The Wizard of Oz is a beloved and iconic story that has captivated audiences for generations. The tale follows the adventures of Dorothy, a young girl from Kansas, who finds herself transported to the magical land of Oz after a tornado sweeps her away. In Oz, she encounters a variety of memorable characters, including the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow. One of the most intriguing characters in the story is the Wicked Witch of the West. With her green skin, pointed hat, and sinister cackle, she is the epitome of a classic villain. The Wicked Witch is determined to obtain Dorothy's magical ruby slippers, which possess great power.
13.ספר ותן ברכה לר’ פנחס באדנער עמ’ 394
15 Regarding the appropriate brocha , the general rule for a dish with numerous ingredients is to make a brocha on the primary ingredient the ikkar , and not to make a brocha on the secondary ingredients the taffel. Dried cranberries can be strung on a piece of twine or cord and made into a small wreath to hang over your doorways for protection; they also make good Yule tree decorations.
The Wicked Witch is determined to obtain Dorothy's magical ruby slippers, which possess great power. Throughout the story, she relentlessly pursues Dorothy in her quest to seize the slippers and gain ultimate control over Oz. The Wicked Witch's wickedness is further emphasized by her use of black magic and her nefarious minions, flying monkeys.
Cranberry Magick and Lore
Oftentimes, the cranberry’s beautiful red color has associated it with the planet Mars, and as a result, its magickal correspondences are similar to that of Mars. Because of this, cranberry can be used for protection, positive energy, courage, passion, determination, goals, and action.
These little brightly colored berries look like little jewels and their bright red goodness carries huge protective energy with them – they are a power punch against negative energy. Consider having Cranberry Sauce as part of a protective meal, or drinking cranberry juice or tea while doing magick for anything associated with Mars.
If color were considered as a way of marking the cranberry’s magickal associations, it would be foolish to not highlight the deep, sensual and erotic red color as corresponding to love and lust magick. If you are cooking a meal for a loved one, consider incorporating cranberry into the meal.
You may also want to sip this tea while performing love magick. Simply add two teaspoons cherry juice to 1-cup hot cranberry tea. Stir it with a cinnamon stick clockwise. There is something incredibly comforting and warming about Cranberry, so to show your love and appreciation for your family and friends, consider adding Cranberry sauce or chutney to a dinner. It will bring a feeling of peace, comfort, warmth, good health and love to those who enjoy it.
Depending on how they are used, cranberries will either bond people together during tough times or create hardships that tear people apart.
- Drink the juice with your partner on the dark moon to keep the relationship free of trouble and going strong.
- Place a circle of cranberries around a brown or black candle and call out the names of two individuals who need to be separated while the candle burns. Continue the ritual until you obtain results.
Vanga stated that cranberries of red color symbolize the love relationship. Ripe and juicy cranberry foretells happiness in love; green berries portend upcoming problems with your loved one. According to Freud, cranberry symbolizes your sexual life.
In some cases, cranberry juice or cranberry wine can be substituted for red wine in rituals. Perhaps you will include a bowl of cranberries next to your pomegranate on your Samhain altar to show thanks to the supernatural powers of the bog, the birthplace of the cranberry.
Cranberries can be a lovely attribute to any Samhain or Yule altar. Dried cranberries can be strung on a piece of twine or cord and made into a small wreath to hang over your doorways for protection; they also make good Yule tree decorations. This not only adds a gorgeous contrast of color, but also invokes the protective and healing power of the red berry.
Cranberries and Bogs
The bog is the home of the cranberry, but was also sacrificial stomping ground of ancient societies in Northern Europe. Consider all of the archaeological findings that have been discovered in bogs from Denmark Scotland, England, Sweden, and Northern Germany: daggers, swords, shields, spears, javelins, drinking vessels, sickles, y-shaped dowsing rods and jewelry have all be recovered from bogs.
Also recovered from a bog was the famous Gundestrup Cauldron, a silver cauldron of Celtic origin, which had mythological narratives on it. Even more shockingly, excellently preserved human bodies, which appear to have been victims of sacrifice, have been discovered in bog. It appears that to ancient society, the watery bog was a place of significant importance, where sacrifices and treasures were willingly deposited.
Some researchers and academics have suggested that the bog deposits were offerings for protection, or rituals to bring fertility to the land and well-being to the land’s inhabitants. One cannot avoid the idea of a spooky, dank bog on a cold dark night either. Perhaps it is the fact that the unstable, marshy territory could lead to hazardous falls and injuries. Legend has it that the murky, watery parts of a bog were bottomless, so to step in one meant imminent doom.
