nothing
happened at all. Angry he set off for to see the north wind. “I want my diner.
This ram is worth nothing at all.” “I don’t have a meal” replied the north
wind. “All I do have is this old stick. Say stick, stick, lay on, and it keeps
hitting until you say stick, stick, now stop.” The lad took the stick and went
on his way. Well it was a long way home and again he stayed at the inn. Well
the landlady had stolen his cloth, she had stolen his ram. The lad lied on his
bed asleep. The landlord was going to grab his stick. The lad shouted” Stick,
stick lay on.” The stick began to beat the landlord again and again. Tables
and chairs were knocked over until the landlord promised to return his cloth
and ram, anything just so that the beating would finish.”The lad replied with
“Stick, stick, now stop” and it did. The landlord returned the cloth and ram as
he had promised. He made his way home. When there he the cloth laid out a
plentiful feast and the ram rained gold coins upon them both. He was
satisfied that the north wind had paid him for the loss of his meal.
In this tale a person goes to the north wind. This tale is quite fascinating and
actually quite straight forward. It would literally mean going to a windy place
to commune with the wind. So to work this highly unconventional magic we
simply proceed as below. When the wind is blowing we make our way to a
windy spot, a place where the wind seems to be blowing hardest. We take
this to represent the winds home. The ancients thought that the wind was an
element: the element air. In this tale also the wind is thought as being like a
person. In fact it is representing the wind as god like, and can grant people
wishes. It shows the straightforward way people would be able to
communicate with the wind. Simply go to a very winds spot and ask the wind
for something. Although it would in truth be more like a prayer or magic
spell harnessing the power of the wind and as such you would need to be in
the right state of mind to do so. Spell casting uses the persons will, belief or
emotion and this method could use all of these. A certain amount of belief
would be a natural thing if you were asking the wind for something. Also the
walk to the winds place could itself be seen as physical energy you were
putting into the spell. However if you do this be aware that if you are seen
talking to the wind you may find yourself hospitalized. This behaviour
although normal at one time would be thought of as quite strange now.
However people still do make use of the ancient elements wind, air earth, fire
water, and sometimes stone: in magic. This tale suggests a very easy way to
do this: we simple anthropomorphise the element and so the wind becomes
an invisible person you can talk to: and as stated you can have different
winds for different directions. So an easier way to use the knowledge from
this tale is simple to precede a spell with” Oh wind, grant me” and then
proceed with whatever you want, or simply start with “Oh wind” and then
cast your spell. This also suggests a way of building up power before a spell.
To do this simply say “Oh wind grant me your power. Make it mine”. This is
a way of building up power before doing magic if you think it necessary. But
you can commune not just with the wind but other natural forces as well. You
could row out to a river or take a ship to sea to commune with water. In the
same way you could then ask the water for something. The earth itself is
easiest to commune with, as it is below us all the time and so we can
commune with it anywhere although a forest would probably seem like the
best spot. In the same way you can say “Oh Earth grant me” and add on the
end whatever you want. Again this can be used to increase your power. To
get power from the Earth say “Oh Earth, lend me your strength. Make it
mine.” This is a way of getting strength from the Earth. Again simply talk to
the Earth as if it were a powerful person.
To talk to fire you can simply light a match to be near it, or better still a lit
candle. But fire has all kinds of connotations in our minds that the other
ancient elements do not. I therefore think it would be better to ask fire for
protection more than power: as most of all we don’t want to be burned,
although vigilance is our best weapon here coupled with smoke alarms. In
this way we have yet another way to add an extra zing to any spells we know.
Although do not overlook asking the ancient element for what you want. But
bear in mind however that in the tale the man asked for what he needed, he
needed food. He didn’t ask for a plasma screen TV, or a lottery win and it is
best to ask for opportunities for things like that rather than the things
themselves as this is easier to accomplish. The next tale is a traditional
Japanese folk tale. It is called:
The magic paintbrush
There was a young man who was poor, but very kind. He worked on a rich
man’s farm. He worked very hard but was happy and liked to draw. He liked
drawing and painting so much that he drew and painted everywhere he went,
and everywhere he went he left pictures. One night he fell asleep and had a
strange dream: that an old man had given him a magic paintbrush. A
paintbrush that could make whatever he painted real. It was a wondrous
dream. In the morning he woke up thinking of the dream which seemed so
real he checked his desk and there within was the magic paintbrush. He was
slightly sceptical about the dream but he took his paintbrush with him that
day. He was tending the cattle as he always did. But found some people
whose land didn’t have enough water. He took his brush and painted a river
to the field so that they would have water. The most unbelievable thing
happened the drawing became real. He drew many things to help people: he
painted cows to help people with their land. He helped many, many poor
people.
This went on for a few days until his rich employer heard about his magic
paintbrush and how it could bring the pictures it painted to life. The wealthy
man instantly realised how wealthier he could become by painting things
with the magic brush and keeping them. The rich man wanted the magic
brush. So one night when the young man had returned home from the work
he had done, the wealthy man sent some people to his home. They took him
to the dungeon and the rich man stole his magic brush. He invited many
people to his rich home. There was a great gathering with many great foods
and many courses. But at the end the rich man took out his brush and
explained how he was going to draw a picture and that it would magically
become real. So taking the brush he painted a pile of gold: nothing happened.
He painted again and again nothing. He felt extremely embarrassed and
hanging his head he left and his guests were left bewildered. So he went for
the young man whose brush it had been.
The young man was just happy to have been released from the dungeon and
so when the rich man said that if he painted a picture for him and it came to
life he would release him. The young man agreed to do as he had asked: after
all what else could he do. The rich man greedily asked for him to draw a
golden mountain: he drew a sea first, then a golden mountain far away, from
the sea. He asked for him to draw a ship so that he could get the gold from
the mountain. The rich man went into the picture; he went on the ship as did
his many greedy family and friends. As the ship sailed he drew a wave which
destroyed the ship and all the inhabitants. So the rich man and his friends and
family all perished. The young man kept on painting pictures to help the poor
and the magic paintbrush became quite famous.
It may seem strange the idea of painting or drawing to get something but in
fact this is an idea first produced by Austin Osman Spare. The sigil magic is
simply the creation of a picture from words. You would write the spell you
want to cast, remove any duplicated letters. You then make a picture out of
the letters. The letters may be positioned anyway you want, and also the final
design or picture can be stylized to make it more picture like. The whole
thing could be painted if you wish: although in sigil magic the sigil could be
carried as a talisman or destroyed to create the magic. Austin Osman Spake:
used belief to work his magic: whereas Aleister Crowley and many others use
human will. In actual fact both work and can be utilised to produce the effect.
If we think about the folk tale when the paint brush was stolen it did not
work. It only worked for the young man who had dreamt of it. This tells us
that magical tools are just tools ultimately the magic comes from us. Another
important point is that intent is important: magic works because we want it
to: meaning that will is always important in the working of magic. If we look
at the tale he painted what would help people. So can a picture be a type of
visual spellcasting? Yes it can. If you want something to occur: you will it. If
you do so in the knowledge that you are working magic: then yes. But if you
draw a pile of coins a pile of coins will not appear. But you would cast the
visual spell or sigil for the chance to make great wealth. This would allow the
magic to work. After all written language started as simple pictures. An
important point to remember is that you must create the picture from the start
with the intent clear: do not draw a picture and then decide upon the goal of
your magic. Also because what you produce is art, the effort you put into it
will strengthen the magic. Because it is art you can decide for yourself
whether to keep it or destroy it, or sell it: be careful with the last option if you
do make magic art to sell make the intent not meant just for you but for the
owner. But the art should in some way symbolically represent what you want:
be is protection from curses, opportunities for wealth etc. I think that art
magic is the most pleasing form or talisman there is: so long as, you are a
good artist. I therefore hope you have a good time trying to make these, and
are inspired by the tale itself.
