"Magic for Beginners" is a short story collection written by Kelly Link. The book was published in 2005 and has received critical acclaim for its unique blend of fantasy, horror, and contemporary fiction. The collection features nine short stories, each exploring different themes and characters. Despite the title, "Magic for Beginners," the stories are not strictly about magic or magicians. Instead, they focus on the lives of ordinary people who find themselves caught up in extraordinary circumstances. One of the standout stories in the collection is "The Faery Handbag.
October 8, 2022
Thomas White (Author). Since William Penn presided over the state's only official witch trial in 1684, witchcraft and folk magic have been a part of the history of the Keystone State. English and German settlers brought their beliefs in magic with them from the Old World--sometimes with dangerous consequences. In 1802, an Allegheny County judge helped an accused witch escape an angry mob. Susan Mummey was not so fortunate. In 1934, she was shot and killed in her home by a young Schuylkill County man who was convinced that she had cursed him. In other regions of the state, views on folk magic were more complex. While hex doctors were feared in the Pennsylvania German tradition, powers were and are revered for their abilities to heal, lift curses and find lost objects. Folklorist Thomas White traces the history and lore of witchcraft and the occult that quietly live on in Pennsylvania even today.
The Witch of the Monongahela
Thomas White (Author). A look at the folklore surrounding the legendary Pennsylvanian witch, and the facts behind them. In the ancient hills and misty hollows of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, generations of locals have passed down stories of a woman with mysterious magical powers. People came from near and far to seek healing and protection through her strange rituals. Some even believed she could fly. Named Moll Derry and nicknamed the Witch of the Monongahela, her legend has been documented by writers and folklorists for more than two hundred years. She is intertwined in many regional tales, such as the Lost Children of the Alleghenies and Polly Williams and the White Rocks. Author Thomas White separates fact from fiction in the many versions of Moll Derry and recounts Western Pennsylvania's folk magic history along the way.
The Witch's Fleet
John F. Corrigan (Author), Abigail Weech (Author). In 1807, a young, Philadelphia woman of special gifts is accused by the religious authorities of practicing the black arts. Although the investigators can find no evidence that she has ever used her talents to harm anyone, they proceed to attempt to apprehend her to stand trial. She anticipates them - which is her way - and flees to the frontier which, in 1807, is the sleepy fishing village of Erie, Pennsylvania. It is now five years later. 1812. The sleepy fishing village of 400 souls finds itself on the front lines of a war against the British Empire. Among them walks a young woman of special gifts. The Brits have no idea what they are up against!
The Witch Trial of Pennsylvania
Richrd Saylor (Author). Pennsylvania’s founder and original proprietor William Penn (1644–1718) was not only a great lawgiver but also a clever arbiter of disputes between residents of his commonwealth. His thoughtful handling of a witch trial on December 27, 1683, at a Provincial Council meeting in Philadelphia helped to prevent a crisis in Pennsylvania like the hysteria that occurred in Salem, Massachusetts, only eight years later. It appears to be the first and only official witchcraft trial in Pennsylvania’s history . . .
Was Mary Black a Witch?
During the 1800’s, a woman named Mary Black lived in the Ellwood City area. Her reputation would become infamous with witches and curses for the next century. However, like most Urban Legend, she is shrouded in a bit of mystery. Who really was the infamous Mary Black? Was she really a witch?
Folk Religion of the Pennsylvania Dutch: Witchcraft, Faith Healing and Related Practices
For almost three centuries, the "Pennsylvania Dutch"--descended from German immigrants--have practiced white magic, known in their dialect as Braucherei (from the German "brauchen," to use) or Powwowing. The tradition was brought by immigrants from the Rhineland and Switzerland in the 17th and 18th centuries, when they settled in Pennsylvania and in other areas of what is now the eastern United States and Canada. Practitioners draw on folklore and tradition dating to the turn of the 19th century, when healers like Mountain Mary--canonized as a saint for her powers--arrived in the New World. The author, a member of the Pennsylvania Dutch community, describes in detail the practices, culture and history of faith healers and witches.
The True Story of the Witch of the Monongahela
A sketch of Moll Derry, inspired by the legends that she was the Witch of Monongahela. Courtesy of Tom J. White. Image sourced from The Witch of the Monongahela.
Her name was Moll Derry, but everyone knew her as the Witch of the Monongahela.
In the ancient hills and misty hollows of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, generations of locals have passed down stories of a woman with mysterious magical powers. People came from near and far to seek healing and protection through her strange rituals. Some believed she could see the future. Some even believed she could fly.
The legend of the Witch of Monongahela has been documented by writers and folklorists for more than two hundred years. But who was Moll Derry, really? Solid historical details are far more elusive than tales of her magical abilities, but this is what we know.
The Real Witch
An early twentieth century postcard shows George’s Creek, which runs past many of the locations mentioned in the legends of Moll Derry. Image sourced from The Witch of the Monongahela: Folk Magic in Early Western Pennsylvania.
There are stories from around the country of strange or inexplicable people. Moll Derry was one of them.
She seems to have been born around 1760 and to have arrived in America with her husband, a Hessian mercenary who fought with the British during the Revolutionary War. Sometime after their arrival, the Derrys switched sides, with Moll’s husband becoming one of Daniel Morgan’s famous sharpshooters. He was such a good shot that there were even rumors that he rubbed himself with special potions or that he was a “wizard.”
Eventually, the couple ended up in the mountainous terrain of southwestern Pennsylvania. Before long, Moll had earned her own supernatural reputation as an uncannily accurate fortune teller.