Cranberry Lore and Mythology
Hans Christian Andersen shared many stories of the bog, most of which involved witches, elves and fairies. And in English and Welsh folklore, Will-o-the-wisps are said to be glowing lights that would float above the bog. Some believed that they were benevolent fairy or nature spirits that acted as guides to lost travelers; on the other hand, some saw the Will-’o-the-Wisps as ill spirited fairies, dark elves or spirits connected to the devil.
The cranberry has a special place in the hearts of the Finnish and students and admirers of ancient Lapland mythology. The Kalevala, epic legend of Finland, and reputed inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, is a compiled collection of Finnish oral stories that have been sung by Lapland bards for centuries. In the final passage, or Rune, of The Kalevala, we hear of the tale of a virgin Goddess’ encounter with the cranberry.
- Note: Many translators cannot agree on which berry Marjatta actually enjoys in The Kalevala. Translations include cranberry, bilberry, lingonberry, blackberry and strawberry. The original Finnish word used was “punapuola, ” which is indeed a variety of cranberry, though smaller and sweeter than the one grown in Northern America.
Described as a beautiful maiden, Marjatta is a Goddess who is chaste, yet connected with her Northland home. While roaming the forests, she hears the singing of the cranberry, which begs her to eat him. Because of her maidenhood, she couldn’t pluck the berry, but instead used a charm to have the berry rise from the vine and into her mouth. After she ate the berry, she was impregnated. When her family found out of her pregnancy, they did not believe her story of the cranberry and was shunned.
Similar to the story of Christ’s birth, Marjatta gave birth to her sun in a stable in a forest. The heroic god of The Kalevala, Väinämöinen, is summoned to decide the destiny of the baby. When it is told that the child’s father is a cranberry, Väinämöinen sentences the baby to banishment in the forest and seals his death. However, when the baby pleads for his life by pointing out Väinämöinen’s unfair judgement, he is saved. Väinämöinen also recognizes that the son of the cranberry would grow to be his successor: a royal king and mighty ruler.
Some of the American history and lore of cranberries is fascinating as well. Native Americans were very familiar with the cranberry, and used it graciously as food, medicine, and dye. They used the berry to flavor meats, in a poultice to heal wounds and lower inflammation, and as a dye to make deep burgundy rugs. When Dutch and German settlers came to America, they named the berry “Crane Berry.” This name was inspired by the berry’s pink spring blossoms, which were said to resemble the head and bill of a Sandhill Crane.
Although there is no record that cranberries were eaten at the first Thanksgiving, they are often associated with this holiday and symbolize the “earth’s abundance.” It would have been interesting had these berries been shared at the first thanksgiving, however, because in Victorian flower language, the cranberry blossom signifies that the receiver extend kindness to the giver. The cranberry is also seen as a democratic. In England wealthy people pair it with delectable Venison, but poorer people are also able to enjoy it.
Some Thoughts About Cranberry Magick
The tale of Marjatta reminds us of the nutritional value of the cranberry- so fertile and powerful is the cranberry, that it is the vehicle for immaculate conception. Since it is tied to immaculate conception, and the birth of a child who will replace the old King, it can be linked to rejuvenation, reincarnation, and the themes of Yule and Christmas.
Cranberry also has clear links to fertility magick in this context. Spell work aside, the nutritional benefits of the cranberry are worthy enough to be incorporated into a routine diet, as it will aid in overall health and well being.
Finally, it is important to not forget the magick of the bog, the motherland of cranberry. Here, we see cranberry’s tie to the supernatural, mystical, and ancient. In a place where humans and precious objects were sacrificed, there was much value put on the mystical powers of the bog. It is a place where the protection of people and armies, the fertility of land and nature, and the well being of those who visit it, could be determined and sought after through ritual and sacrifice.
Perhaps you will include a bowl of cranberries next to your pomegranate on your Samhain altar to show thanks to the supernatural powers of the bog. Or simply, while cooking cranberries during the colder season or enjoying its fragrance in oil or a candle, you can reflect on the mystical, protective, and fertile powers of the deep red berry.
Dreaming About Cranberries:
When you see or eat cranberries in a dream, it’s generally a sign of good health and a long and happy life. Cranberries can also represent warmth and togetherness which you might be craving right now, given the time of year.
Alternatively, you may be feeling content at present because you have just enough of this in your waking life. Perhaps you are a particularly warm person towards others and you have felt some of that back of late.
If you were drinking cranberry juice in your dream, it’s possible you have too much stress in your waking life and need to dial things back to help you to manage your stress levels better.
Cranberry juice might be an indicator of poor health too. Perhaps you need to rid your body of some toxin that you’re in the habit of feeding it. On the other hand, the dream could be telling you to let go of a thought or feeling that’s doing you no good. You need to flush the negativity and the bad out of yourself before you can carry on as normal.