Chapter 9
Oklahoma’s Deer Woman
This is a Native American folktale. There is a great celebration and a twenty
year old man is dancing with the group. He decided to take a break; he
removes his head covering as he is hot and sweating. After removing his head
covering and notices someone in a nearby field dancing also. But the person
is separate paying no attention to the others. He walks closer and looks
through a barbed wire fence. He finds two fence posts through which he can
watch unseen. He watched her dance she is beautiful, and is clothed in a
golden shawl, but also turquoise with yellow spots upon it. She also her hair
braided and a golden headband. She dances beautifully and he continues to
watch her. He finally decided he has to see her, and so he pushed himself,
between the gap in the fence posts. She moves her arms as though pulling
him to her. He wants to meet her. He runs with his moccasins and all can hear
the bells attached as he runs to her. He continues but she seems further away
than thought. But he runs on to get closer. Finally he catches up with her and
she is beautiful, she has the eyes of a mature faun, almost black eyes; thick
dark hair. For a moment he hears the drums in the background of the dance
he was in. But he looks and finds it far off, with just a small light in the
distance. He turns to see the beauty and finds she is not there. Then again he
sees her and she is running away from him. She is so beautiful he runs
towards her. She runs with so much grace and beauty it amazes him. After
much running he grows tired and stops to take his breath. But upon stooping
down he sees the hooves of a deer. He looks up to see the beautiful woman.
She offers to help him up. As he is pulled to her he tries to kiss her and
sadness enters her face and a tear runs down her cheek. Her face contorts as if
something else is inside her. He shouts while grabbing her:”Who are you?”
She fights she pushes him. He falls on his back and shouts out. He can barely
hear the sounds of his own tribe’s drums in the background. He hears a vague
announcement on the loudspeaker to get ready for the next dance. He looks
up in pain the woman stands there half deer, half woman. With what looks
like a smile she runs off into the trees. He dies alone.
There are slightly different versions of this tale. One thing you may have
noticed about this tale is that it seems quite modern. There are mentions of
barbed wire and a sound system. Actually this is because there are still many
sightings of the deer woman. So the tale has gotten updated so that people
realized it was real. That is one of the most important lessons of this tale:
that there still are sightings of the things in these folk tales. The deer woman
still gets seen in Oklahoma. Fairies still get seen many places. Leprechauns
get seen in abundance in Ireland. Dog headed men get seen everywhere. But
the story does not finish there: there is also the question of how she became
the deer woman. She became the deer woman because as she died from a
violent attack by some men from a nearby tribe: a female deer lied with her
so that she would not die alone. Therefore the Gods, god etc made her half
deer so that she could get her revenge and provide justice and security for
women living on the land. There are many other tales about creatures half
female and half animal. Most of these creatures have a negative side. What
magic can we learn from this however? Well the deer woman likes dancing.
This may seem like an unimportant detail but dancing has been used as a way
to add power to your spells. For instance in voodoo dancing and chanting are
very common in ceremonies to add power. Like many things here some may
seem strange to you, but I would say to try them all anyway. To use this is
easy you chant your spell and dance to music as you do so or to the rhythm of
the spell itself. It may in fact be easier to chant the spell rather than simply
say it like a poem. After all the deer woman was attracted to the dancing. But
did not take him while he was dancing; only getting his interest when he
stopped. As the deer woman will not be a physical creature as we are you
could try to summon her. However due to the folktale above I would not
recommend it as she would only be useful for a female wanting righteous
revenge upon a man. It would be best done through dancing and chanting of
her name “Deer woman”.
Why the sea is salty
There were two brothers. The oldest brother was very rich and successful, but
mean and arrogant, whereas the younger was poor but extremely kind. Times
were hard on the younger brother and him and his wife found that they had so
little money that they could not afford to eat: they had no money or food.
Also tomorrow was a day of feasting and celebration and it was unseemly to
not feat on that day. The poor man’s wife cried out to him “We have no food
and tomorrow is a feasting day, a celebration, and we have no money to buy
any?” The poor man had not answer he didn’t know what to do. Then his
wife had an idea: she suggested that he go to his brother. She explained that
she had seen him kill a cow yesterday and surely he would give them some
meat as it would be a holiday soon. The poor man didn’t like to ask his
brother for help. He hated to ask him for help in fact. But tomorrow was a
holiday and he couldn’t think of anything else to do, and so he went. He
trundled off to see his richer brother.
The richer brother sharply asked his brother what he wanted. The rich man
wife also added what did he want and added “Why have you came here. I am
preparing a feast for tomorrow. I am busy go away.” “Brother. Help me”,
said the poor man “I have no food and tomorrows a holiday: if you could
please lend to me a small amount of meat for tomorrow. So that my wife and
I may celebrate also” The rich man’s wife shrieked out at the poor man “I
knew your brother would come begging some day.” But the poor man
continued to talk to his brother as he must “Please, I must have some meat”.
So the rich man threw him a cow’s hoof and told him to take it to Hiysi. The
poor man wrapped it up in his cloak and went. The brother thought. His
richer brother had thrown him the hoof, but had told him to give it to Hiysi:
he realised it was not his. Being an honourable and honest man he must take
the meat to Hiysi. Hiysi was a goblin who lived in the forest.
The poor man changed direction to go to the forest to give the meat to Hiysi.
He walked and walked, through the trees until he came to a woodcutter. “Can
you tell me where Hiysi lives?” “Yes replied the woodcutter” he scratched his
cheek and continued. “Go straight ahead, neither turn left or right. Just go
straight ahead.” The woodcutter noticed the hoof he was carrying. “Hiysi
loves meat; he will offer you silver or gold. Refuse both and instead ask for
the millstone.” The poor man thanked the woodcutter and journeyed on. It
wasn’t long in fact he saw his hut and opened the door and went inside. There
was Hiysi the wood goblin himself.”I have brought you this gift” said the
poor man “This cow’s hoof.” He added as he held it out. Hiysi smiled and
explained he hadn’t been given or had meat in thirty years.
He wanted to reward the poor man. “Here have some silver” said the wood
goblin Hiysi. “No I don’t want silver” replied the poor man. “Have some gold
instead” “No I don’t want gold” “How about precious stones, diamonds,
rubies, sapphires?” “No I don’t want precious stones.” “Then what?” asked
Hiysi. “I want your millstone” said the poor man. Hiysi had already eaten the
man’s cow’s hoof and so he must give him something and so agreed to give
him the millstone. He explained that it was a magic millstone, and that it
would give you, whatever you wish for. Just say” Grind millstone grind, and
then say what you want, and then when it has given it, to stop it you say, stop
millstone stop” explained Hiysi. The poor man left carrying the millstone
home.
