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The lost witch was a tale passed down through generations. It was said to be a story of a powerful witch who mysteriously disappeared. The witch was said to possess unimaginable powers and was revered by many. According to the legend, the lost witch lived in a small village nestled deep in the forest. The villagers believed that the witch had the ability to heal the sick, control the elements, and predict the future. Her presence brought hope and prosperity to the community.

“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.

Her presence brought hope and prosperity to the community. However, one fateful night, the lost witch vanished without a trace. The villagers searched high and low for her, but she was nowhere to be found.

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 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.

Some believed that she had been taken by evil forces, while others thought she had simply decided to leave. The disappearance of the lost witch left the village in a state of turmoil. The once vibrant community began to wither away without her guidance and protection. Crops failed, sickness spread, and despair settled over the village. Over time, the legend of the lost witch grew. People from far and wide traveled to the village in hopes of finding clues about her whereabouts. Some claimed to have seen glimpses of her in the forest, while others reported hearing her voice in the wind. Generations passed, and the tale of the lost witch continued to capture the imagination of those who heard it. It became a symbol of hope and resilience, reminding people of the power and magic that could exist in the world. Eventually, the villagers came together and decided to create a memorial in honor of the lost witch. They built a grand statue in the center of the village, depicting her in all her glory. The statue served as a reminder of the village's past and a beacon of hope for the future. To this day, the legend of the lost witch lives on. Visitors to the village can still see the grand statue and hear the whispers of her tale. The villagers continue to pass down the story from one generation to the next, ensuring that the memory of the lost witch will never be forgotten..

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