Any witch thoroughfare refers to a passage or route often used by witches. These thoroughfares are believed to be mystical and magical in nature, allowing witches to travel quickly and undetected. The concept of a witch thoroughfare is common in folklore and witchcraft traditions, with many tales and legends describing these hidden pathways. According to folklore, witch thoroughfares are often found in secluded areas such as forests, moors, or mountainous regions. These pathways are said to be invisible to the human eye and can only be accessed by those with magical abilities. Some tales suggest that these thoroughfares can only be entered by uttering a specific incantation or performing a particular ritual.
“Birthplace of National Guard,” said another street sign. Reading about it I discovered that the first American regiments were formed from the militia of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636 which ultimately led to the founding of the National Guard.
The first expansion designed by Moshe Safdie in 2003 seamlessly incorporates the antiquated beauty of the East India Marine Hall with glass, brick and cement of modern times. And so it turned out that though I did not visit spooky Salem in the month of Halloween October, this charming town still succeeded to enthrall and made for a very memorable visit.
Some tales suggest that these thoroughfares can only be entered by uttering a specific incantation or performing a particular ritual. Witch thoroughfares are believed to provide a means of transportation for witches, allowing them to fly or move swiftly between different locations. In some legends, it is said that witches use broomsticks or flying animals such as owls or bats to travel along these hidden paths.
Witches take to the water in Venice's unique Epiphany celebration
Some of the witches at the La Befana festival in Venice even sported mustaches. Talk about ugly hags! But local officials said that none were burned this year, or melted by falling into the water. (Kent Harris / S&S)
In some tales, witches aren't fond of water. But there were dozens of them paddling around the Grand Canal in Venice on Thursday during the La Befana festival. The event, entering its third decade in the city, features costumed witches on watercraft, a race and some goodies for the kids. (Kent Harris / S&S)
Witches normally aren’t considered part of the Christmas season, but they played a central role when Venice, Italy, wrapped up the holiday last week.
On Jan. 6, millions of Italian children celebrate Epiphany — the date marking the visit of the three wise men to the baby Jesus and traditionally the end of Christmas holiday — by finding candy in their stockings.
Those children who haven’t been good, in theory, find coal.
The candy and coal are distributed by la befana, “the witch” in Italian. And to mark the occasion in Venice, as they have for the past 20 years, about a dozen local men and women dressed as witches and took over the city’s main thoroughfare. They paddled along the Grand Canal, some tossing candy to the hundreds of onlookers — although many tourists in Venice that day had little idea of what was going on.
In fact, just about everyone was unsure of why men dress up as witches. Italians who were asked shrugged and said it was simply tradition. What the tradition was, no one seemed to know.
Following tradition, the participants paddled from San Toma until they reached the giant stocking of the Epiphany that hung from the Rialto Bridge.
In addition to the witches’ cruise, a race was held involving teams bedecked in colorful sweat clothes in hues from across the rainbow.
Other places in Italy also have special celebrations on Jan. 6. Many involve witches — or their parental helpers — hanging up stockings the night before and kids waking up to see if they’ve been good or bad.
Why witches? And just who is la befana? Like Santa Claus, her origins are a bit mysterious and probably date to customs before Christianity took firm hold in Europe.
There are several versions of how she came to deliver goodies to good children every year. One of them says the wise men stopped at her house while they were trying to find Jesus. They asked her to accompany them, but she declined.
Later, she regretted the decision and tried to find baby Jesus. She gave out candy to all the children she found in case one of them turned out to be him.
Another version has her finding Jesus, giving him gifts and being rewarded with a day each year during which she passes out goodies to all children.
In rural areas, witches were once reportedly burned to death on the day. Onlookers could tell whether the year would be a good one by which way the smoke blew. The staff at the tourism office assured visitors this year that no one was burned on Epiphany.
But modern ingenuity has added another layer of confusion. At least one shop in Venice sold candy that looked like lumps of coal, leaving the children who received it with a tough question of whether they had been good or bad.
Kent HarrisKent has filled numerous roles at Stars and Stripes including: copy editor, news editor, desk editor, reporter/photographer, web editor and overseas sports editor. Based at Aviano Air Base, Italy, he’s been TDY to countries such as Afghanistan Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia. Born in California, he’s a 1988 graduate of Humboldt State University and has been a journalist for 40 years.
It is also said that these thoroughfares can lead witches to secret gatherings or covens where they can practice their craft without fear of being discovered. In addition to providing a means of travel, witch thoroughfares are also believed to be places of power and enchantment. It is said that these hidden paths radiate magical energy and are often associated with other supernatural entities such as fairies or spirits. Some stories even suggest that witches can draw upon the power of these thoroughfares to enhance their own magical abilities. Throughout history, witchcraft and the existence of witch thoroughfares have been a subject of fascination and fear. Many witch trials and persecutions were based on the belief that witches were using these hidden pathways to carry out their dark deeds. However, in modern times, witchcraft has become more widely accepted as a spiritual practice, and the idea of witch thoroughfares has become more associated with folklore and imagination. Whether one believes in the existence of witch thoroughfares or not, the concept continues to capture the imagination and inspire tales of magic and mystery. The idea of hidden paths, secret gatherings, and mystical transportation holds a certain allure that transcends time and culture. It serves as a reminder that there is still much we do not understand about the world around us and the supernatural forces that may exist within it..
Reviews for "Tales from the Witches: Stories from Any Witch Thoroughfare"
1. James - 2 out of 5 stars - I found "Any Witch Thoroughfare" to be very confusing and hard to follow. The plot seemed all over the place and the characters were underdeveloped. I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it just didn't live up to my expectations. The writing style was also very convoluted and difficult to understand. Overall, I was disappointed with this read and would not recommend it.
2. Emily - 1 out of 5 stars - "Any Witch Thoroughfare" was a complete waste of time for me. The story had no clear direction and the pacing was incredibly slow. I struggled to connect with the characters and found them to be poorly written and uninteresting. The book lacked any real depth or originality. It felt like a cheap imitation of other, much better, fantasy novels. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Sarah - 3 out of 5 stars - While "Any Witch Thoroughfare" had an interesting concept, the execution fell short for me. The plot was predictable and lacked any real surprises. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth. The pacing of the story was also off, with some parts dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, it was an average read that failed to leave a lasting impression.
4. Michael - 2 out of 5 stars - I had high hopes for "Any Witch Thoroughfare" but was ultimately let down. The world-building was weak and the magic system felt underdeveloped. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural, making it hard to engage with the story. The book also suffered from repetitive descriptions, which became tiresome after a while. Overall, I found this book to be a mediocre fantasy read that failed to capture my attention.
5. Laura - 2 out of 5 stars - "Any Witch Thoroughfare" was a disappointment. The writing was overly descriptive to the point of being distracting. It took away from the plot and made the story harder to follow. Additionally, the characters felt flat and lacked any real depth. The book had potential, but it failed to deliver an engaging and captivating story. I would not recommend this read to others.