When he arrived his wife was weeping she had given him up for dead. She
cried that she thought she would never see him again. He explained to his
wife the adventure he had had and setting the millstone on the table he said,
”Grind millstone grind and give us a feast fit for a king.” A large banquet
spilled out of the millstone landing on the table perfectly laid out. He then
said “Stop millstone stop.” And it did. He and his wife ate and ate until they
could not manage to eat a single morsel more. When the feasting day came
they had a wonderful feast and new clothes and from then on they could have
whatever they wanted. The magic millstone gave them a new house, good
crops, a field full of cattle. Pretty soon they didn’t even need to use the
millstone. The richer brother found out about his brothers change of fortunes
and wanted to find out how it could have happened. So he went and asked his
brother. His brother being very trusting told him of the magic millstone and
when his brother asked to see it work, he simply showed it to him. He made it
magically give them good things to eat, and they both saw wonderful treats
come pouring out. He had showed him how to start it. The used to be richer
brother asked him to sell him the millstone. The used to be poorer brother
explained that it simply wasn’t for sale. But he agreed to lend him the
millstone for a day, after he reminded him he gave him the cows hoof for
Hiysi. The used to be richer brother grabbed the millstone and ran off without
asking how to turn it off. He put it in his boat as he rowed home. He rowed it
out to sea to the fisherman: who were fishing there. They had caught a large
catch and the used to be richer brother thought how they would pay well for
fine salt. He said “Grind millstone grind, give me salt as much as you can”
The millstone grinded and out came the finest white salt imaginable. But
when he wanted to millstone to stop it didn’t, and out came pouring more and
more salt. The boat became fuller and fuller with salt, and it became heavier
and heavier. He tried to throw the magic millstone overboard but couldn’t lift
it and as the boat became heavier and heavier still: it began to sink. He cried
out: but no one could hear. The millstone kept churning out salt until the
millstone, the boat and the man were at the bottom of the sea. His own greed
had killed him. But the millstone continues and even today keeps making
more and more salt, and that is why the sea is salty.
You may wonder what magic could possibly be learnt from this tale. The
magical article is a millstone and millstones turn. But you may have heard of
the Tibetan player wheel. This is basically a drum that rotates and they
believe every rotation is like saying that prayer once. The prayer they use:
called mantras are written on the prayer wheel. But one man’s prayer is
another man’s magic spell. So what you would have done is to get a
millstone. On the stone you would carve or temporarily fix on the spell for
what you want. You would then turn the wheel and this would be a way of
adding more power or casting to your spells. Every rotation would be the
same as the spell said once. It would be very easy to rotate it ten times than to
say it ten times and a hundred even more so. To use this technique you could
simply buy a Tibetan prayer wheel: but would work better if you were a
Buddhist, or better still take such a wheel and fasten your own spells over the
top: these Tibetan wheels can be bought very cheaply online. The tale is also
about how greed can destroy people if they let it; so is also a morality tale.
But from this tale we learn a really powerful technique that allows us to
turbo-charge our spell castings greatly.
The magic arrow
A young man lived in a tribe with his mother and father. He wanted to leave
that place and make his way in the world. His mother and father were sad
that he wanted to leave them but they reluctantly agreed as they realised their
protestation would make no difference. So they decided to do something
more useful and to give their son presents to help him along the way. The
mother prepared food for him, but also gave him a pair of moccasins for him
to wear. His father gave him four magic arrows and said “Shoot one of these
arrows when you are in need”. The young man then set off without quite
knowing where he was going to go.
He headed through the forest. He could hear every rustle and sound within it.
But as he went through the forest he was not able to hunt successfully. As he
journeyed, he grew hungrier and hungrier. Until eventually so hungry that he
shot one of his magic arrows. Then nothing, no magic nothing appeared: in
fact nothing had happened out of the ordinary at all. So he walked on. He
walked through the forest getting hungrier and hungrier. But he hadn’t
walked far, when he saw that his magic arrow had pierced the heart of a bear.
He was very happy and ate the tongue and left the rest as an offering to the
great spirit. He took the arrow out of the bear’s heart and walked on. He
journeyed on and rested many times and hunted and a few days had passed
until he found himself again in need of food. So once again he shot one of his
magic arrows. Again it seemed nothing had happened, but then after a very
short walk he saw an elk. The elk was dead: its heart had been pierced by the
magic arrow. He was thankful and again he ate only the tongue and left the
rest as an offering to the great spirit. As he journeyed this happened twice
more with moose and then with buffalo.
He journeyed on and came to a small village. On the outskirts of the village
was a small poor tent in which an old man and woman lived. So the young
man found a hollow tree at the edge of the forest, and took off his clothes and
tapped the top of his head with his staff. He was transformed into a ragged
young boy. He walked to the tent. The old woman very much wanted to keep
the boy for her own son. She even fed him her last food. The old man was
disgusted at this but there seemed to be little he could do. Disguised as a
young boy he moved in and ate with them. Then one day he requested some
arrows. The old man grumbled, and grumbled but he made two or three
arrows for the boy. The boy went hunting and soon came back telling of the
great bear he had shot: he had used a magic arrow. The old woman was
pleased and praised the boy; even the old man praised him.
When they all sat near the campfire while the boy was cooking the bear’s
tongue which he had saved for himself a beautiful native American Indian
woman came near the fire asking to borrow the mortar of the old woman.
She was a stunning beauty, the most beautiful the young boy had seen. The
young boy killed many things for the old couple. He killed elk, moose and
buffalo for the old couple which made them very happy. But all was not well
for everyone and eventually a great red eagle flew overhead at dawn. It was a
bad omen and the hunters were unsuccessful and the villagers worried that
someone may die. The boy heard this and went out for the red eagle. He fired
a magic arrow and as soon as the arrow touched the bird it was dead and fell
to the ground. He again retrieved his arrow and returned to his tent. The
villagers were very happy and they celebrated and wanted to honour the
young boy and so the chief offered the hand of his beautiful daughter who
had borrowed the mortar. The boy returned to the hollow tree and got his
clothes. He returned to the villages as a young man who was ready to marry
his bride.
This tale is a traditional native American folktale. The magic in this tale is
quite visible and is very much the most important part of the tale. There are
the magic arrows which kill animals when he needs them to. There is the
transformation: where he transforms into a young boy and then back again.
You may think that transformations like this would be unusual but many
people believe in the ability to change what they look like: either physically
or by changing how others see you. However these are easier said than done.
Such transformations are sometimes called glamour spells. It was said that if
a woman had worn some jewellery only when she wanted to look younger
and better then eventually the jewellery would take on the ability when worn
to make a person look younger: hence the term glamour spell. Another
method is to hold an image in your head of you being younger than you are:
and using this to influence others.
The magic arrows from the tale are somewhat easier to achieve. The arrows
can effectively be used as a way to focus your magic: much as people use a
magic wand. You would simply cast a spell or ask for what you want while
holding the arrow: for safety sake if you were going to shoot it I would
recommend imagining an arrow and bow. For instance if you wanted more
money simply: Hold an imaginary bow and arrow in your hands and
say”Money money come to me, great abundance mine you be.” Then shoot
the imaginary arrow. The arrow will also with practice help you get into the
correct frame of mind to cast the spell. Also another way to use this would be
to take an ordinary arrow and to make it magical to help you when you when
you hunt with it by adding a magical symbol to it. One way to do this would
be to take the words “Hunt well” and turn the letters into a picture and then
put this on the arrow. You could also chant, “Huwe”: remember however that
without the intent to make a magic arrow and the will to do so it will not be
magical. Also do not expect too much, the most you can expect is an arrow
which is slightly more accurate: assuming you can shoot an arrow anyway.