A newspaper story that ran in 1879, a few decades after her death, recalled Derry’s simple homemade clothes and her love of coffee — and most of all her ability to help her rural neighbors find missing horses and cows and pocketbooks: “Many and miraculous were the stories treasured in the memory of the oldest inhabitants, and related for fireside entertainment, of her actually telling, without any hint, the article lost, when and where it could be found, and if stolen a description of the thief.”
But then the story hinted at a darker conclusion: “It was thought by many that Moll had intimate dealings with the devil.”
The Legends
Traditions of witchcraft arrived in Pennsylvania with German immigrants. This antique postcard depicts witches gathering on a plateau in the Harz Mountains, with similar traditions linked to several other Pennsylvania mountains. Image sourced from The Witch of the Monongahela: Folk Magic in Early Western Pennsylvania.
Moll and her husband ended up having seven children. There are a smattering of legal records and newspaper stories about them, just like there are about Moll. Her last will and testament has survived and is dated May 15, 1843.
But most of the stories surrounding her must necessarily come from the realm of legend. It was said that farmers who crossed her ended up with cows that would not produce milk and bread loaves that would not rise. It was said that she could control rattlesnakes and had an army of them protecting her home.
The Witch of Monongahela could even be deadly. One time, in 1794, three rough and violent men ran into Derry in the countryside and mocked her ability to see the future. Derry defiantly cursed these men, promising they would all hang.
Within a few months, the first man, John McFall, killed a tavern keeper in a drunken rage; he was hanged in Fayette County. A few years later, the second, Ned Cassidy, murdered a man in a bar fight in Ohio; he also went to the gallows. The third man, whose name has not survived, ended up in Greene County. When he heard of Cassidy’s hanging, he chose to hang himself.
Was this because of the power, the inevitability, of Derry’s curse? Or was it a coincidence? Either way, it was out of character for the Witch of Monongahela. As that old 1879 newspaper story put it, “As far as known, she harmed no one, and if she got her money and her coffee, she was always contented.”
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Brianne Mitchell is a media strategist, producer, consultant and COO for Mitchell Legal Services and Mitchell Law Office. She is also an award-winning children's book author (The Della and Lila Book Series), philanthropist, and the very proud mom of two girls, Della (13) and Lila (10). And most recently, she is proudly adding Black Horse Tavern Proprietress to her list of titles.
Bri has been working in communications and media for over a decade and has built a wildly successful practice based in digital media and community service.
Our BHT Proprietress has worked and partnered with some of the biggest names in the business - Disney, Sesame Street, Sesame Workshop, Netflix, Showtime, and WQED. She has also volunteered her time and professional services for charitable organizations that are near and dear to her heart. Bri has donated countless hours of volunteer time to help with community service programs, grassroots organizations, and local neighborhood groups, while trying to make a difference in her little corner of the world.
Over the past few years Brianne Mitchell has been presented with some of the most prestigious awards our region has to offer, including: Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40, Inspiring Women in Philanthropy, Pittsburgh’s Best of the ‘Burgh, and the ExtraORdinary Person Award.
In 2014 Bri began writing a children’s book series with her daughters. Six years later and they are the proud authors of three internationally acclaimed children’s books, with a fourth in production. Bri and her family have traveled all over the US and Europe for book tours and to promote kindness, love, and community service. The Della and Lila Book Series donates all of their proceeds to various organizations, that support children and families - both in SWPA and all over the world, through their own nonprofit, The River Fund.
Bri lives in Brownsville, PA, and is rarely seen without a cup of hot tea and her iPhone.
Witches Night
One of the standout stories in the collection is "The Faery Handbag." This story follows a young girl named Genevieve, who inherits her grandmother's handbag, which is rumored to contain an entire village in it. The story explores themes of family, loss, and the power of storytelling.
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By Greenhouse Winery FollowAnother notable story is "Stone Animals," which follows a family as they move into a new home that quickly becomes haunted by mysterious stone animals. The story is a haunting and atmospheric exploration of suburban ennui and the inevitability of change. Link's writing style is often described as dreamlike and surreal. She weaves together elements of fantasy and reality, blurring the lines between the two. Her use of language is imaginative and evocative, drawing readers into the strange and captivating worlds she creates. Overall, "Magic for Beginners" is a thought-provoking and imaginative collection of stories. Kelly Link's ability to seamlessly blend genres and create memorable characters makes it a must-read for fans of speculative fiction and those looking for something unique and different..
Reviews for "The Beginner's Guide to Kelly Link's Magical Tales"
1. John Doe - 2/5
"Magic for beginners" by Kelly Link was completely underwhelming for me. The stories lacked depth and coherence, often leaving me confused and frustrated. The author seemed more interested in showcasing her unconventional writing style rather than crafting compelling narratives. The characters were flat and uninteresting, making it difficult for me to emotionally connect with any of them. Overall, I found the book to be a tedious and disjointed reading experience.
2. Jane Smith - 1/5
I cannot express how disappointed I was with "Magic for beginners" by Kelly Link. The stories were bizarre and muddled, with no clear plot or resolution. It felt like the author was trying too hard to be different and experimental, sacrificing storytelling in the process. The constant shifts in perspective and confusing timelines made it impossible for me to immerse myself in the narrative. I kept hoping that the next story would be better, but unfortunately, it only got worse. I regret wasting my time on this book.
3. Robert Johnson - 2/5
I had heard great things about "Magic for beginners" by Kelly Link, but I found it to be a disjointed collection of stories that failed to captivate me. The author's writing style was overly convoluted and abstract, making it difficult for me to follow the narratives. It seemed like many of the stories had potential, but they were let down by the lack of coherent structure and unsatisfying endings. I appreciate experimentation in literature, but this book just felt like a jumbled mess. Disappointing to say the least.