If you were picking cranberries in your dream- perhaps you recognize the effort you need to put into something before you are rewarded for all your hard work. You know that there are more choices available to you if you do; consequently- you are a hard worker. If this isn’t apparent to you- it might be time to put more energy into your means of income to gain a sense of pride in what you do.
If the berries were spoiled then maybe you recognize that you’ve missed an opportunity in the recent past. With that said, another one might come along- so don’t lose faith.
Sources:
(iii) Sushi: Sushi is a Japanese delicacy which has become popular worldwide, consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients. Maki is a type of sushi in which the rice is formed into a cylindrical roll and wrapped in nori, an edible seaweed; the other ingredients are used as a filling. Popular fillings include raw fish, such as salmon or tuna. The increasing popularity of maki sushi has resulted in varieties of fillings found primarily in America and Europe, but rarely in Japan. Depending upon the filling, the roll will have a specific name by which it is commonly referred. Some examples are Tekka roll – tuna filling; Tekkyu roll – tuna and sliced cucumber; Kappa roll – cucumber; Avocado roll – avocado; Alaska roll – salmon, avocado and cucumber filling. 15 Regarding the appropriate brocha, the general rule for a dish with numerous ingredients is to make a brocha on the primary ingredient (the ikkar), and not to make a brocha on the secondary ingredients (the taffel). 16 The varieties of maki have different names depending upon the filling, which is generally not considered by the consumer to be secondary to the rice. Irrespective of the filling, the food is known as sushi due to the rice; it appears that the rice is not secondary to the filling either. Furthermore, the filling and the rice are not cooked together, and remain distinct. Therefore, both the filling and rice are primary ingredients, and both necessitate a brocha. 17 For this reason, Rav Heinemann paskens that one should recite Mezonos on the rice, as well as the appropriate brocha on the filling. The nori is secondary to the rice and other ingredients, and does not require a brocha. 18
She is often depicted as being ruthless and cunning, using her magical abilities to create obstacles and traps for Dorothy and her friends. Despite her dark nature, the Wicked Witch of the West has become one of literature's most iconic and memorable villains. The character of the Wicked Witch has been portrayed in various adaptations of The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1939 film starring Judy Garland. In these adaptations, her role is often expanded upon, giving her a more complex backstory and motivations. For example, the hit Broadway musical "Wicked" delves into her history, revealing the events that led to her transformation into the feared witch. Overall, the Wicked Witch of the West is a crucial component of The Wizard of Oz's enduring appeal. Her character adds depth and intrigue to the story, as well as serving as a formidable adversary for Dorothy and her companions. Whether portrayed as a purely wicked figure or someone with a more nuanced past, the Wicked Witch remains an iconic and unforgettable presence in the world of literature and entertainment..
Reviews for "The Wizard of Oz: A Coming-of-Age Story for Children and Adults"
1. Emma - 2/5 stars - I have to admit, I went into watching "The Wizard of Oz: Wicked Witch" with high expectations, considering the iconic status of the original film. However, I was left disappointed. The storyline felt disjointed and rushed, with underdeveloped characters that failed to engage me. The special effects were lackluster and failed to create a sense of wonder and magic. Overall, I found "The Wizard of Oz: Wicked Witch" to be a lackluster adaptation that fell short of capturing the charm and depth of the original.
2. Daniel - 3/5 stars - As a fan of "The Wizard of Oz," I was excited to watch "Wicked Witch" and explore the backstory of the iconic character. However, the film failed to deliver in terms of character development and plot execution. I found the pacing to be slow, and it felt like the film was trying too hard to be edgy and different. While there were some visually stunning moments, they were overshadowed by the lack of emotional depth and compelling storytelling. Overall, "The Wizard of Oz: Wicked Witch" missed the mark for me, and I left feeling underwhelmed.
3. Samantha - 2/5 stars - "The Wizard of Oz: Wicked Witch" felt like a cheap attempt to cash in on the success of the original film. The storyline was predictable and filled with cliches, offering nothing new or exciting. The performances were lackluster, with the actors failing to bring the characters to life. Additionally, the visual effects felt dated and poorly executed. Overall, I found "The Wizard of Oz: Wicked Witch" to be a forgettable and uninspiring film that failed to capture the magic of its predecessor.
4. Jonathan - 1/5 stars - I must say, "The Wizard of Oz: Wicked Witch" was a complete disappointment. The film took an interesting concept and turned it into a convoluted mess. The plot was confusing and lacked coherence, leaving me scratching my head throughout the entire film. The performances were subpar, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. Furthermore, the special effects were laughably bad, detracting from any potential enjoyment. Overall, "The Wizard of Oz: Wicked Witch" was a waste of time and a poor attempt at expanding the Wizard of Oz universe.