Although personally I would use an invisible bow and arrow to aid
spellcasting to help with any hunting or anything else you may want to do.
This next tale is from China and is called
The magic boat
There was a small boy in China and his name was Chang. He lives with his
mother and their cat: which was completely white. Chang was a good boy
and would help his mother as much as he could: being only a small boy.
Every day he would go into the forest and cut firewood for his mother. He
did this everyday no matter how he felt; whether tired or not. The routine was
the same until one day he saw an old man fall from the single log bridge and
into the river. Without thought of the risk, and thinking only of the old man,
he managed to save the old man from drowning. The old man was impressed
by Chang’s courage and thankful that he had saved him and so he gave
Chang a present. He gave Chang a small dragon boat. The old man explained
that it was a magical boat. The old man said “Grow bigger may you brave
wind and rain” and the boat got larger and turned into a full size boat. The
old man then said “Grow smaller and become just a toy again” and the boat
shrank until the size of a toy boat. The old man also explained that if he ever
needed help he had just to call to the east “Grandfather, grandfather, help
me”. Then the old man disappeared and was nowhere to be seen.
Things went on as normal but soon the rains came. It rained non-stop for ten
days and ten nights without any pause whatsoever. So the water rose and
rose. It rose so high that Chang brought out his boat and spoke the magic
words “Grow bigger may you brave wind and rain” and the boat grew to a
full size boat and he and his mother and cat got in it. They sailed the sea
which was still rising and rising. As they sailed they happened to look and
see an ant which was drowning and so they decided to save it, and they did
and put it in the boat: safe and sound with them. They sailed on and again
they saw a bee which was drowning and they saved the bee too and put it on
board the ship so that it was safe and sound. They sailed on and this time saw
a crane which was drowning and they saved this too, also making it safe
aboard. They at last found a man who was drowning and saved him too and
he explained that his name was Ying: which meant tricky. But once aboard
Ying refused to help and would lie on the deck and try to give orders to the
others. Finally the waters receded and returned to their normal levels. So
when they had departed the boat Chang said the magic words “Grow smaller
and become just a toy again” and the boat shrank to the size of just a toy.
Ying saw this and wanted the magic boat.
Chang set about rebuilding his house that had been destroyed by the flood.
His mother and even the cat helped him. But Ying did not. All Ying did was
give orders. But one day he suggested to Chang that it would be easier to
give the boat to himself: Ying: and that he would take it to the emperor who
would buy the boat and easily give enough money to rebuild the house.
Chang believed Ying and gave him the magic boat. But time passed and Ying
had not returned. In fact so much time passed that Chang set off to look for
Ying. He journeyed searching for several days without finding him. But then
he heard of a great noise and went to see what it could be: it was a great
procession and it announced the prime minister was coming. The prime
minister was Ying. Ying was afraid that Chang would tell everyone what he
had done and so he had Chang arrested.
His mother worried when Chang was gone so long. They waited and waited
until the animals decided to search for Chang. They searched and it wasn’t
long before they found Chang. He was tired and bruised from the beatings he
had had, and was very dirty. The animals returned Chang home and he
eventually returned to health. His mother and he realising how unfair he had
been treated they decided to go to the emperor to tell him their story. But
finding a way into the emperor’s palace wasn’t easy. They heard that the
emperor’s daughter was terribly ill and that anyone who could cure her
would be given a wish. So Chang disguised himself as a doctor and so went
to the palace. Chang soon found himself brought before the emperor seated
right next to Ying: who recognised him and wanted him arrested again. But
the emperor was happy and gave Chang one wish. Chang’s wish was for the
return of his magic boat. But the emperor must have liked the magic boat as
he refused to return it. But they decided that Chang could be easily tricked
and so they set him a task. The said that is he could pick out the princess
from her seven maids then he could have the boat. The thought that it would
be too difficult a task for Chang: but the bee he had saved was a queen bee
and it buzzed next to the head of the princess. Chang realising that the bee
was helping him chose the princess easily. But when he had won, the
emperor again refused to give him the boat and asked him to prove that the
boat was his. Chang realising that he needed help called to the east
“Grandfather, grandfather, help me”. A golden phoenix flew out of the sky;
on top of it was the old man. He landed and told the emperor that he had
given the boat to Chang. The emperor and Ying refused. The animals chanted
“Turn Ying into an old grey wolf and the emperor into a big wild pig” saying
it over and over again. The old man did just that. The emperor was now just a
wild pig, and the Prime Minister Ying was just an old grey wolf. Chang took
back his boat and used it to help others when needed and to make others
happy when not.
This folk tale is Chinese in origin. The main magic in the tale is a magic boat.
You may wonder where the idea of a toy boat becoming real comes from. In
fact this derives from Chinese burial practices of the past. In the past in
China it was common for people of social standing to be buried with small
clay versions of things, so that they would have these things in the afterlife.
These things would be of houses, cattle even servants and soldiers etc...
However the common people weren’t allowed to be buried with these things:
even in the afterlife they were doomed to be peasants. These objects look just
like toys as they are about toy size. In the tale we have a toy sized object
becoming real: which would normally only happen in the afterlife if buried
with you when you died.
This tale points to an extension of burial practices: that small objects can be
taken with you into the astral realm. That you can astral- project not just the
usual light body, but something to travel in, that is in real life toy size and
possibly much more elaborate. That you could for instance create a small
palace and meditate with yourself within it; putting it wherever you like. This
also brings up another point. If you can astral project into the afterlife then
you should be able to leave your ancestors presents: create and leave a palace
for your deceased mother or father etc… I will also mention that if you use a
palace then you can also use the imagined building as a memory aid helping
you memorize things and to perform normally physical magical practices. So
instead of actually physically performing a ceremony or making a talisman
you could perform one in your astral palace: also visiting it, if you wanted to
dispose of it. To perform these things proceed as below.
Close your eyes and think of some object you wish to have on your astral
travels. Think of the object as the size you want and in precise detail. If it is a
building or a craft imagine yourself within it: but position yourself so that
you can see outside and imagine it as being where you want it to be which
could be a different level of existence e.g. the fairy realm, the afterlife even
existing places: although then the area where your object is will be unseen to
you. When you want to imagine yourself back where you are with the object,
if you want to leave the object which would be appropriate if it was in the
afterlife and wanted to leave it as a present for someone then imagine
yourself back without it. In this way you can have whatever you want when
you astral project.
Chapter 10
This next folktale is from Ireland and shows us a form of magic that is
practically unknown: even to many experienced magical practitioners. It is
called
Fuin Mac Cumhal and the salmon of knowledge
A long time ago Ireland was ruled by Cormac, son or Art, who was famous
for his hospitality. His doors were always open and he had many servants
who were lived within his halls. But his expenses were much greater than his
ready cash or his bad credit and he was unable to think of a way of supplying
great food and drink for those who honoured him with their company. The
obvious solution that would occur to any king was to increase his wealth
through war with one of his neighbours: obviously only if he won. But
Cormac thought of the great land of Fiachadh Muilliathan King of Munster
that was his neighbour. It had great pastured land, the king had great credit
and the soil was incredibly fertile and was often called “The golden vein”. He
knew that if he possessed this land he would be able to fill his table with
sirloin or basin of beef whenever he wanted. However Finchadh of Munster
was a wise King who valued his fields greatly. The men of his kingdom were
as fond of fighting as they had ever been and had great skill.
Cormac however could see the difficulty of the situation that he was in and
so he consulted a Druid. The Druid was Scottish, a Caledonian and would
give advice to any that paid him. But the druids had great knowledge and
power; they could change the nature of things and had much magic and knew
hidden knowledge and prophecies. So he was able to tell the king that in a
river which ran underground in a land called Mayo: which wasn’t far from
the great mountain of Croagh Patrick: there was a salmon. But no ordinary
salmon: but one which eaten would give wisdom such great prowess and
good fortune to the eater and all his wars would be successful and he would
gain great fame and riches. Cormac wanted the salmon and set out on a
journey to find the fish: following the directions of the druid. He came
through the banks of a river which led through a fertile valley, came to the
river which rose into the mountain chain. He followed the river through the
fertile valley where the stream fell into a cavern: where it seemed lost. But
close to the opening of the cavern there was a deep dark pool which raced in
waves; the pool was full of fish and one of them was the salmon of
knowledge as this was where it spent its days.
So on the banks next to the pool Cormac and the druid sat. Days passed as
they caught fish after fish and cooked it on the fire they lit. Fish after fish
they ate until Cormac became sick of fish and dreamed of the red meat he
used to eat: which he had in his great house. But as he ate fish after fish he
became no wiser than he had been, and his appetite for fish declined and that
for meat rose. However there were so many fish in the pool that they made
selections as to what the salmon of knowledge would look. They threw back
those ill formed or not fat enough, choosing only the best looking fish to
cook and eat. But at times the best brains can lie within an ugly head and
being unfavoured in looks does not mean ill favoured all round. So it had
been with the fish: as lying on the ground was a small fish, poor lank, and a
malformed snout and was taken by a poacher with his spear in the night of
December lit only by the wisp of potato stalks. But who would choose to
dine upon such a salmon? The fish had been thrown on the bank and left to
flop around as it tried in vain to get back into the stream. But a lazy young
boy who looked on caught the fish by its gills and say he “Though not plump
and fit for a king, you will do for me.” So he chooses a small snug place he
sets a fire; cooks his fish.
Now it is time to tell who the boy is: this boy who Ireland has never
produced a match for. He was none other than the famous Fuin, the son of
Cumhal and grandson of Trein the big. He was sent to Irelands from Almuin
to save his life from the enchantment of the tribe of Morni who wished him
dead. He may have spent his life along the shores of the wild hills,
unknowing and unknown were it not for that wish was about to take place.
Thankful he should be that his choice of fish was less choosy than Cormac.
Fuin had lit his fire and had set his salmon on the coals, when the salmon
formed a great blister on it and worried that the tasty juices may be wasted if
the blister rose. So young Fuin placed his left thumb on the blister and
pressed it causing the blister to burst, and his thumb burned. So he put the
thumb within his mouth to cool it. Young Fuin, who was as without
knowledge as without care, from the moment he placed the thumb in his
mouth, was as wise, as a hundred year old man. All his successes and failures
of his enemies flashed before him, so great a man was he that in time Ireland
and Scotland would both say they were the land of his birth. That is how Fuin
Mac Cumhal and not King Cormac found the salmon of knowledge and went
on to achieve such renowned great deeds that I have not the time to recount
them here.
This Irish folktale is really just the start of many with Fuin as the star. It tells
us how he started out. Magically you may imagine that the main thing is the
salmon of knowledge. But the hidden knowledge is the thumb. I know what
you are thinking, the thumb? What magic message could there possibly be
about the thumb. You may even look at it and still cannot see the magic. But
what I am talking about it gestural magic. This is doing magic without words,
spells, or talismans: the working of magic by gesture alone. In Japan there
already exists a method called Kuji hand positions. These are nine hand
positions that are means to do certain things. You learn to use these by
chanting Japanese words and meditation. There are also some people who
use hand positions based on runes: Viking alphabet: to work magic. But
really think of these hand positions as being a magical extension of classical
conditioning. Classical conditioning was discovered by Pavlov. Pavlov did
an experiment where he rang a bell whenever he was going to feel his dog,
and in time the dog salivated to the ring of a bell: this is classical
conditioning. So basically what happens to get the classical conditioning is
that you pear two things: in this case the hand position and what we want to
achieve through the hand position. In the folktale the use is the thumb placed
in the mouth. As this would be seen as infantile in modern society and also
can affect the teeth I recommend a variation of the classic thumbs up: with
the fingers in a fist and the thumb sticking out. However I suggest that for the
exercise that you place the hand at a sideways angle as you will not use this
normally.
Now comes how do we attach the hand position to a purpose. Well in the folk
tale the thumb brings him knowledge so a good was would be to use the
position for inspiration. While not directly magical this would be very useful.
To do this is easy: when you need to think of an idea place you hand into a
fist with thumb sticking out but the fist sideways. You will find that the
constant thinking of an idea with the hand in this position will mean that you
will immediately start thinking of an idea when the hand is in this position.
However a warning, I would not say to do this every time you need an idea,
or you will find yourself in a state where you need the hand position when
needing to think of an idea and this would be bad. A much better way of
utilising this: and substantially more magical: would be to chant or say
something with your thumb in the aforementioned position. By the way feel
free to use either hand, and it would be best to practice with different hands
in position at different times. I would recommend you say the druid’s prayer:
this is a non denominational prayer.
First put your hands into position: like a thumbs up but with the hand
sideways and thumb facing inwards. Then say
“Grant O Universal spirit (Or god and or goddess or light), Thy protection,
And in protection, strength,
And in strength, understanding,
And in understanding knowledge,
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice,
And in that knowledge, the love of it,
And in that love, the love of all existences,
And in the love of all existences, the love of the Universal spirit (God and or
Goddess or light) and all goodness.”
For those that feel uncomfortable with saying the above then I would say that
I think of it as a nondenominational prayer, or simply a way to help raise
power for magic. You don’t have to be a druid to say it: I’m not a druid. But
if it bothers you then simply say something else, a spell to raise power
perhaps something from another part of this book.
Of course there are many other things a person can do from gestural magic,
you can do gestures for health and in fact anything you can cast spell for. But
I would personally say that the gestures are best linked to things that you will
do a lot and that will be useful to you immediately and that affect only you.
A good luck spell for instance may take time to take effect and so linking a
gesture to that would not be as useful as you would suppose. But perhaps
greater energy and vigour would be more useful to most people. To do this
simply make you’re a chosen finger: I would recommend using your little
finger as this is different to the gesture sometimes used in meditation) and
your thumb into a circle while keeping the other fingers as straight as you
comfortably can. While you do this say
“Good for me,
Healthy too,
All of this I now make true.”
You will need to continue using these for the gestural magic to start to work
using gestures alone, although you should still use the spells when you can.
But remember using the hand positions on their own is an important part of
this magic and should be done from the start so that you do not feel you need
to automatically say the spells when taking the hand positions: it is the magic
that he want automatically not you saying the spell. So I hope now you can
see the true importance of the folktale and how it shows us the power and
existence of gestural magic.
The basilisk and cockatrice hunts
It was believed that elderly cocks (male hens) could lay eggs, and that if an
elderly cock laid a egg in a dung heap or a toad or a snake to look after and
something hatched out, then what came out would be a cockatrice. A snake’s
egg which was hatched by a cockerel would hatch out a basilisk. However
the legend of the cockatrice gradually formed from the basilisk. The basilisk
and cockatrice look different, the basilisk being a large snake, and the
cockatrice being part cockerel and part snake. But they are many variations
and cross over between the two and they were much variation in looks and
abilities. It was believed that both were poisonous and if a person stuck a
spear into one, the creatures poison would move up through the spear and
into the person holding it, and even into the horse he was sitting on: if he was
sitting on a horse. It was said that a basilisk or cockatrice could kill simply be
breathing on a person or animal. It was believed that a cockatrice could turn a
man to stone simply by looking at him. As they both had the same origin I
will throughout simply refer to them both as a basilisk.
However in the 15th century it was said there were so many Basilisks that
eventually it got so bad that no one would leave their front door. Something
had to be done. But these creatures had one fateful vulnerability: they died if
they saw their own reflection. So a brave man came forward who would sort
out this basilisk infestation. So he got himself a suit entirely covered in small
mirrors and he walked bravely around the lengths and breadths of England
until not one basilisk remained.
However they were then seen in Warsaw 1587. There were two small girls
playing in a derelict house. They found however within it: were steps leading
into the cellar. They went down and were met with such a great poison that
they both died on the spot. When they were noticed they were missing a
nurse went looking and the nurse too met the same fate. This was
investigated by a wise old doctor who realised that the cellar must have
within it a basilisk. So a man must be found who could go down into the
cellar wearing a mirrored suit. No volunteers came forward, so they sent for a
condemned criminal and said he would be given a full pardon, not killed and
released from prison if he went down. The condemned man agreed and went
down into the cellar wearing a mirrored suit, a lighted torch and a rake. A
crowd of two thousand gathered to watch the spectacle. It took much time for
the man to reappear. When he came out he was holding what looked like a
small snake. The doctor declared it a basilisk and the problem was solved.
There was also a basilisk that was said to have hatched in Wherwell Priory.
Nothing remains today of the priory: founded in 986AD by Queen Elfrida:
only the manor which is on the same spot. But a ducks egg was incubated by
a toad in the cellar or Wherwell Priory so the legend goes. So a brave servant
called Green was lowered into the basilisk’s cellar with a steel mirror. But
unlike most the Wherwell basilisk (In the original tale called a cockatrice),
wasn’t killed immediately by its own reflection. Instead it thought its own
reflection was a rival basilisk and became tired after attacking the image and
Green leapt down bravely and killed it with a spear. Luckily the basilisk was
tired and so the poison didn’t go up the spear and he lived to tell the tale. But
up until the 1930’s the oldest Wherwell residents wouldn’t eat duck eggs: so
scared where they of the appearance of another basilisk.
These tales are quite different as so many people believed it that there were
hunts for these basilisks, or cockatrices. Is it forgotten history of a dead rare
creature or not? You may wonder where the magic in this tale is. Well the
magic is the mirrors on the hunter’s suits. Mirrors were once seen as magical
things by all. People believed that there were mirror realms and worlds just
on the other side of the mirror and the idea of mirrors being portals to other
places was widespread. Of course there is always scrying mirrors which are
black shiny surfaces which aid us in divination: they are basically used like a
flat crystal ball. But I am talking about normal mirrors. If we view the
basilisk and cockatrice as being magical beings, people believed that the
mirror would bounce the magic back. This is used by people today and some
people have many mirrors in their houses so that a hex or curse placed upon
them will bounce back to the person when it hits one of their mirrors. So the
tales above show how the mirror can be used for protection against curses:
however whether you wish to fill your house with them is up to you. I just
tell you about it that is a matter entirely for you to decide. As for seeing the
mirror world, that would be quite easy. All you need to do is to sit, or lie
somewhere with your eyes closed. As you do so imagine your body is filling
with light and as you do so form a light body. Move this around separate
from you. Then when you feel ready send the body through the mirror onto
the other side: you may have to make it smaller for this. Then you can look
around. However when you go back go back through the mirror or if this
breaks then through another mirror or imagine a mirror and go back through
that one: in preference to simply opening your eyes; if you have done this
you have now seen the mirror universe. All this is done with a normal mirror.
The cobbler astrologer
There once was a man called Ahmed who was a cobbler; known by all as an
honest and industrious man. He lived in Isfahan which was a great city, and
all he wanted a quiet life; he may even have done so if not married to such a
beautiful wife. His wife was beautiful and although she accepted him as her
husband was unhappy with his humble profession and status. Her name was
Sittara and always had some scheme to gain great riches. Ahmed however
had no such dreams and although he never encouraged them, he also didn’t
mind them as her dreams gave her great pleasure. She continued to convince
herself that she was destined for great wealth.
On evening she came across a lady dressed in a great robe and jewels and she
possessed many slaves. This was as Sittara wished to be, just as she saw her
now. So she enquired what the name was of the rich woman, and found out
that she married to the chief astrologer to the king. So she hurried home to
see her husband. She returned home and her husband was already there to
great her. But she would not smile at him, or talk, or let him touch her at all
for several long hours. Then she said “Do not caress me until you give me
some proof that you care for me.” “I do love you my dear. What can you
desire that I will not give?” So she added “I want you to stop being a cobbler
it is a poor profession. I wish that you will become an astrologer and you will
make a fortune and we shall both be happy.” “But I cannot be an astrologer. I
am only a cobbler with no learning how can I turn to a profession which
requires so much learning and skill?” But she added “If tomorrow you are
not an astrologer I will divorce you”
Sittara dreamt of the riches that the astrologer’s wife had and that she may
have too. While Ahmed worried about how he could become an astrologer.
But he did not want to lose his wife and so he sold what stock he had, bought
an astrolabe, an almanac and a table of the twelve signs of the zodiac. With
these tools he went into market place as an astrologer. So he cried “I am an
astrologer, I know the signs of the zodiac and can foretell the future.” But in
the market place no man was better known the Ahmed the cobbler and so a
crowd soon gathered. “Why Ahmed have you become tired of your last.”
Cried out one “So now instead of looking down at shoes he looks up at
planets.” added another. Ahmed was the butt of many jokes that day.
But by pure chance the king’s jeweller was passing and in a most terrible
situation. He had lost the richest ruby that belonged in the crown. He
searched and searched, but to no avail. As he wandered someone called out
to him “Have you not seen Ahmed the cobbler who this day has decided to
turn his hand at astrology. Well just as a drowning man would catch a broken
reed the jeweller had only heard the word astrologer and went up and told
Ahmed what had happened. He explained that if he found the kings jewel he
would get two hundred pieces of gold. But if in six hours he hadn’t
succeeded, then he would utilise his influence to have Ahmed killed as an
imposter. Ahmed was in shock as he thought of his great misfortune and how
his wife with her envy had brought this great misfortune upon him. So much
so that he cried out, “Oh woman so you are the destroyer of happiness and
life, more poisonous than the desert dragon.”
What he said was heard by a female slave owned by the jeweller’s wife, who
told her mistress that the astrologer had compared a woman to a poisonous
dragon. The jeweller’s wife having stolen the jewel herself, she was worried
and that she would be discovered before six hours are out and knowing that
she would be lucky to not be executed decided she must see the astrologer.
So she threw on her veil and went immediately to visit the astrologer. When
she saw him she flung herself at his feet. “Oh spare me the shame and my life
and I will confess all.” “What can you have to confess?” “Only, that which
you are already aware. You already know that I stole the jewel from the
king’s crown. I stole it to punish my husband for the cruel treatment I get
from him every day. I thought I would obtain riches for myself and have him
put to death. But you have discovered my wicked plan. That is why I am here
to beg for mercy.”
Ahmed was relieved but didn’t let the woman see this and with great dignity
he said how good it was that he had came to him before it was too late. He
told her to put the ruby under the pillow on which her husband slept: on the
side nearest the door. He added that she need not worry; her guilt shall never
even be suspected.
The jeweller’s wife did as Ahmed had told her to. In one hour Ahmed
followed her and took the jeweller that his calculations from the position of
the sun and the moon and the stars meant that the ruby was lying under the
pillow of the couch furthest away from the door. The jeweller though Ahmed
had gone mad: but the alternative was so terrible he checked anyway. He
looked where Ahmed had instructed him too and there: just as good as
Ahmed’s word: was the ruby. The jeweller was as good as his word and gave
him two hundred pieces of gold, thanked him for saving his life, and hailed
him as the greatest astrologer of his age.
Ahmed set off for home more happy to still be alive than to the wealth he had
gotten. When he got home he was met by his wife who congratulated him on
his success. He handed her the hundred gold coins adding “I hope this money
satisfies you and that you will not again ask me to risk my life as I did this
morning. He told her everything that had happened. What she heard to her
was how much gold he had made. She didn’t see the danger Ahmed had been
in and thought only of how her husband could become the chief astrologer.
She told him how this was just the start of his new career as an astrologer and
they would become wealthy and how happy they would both be. When
Ahmed explained the danger, she accused him of not loving her and asked
for a divorce. Ahmed didn’t want a divorce and so decided to have another
try.
So the very next morning Ahmed set off to the market as an astrologer. He
shouted out how he knew the future and the sun, the moon and the stars. A
crowd gathered. But this time there was no jokes as they all knew of the great
achievement the day before. The fame of which had made Ahmed the ablest
astrologer even known in Asfahan.
Passing by was a rich woman. She explained how her husband was a rich
merchant and ho she had lost a valuable necklace and earrings he has given
her. She was worried that her husband would suspect that here jewels had
went to a lover. She wondered why there were so many people around and
they explained how he was so full of supernatural knowledge he had become
an astrologer: and that he used to be a cobbler. They told her how the jewel
had been found. She was impressed and was sure that a man such as he could
find her necklace and earrings. So she told him that if he found them he could
have fifty pieces of gold. Ahmed was trying to think of a way out so that his
lack of skill and ignorance would not be revealed. But the woman’s veil had
become undone and not wanting to crowd to see it, he said to her “Look
down below.” The lady seeing her veil put it back into place. But it reminded
her where her jewellery was and so she told him to stay there a while so that
he could get his reward for reminding her where the jewellery was: she had
hidden it in the bottom of a wall in her bedroom and soon she returned. When
she returned she had the fifty pieces of gold and she gave them to him saying
what a great astrologer he was.
Ahmed was happy that fate had decided to let him keep face and not reveal
his lack of knowledge or skill. But decide not to tempt fate again. But his
wife did not yet have the riches she craved. So again she threatened to
divorce him if he didn’t continue as an astrologer. As it happened the royal
treasury had been looted, and forty chests were stolen which made up most of
the wealth in the kingdom. The treasurer and all the officers had tried to find
the thieves. They had not succeeded. So the king sent for his astrologer and
made a proclamation: that is the thieves were not found by a stated time that
the astrologer and the principal ministers were all to be put to death. When
one day was all that remained of the time that had been given to them, the
chief astrologer had made calculations and could find no answer. So he had
resigned himself to the death which lay before them, when a friend advised
him to send for the cobbler turned astrologer. All knew of his feats and so
two slaves went to find him. When they came to Ahmed poor Ahmed thought
he was going to be executed as an imposter. As he walked in the palace of
the chief astrologer he was surprised to see him in person. He then said to
Ahmed “The way of the heaven is unsearchable. The high are often dropped
down. The lows are often lifted up. Everything depends upon fate, and
fortune. It is my turn to be dropped by fate and yours to be lifted up.”
He was then sent to the king who asked Ahmed who had stolen his treasure.
Ahmed told him that it wasn’t one man and that there were forty thieves
concerned in the robbery. The king nodded and asked “Who are these
thieves?” “To answer this question will take time, and I wish you give me
forty days to make my calculations to answer it.” The king agreed but added
then if when forty days are up he could not find the gold, he must pay a
forfeit. Ahmed was pleased as he wanted to use the time to flee the city
which otherwise he thought would become his grave. He then went home to
his wife. She asked about what had happened at court. Ahmed explained that
he would be killed in forty days unless he found the thieves who stole forty
chests of gold. His wife had much faith in her husband. “You will find the
thieves” she explained. “How he added?” “By the same art you found the
necklace.” “I have no art no skill: you know this. I just pretended to have so
that you would be happy. But I have enough skill to gain forty days, which is
easily enough time to flee the city. With the money we now possess I can
earn an honest living somewhere else.” His wife was unhappy and shouted
“An honest living by cobbling I suppose. You would be better only thinking
of finding the king’s treasure. You have the same chance you had of finding
the ruby, and the necklace and earrings. I am determined you shall not escape
and will inform the kings officers if you try to run away. Then they will put
you to death.”
Ahmed was unhappy but he decided to make the best of what time he had
left. He had no skill and knew he could not find the thieves and so he counted
the days. He said a prayer every night, and every night his wife took it and
placed it in a jar from his holy book, and in that way he could see what time
he had left. But the thieves that had stolen the king’s treasure had been kept
from leaving the city. They were worried and thought that they would get
caught eventually. One of the thieves had seen Ahmed in the market place as
an astrologer and had seen him get taken to see the king. He had also heard
Ahmed say the exact number of thieves. But the leader of the gang
said,”Ahmed is a shrewd man and did not need astrology to tell him that. But
one of us should watch him just in case.” and so one of the forty thieves went
to Ahmed’s house: waiting outside to hear what was said. So at night one of
the thieves waited outside to hear what was said. Ahmed said his prayer just
as he said he would. His wife put the prayer into the jar. “That is one of the
forty” Ahmed said. The thief hearing this told the rest of the gang. But when
the gang heard this they decided it must be a mistake and so the next night
they sent two of their gang to listen what Ahmed may say. On that night
Ahmed said his prayer as he had promised. His wife took it and placed the
prayer into a jar. “There are now two of them” said Ahmed to his wife.
The thieves both heard it and being surprised. But when they went back and
told the rest of the gang they didn’t believe them and so they sent three the
next night. This continued until the last night when all forty of the thieves
were outside of Ahmed’s house. On this fortieth night he had completed all
his prayers and so looking at the jar full of prayers he said “That is it. All of
the forty are here.” Hearing this, all forty thieves were then convinced. They
all agreed that it was impossible that a man could get the number right every
night by chance. They decided that he must have learnt this from his
knowledge of astrology. They thought that they could not delude such a man
and so they must make him a friend and bribe him with a share of the stolen
treasure. As they all agreed this they did. They knocked on his door one hour
before dawn. But Ahmed thinking they were the executioner said to
them,”Have patience. I know why you have come. It was an unjust and evil
deed.” The gang leader thought what a great man: as he opened the door.
“We realise you know why we have came here. Here are two thousand pieces
of gold for you if you promise to say nothing of the matter to anyone.”
“Do you think I can say nothing about the injustice without complaining?”
“Have mercy” said the thieves. “Spare our lives and we will give the royal
treasure back. Ahmed was shocked: but didn’t show it. He realised that they
must be the thieves who stole the royal treasure. So announcing in a grand
manner “You guilty men cannot escape my skills. I understand the sun, the
moon and the stars. But you are spared as you have spoken to me in time for
me to do so. I can see that you repent of your sin. But you must restore the
wealth immediately. Go and take all forty chests and bury them one foot
under then southern wall of the ruin of old Hammam: which was beyond the
king’s palace. Do this now and you and your families will be spared.
The thieves did as they promised. Soon the royal guards came to take Ahmed
to the palace. But he didn’t want to risk his wife’s fate until he saw for
himself if the thieves had done as they promised. So he bade his wife
farewell. But his wife thought that is God took Ahmed that maybe she could
find some rich lover who would have the wealth to let her live in splendour.
But fate had plans of its own. As Ahmed stood before the king, the king
asked”Do you know where the thieves and treasure is?” “Does the king want
the thieves or the treasure itself as the stars will give only one or the other?
You must decide I cannot deliver both.” The king replied “I would love to
punish the thieves but alas I must choose the treasure.” “And” asked Ahmed
“You give the thieves a full pardon?” “Yes” replied the king “As long as my
treasure is intact.” “Then the treasure will again be yours”. The king and all
the noblemen and ministers followed Ahmed, as he walked to the ruins of the
old Hammam. He muttered as he walked: but what they took to be magical
spells: were in fact him praying to God for his life”. When he had finished he
pointed to the southern wall and told them to dig there. The work had barely
started when the forty chests were found. All the treasure was as it was, all
intact even the seal on them saw in fact.
The king was pleased that the treasure was restored and made Ahmed chief
Astrologer. He was to live in a palace and the king wanted him to marry his
only daughter. The princess was the most beautiful thing which he had ever
seen. The princess was happy with her father’s choice of husband as she
valued the learning she believed that Ahmed possessed. Soon they were
married and fortune had taken full circle. Ahmed had woken in a hovel
expecting to be executed, talked to a lord in a palace and was later to be
married to a beautiful princess. Ahmed had been a good and happy man as a
poor cobbler and was a good and happy man when living in splendour.
Conscious of his own ignorance he knew his success lay with fate. He had
gone from talking and bargaining with thieves to having a princess for a wife.
His former wife’s fate however was not as she had hoped condemned by her
own vanity. But such is the tapestry of the designer of life.
You may wonder where the magic was in this Middle Eastern folk tale: it is
the astrology itself. But you may say the cobbler didn’t know any astrology.
Well this is really the point of the tale. How could a cobbler with no
knowledge of astrology become the king’s chief astrologer? He seemed to
have a path already laid out. This path seemed to give him no choice. He was
destined to become the chief astrologer to the king. Why was this? The stars:
the time and place of his birth meant that at this time, this was his destiny, his
fate. This is really quite an extreme view of astrology with most taking the
view that it is an aid to help you get what you want from life. Some believe
that astrology is not really there to predict what is about to happen at all. But
rather it is to help people understand themselves. People also use astrology to
help them make talismans and cast spells: believing that if they are cast at
astrological important times, this will help their talisman or spell gain more
power. I should explain that the horoscope you get in the newspaper is not
really what was traditionally called astrology.
The reason for this is that it used the position of the sun and western
astrology uses much more than this. So whatever sign the newspapers tell
you, you are: you are probably something else. Your true star sign is
calculated using the ascendant. Also you do not tell what you should do on a
particular day by looking at the stars and sun and moon on that day at all.
What you need to do is to do a chart from your birth date calculating forward
a day for a year: in other words just under four minutes for a day, as twenty
four hours divided by three hundred and sixty five is a little less than four
minutes. So to know what is happening on a particular day you would
calculate forward the required amount of time: but using a day on from the
birth chart to represent a year. However if we use the whole sign house
method means we cannot use the year for a day method, but we can tell what
will happen on a particular day easily.
In astrology there are the stars, the sun, the moon, and also houses and the
signs. The signs themselves are not the actual precise point of the
constellations; they are merely representations of certain character types
which are represented by them: and based upon the location, and time of
birth. The houses represent wither what will happen in that house or more
psychogical elements depending upon what type of western astrology you
use. Also the stars and planets represent things too. There are however
different types of astrology. In western astrology the easiest method is the
whole sign house system. In the whole sign house system, you calculate the
ascendant: or more easily use astrology software to do this for you. Then you
draw a wheel which starts at what would be on a clock nine o clock and place
the start of the star sign which is at the ascendant: and proceed with the
others anticlockwise. It is easiest to work out which star sign is at the
ascendant using astrology software. The star signs in order are:
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius,
Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. So simply start with whatever sign is on the
ascendant and then place the next on the list clockwise after this, and so on
restart the list until you come to the same sign again. The houses are then
placed anti-clockwise starting at nine o clock: as it starts anti-clockwise the
start will be at the the first star sign. Each house represents something. The
beauty of the whole sign house system is that you can ignore the planets
which simplify things a lot: also the prediction will stay the same until the
ascendant goes into another star sign. The houses represent: house one
represents personal interests, environment and community. House two
represents possessions, security resources. House three represents
communication. House four represents home heritage family. House five
represents creativity, artwork, romance, children and speculation. House six
represents service and health. House seven represents relationship of self to
others particularly partners. House eight represents shared resources. House
nine represents self to new horizons. House ten status and career. House
eleven represents relationship to group objectives. House twelve represents
self abnegation in service, escapism and confinement. The star signs
themselves have characteristics:
Aries: To inquisitive, be active.
Taurus: to sustain be acquisitive.
Gemini: to transmit be volatile.
Cancer: to contain be defensive.
Leo: to display be managerial.
Virgo: to analyse be discriminating.
Libra: to relate to appreciate.
Scorpio: to scrutinise be intensely penetrating.
Sagittarius: to extend be explorative.
Capricorn: to construct be calculative.
Aquarius: to innovate be observant.
Pisces: to merge be impressionable.
Therefore to do the prediction we lay one over another to tell us what we
want to know about that star sign at that time. However I must point out that
there is much more to learn about astrology than this: entire libraries can be
filled with books about astrology. Also there are many different types of
astrology and points of view. This tale is quite different in that it is really
about power beyond the person’s control. He is not given control of it at any
time, and at best is seen here as only being an observer. But like I said before
that is a very extreme view of astrology, but it does make for a good tale.
CONCLUSION
I hope that you have enjoyed this book. I hope you enjoyed the folktales and
also that you learnt a lot about magic. I really feel that this book reveals
wisdom that has been forgotten. I hope I succeeded in showing you what is
hidden in these old tales. Some of you may have read this book to read old
folktales, and for these people I hope I you have been mesmerised at these
old tales retold in my words. But also that you have realised how magic can
help you in real life and that you will have tried, or will try the magic in this
book. For those that wanted to learn magic: I hope I have done this. But also
shown you some interesting tales and background of some magic that I am
sure you have not seen before. Using this book you have a great deal of
magic at your fingertips that others will not have: unless they too have this
book. The magic in this book can change your life for the better, and literally
let you work magic from folktales. Next time you see an old folktale or
modern story taking inspiration from them, you will be able to watch and
think I can actually do that; I can do folktale magic. Now it really is up to
you how much magic you put into your life.