The Fisher Price Witch Set is a toy designed for little children to engage in imaginative play. This set comes with various components that allow children to create their own magical world. Some of the items included in the set are a witch figurine, a broomstick, a cauldron, a black cat, and a little book of spells. The witch figurine is the main character of the set and is the one that children will use to role-play. She is dressed in a classic black witch outfit and has a friendly face that is not scary for young children. The broomstick and cauldron are props that children can use to enhance their play and make it more realistic.

Bell witch cave story

Ghost Adventures: Season 10, Episode 5 -

Zak Bagins, Aaron Goodwin, and the rest of the Ghost Adventures crew head to Adams, Tennessee to investigate the Bell Witch Cave, home to an entity so powerful, it is said to have killed someone.

History of Paranormal Activity Near Adams Tennessee & The Bell Witch Cave

After loading up their gear to head to the backwoods of Tennesee, the Ghost Adventures team meet up with Walter Kirby, the owner of the property on which the infamous Bell Witch Cave resides. According to Walter, the farm he now owns was once home to the Bell family, who famously experienced a haunting between 1817-1820, more than 200 years ago. The story of the haunting is widely considered one of America’s most well known and well documented, and has been chronicled by countless writers over the centuries.

The first written account of paranormal activity at the Bell farm was written on June 6th, 1819 by a man passing through the area. After stopping for the night to rest at the Bell farm, the man wrote in a letter that the family sat together in wait of a dangerous witch, reading their bibles in an attempt to ward off the demon. In other accounts, the family reported seeing strange animals around their property, like dogs with rabbit heads, which would arrive before the witch appeared to them. Later, the family experienced loud knocking noises, which seemed to have no source, no matter how often they investigated.

The youngest son, Richard Bell, kept a detailed diary of the hauntings, which included accounts of the entity eventually coming into the family home. According to Richard’s diary, the so-called Bell Witch took a special interest in the youngest daughter of the family, Betsy Bell, frequently entering her room to hit, slap, pinch, and pull at her. To protect the family and Betsy William Porter - John Bell’s son in law - attempted to catch and kill the witch, wrapping a shadowy figure in a blanket and trying to throw it in the fire.

William Porter III - the heroic man’s direct descendant, who still resides near Adams, Tennessee, was reportedly told that the attempt had failed because the witch had become unbearably heavy the closer he got to the fire.

Although Betsy became the frequent target of the Bell Witch’s rage, it would be the patriarch of the family, John Bell, who would suffer the worst. On December 20th, 1820 John Bell was found dead in bed by the family. Beside him was a vial containing a mysterious substance, and as the family examined it, they heard the voice of the Bell Witch say: “I gave ol’ Jack a big dose of that last night, which fixed ‘em.”

Some residents of the area believe that the Bell Farm and Bell Witch Cave, which exists on the northern end of the property, was built upon an ancient Native American burial ground, and that angry spirits had retaliated against the family for disturbing the remains. One of the Bell children, allegedly, had dug into the burial ground, discovering a human skull which they eagerly brought home to show the family. One of the teeth came loose from the skull and slipped between the cracks of the floorboards where it couldn’t be retrieved, cementing the spirit’s attachment to the home and family.

Though this could explain the specific haunting of the Bells, other visitors to the cave - even some recently - have experienced strange phenomena, or become gravely ill after removing rocks or pebbles from the natural cavern. According to the current owner of the property, they frequently receive rocks in the mail with requests for them to return them to the cave, often including some warning that they, a family member, or a friend had been injured or gotten extremely sick.

Walking Through the Bell Witch Cave

The Ghost Adventures crew were the first paranormal investigative show to be granted access to the Bell Witch Cave, which is widely considered to be the home of the infamous Bell Witch, who may have killed a man 200 years ago.

In their initial walk-through of the cave, Zak spoke with Kris Kirby, another owner of the property. Formerly a skeptic, Kris was made a believer in the paranormal by the Bell Witch Cave, where she says she once saw the spirit of a little boy. As she watched, the boy stepped forward and into a portal, disappearing and leaving Kris in shock.

Evidence of burial sites and civilization within the cave and surrounding areas could indicate that the cave is indeed a sacred place, and could have once been used as a spiritual pathway for Indigenous peoples. If one of the Bell children did indeed disturb such an important place, it could explain the severe repercussions. The child in question was likely Drury Bell, whose home still stands in Adams, Tenessee. The crew took the time to visit the home, which you can see by watching the full episode.

Late in the evening, with the sun fully set and the sky dark, the crew set out for the Bell Witch Cave to try to make contact with the infamous Bell Witch. Zak explained that the crew had brought along a ‘trigger object’, which might elicit a response from the entity. In this case, the trigger object was a person, William Porter III, the direct descendant of William Porter, the man who is said to have attempted to kill the Bell Witch.

Before the team even entered the cave, one of the camera and mic stands they had set up before beginning the investigation caught a strange, echoing voice. After analysis of the sound, the voice seems to be saying ‘listen to me.’

Startled, but excited, the team started the investigation by sending William Porter into the cave on his own. The plan was to emit a very low infrasound, which might be able to tap into the frequency of the spiritual world hidden within the rock of the cave. As the team played the sound, lights began to appear in the cave, seemingly responding to the vibrations of the infrasound. Next, William - equipped with a camera and hardhat - entered the cave.

Deep in the cave, William asked for the spirit in the cave to take his hand. In response, a rock falls - or is thrown - deep within the cave. The more William spoke, the more rocks began to fall and at a rapid rate, until suddenly, William’s audio picks up a strange grunting sound, which happens in sync with responses from some of the crew’s equipment. Could William be conjuring the Bell Witch in the form of one of the strange animals seen by the Bells?

Next, Billy, a member of the crew headed into the cave and discovered that some of their equipment was flashing frantically to indicate the presence of a strong energy field. As the crew began asking questions, their equipment began to flash in response. Having spent quite some time in the cave, the whole crew began to feel the physical effects of the extreme electromagnetic fields.

Wanting to try to further connect to the spirits within the cave, Aaron began to put himself into a meditative state. As the rest of the crew filmed him with thermal technology, a cold, blue mass began to form around Aaron’s body, and what looked like a head with two horns seemed to appear behind him. Immediately upon leaving the meditative state, the strange blue beam disappeared.

Suddenly, Billy began to experience severe back pain and suddenly became emotional at the thought of the desecrated burial site they may have been standing in. Distraught, Billy quickly exited the cave, followed by the others who were also experiencing similar levels of emotional distress.

After an hour or so of recovering, the crew decided to split up. Zak and Aaron locked themselves into the Bell Witch Cave, intent on making contact with the Bell Witch. As the pair traveled into the cave, the openings became narrower and more difficult to navigate. Not having encountered anything, Zak and Aaron turned back, no longer able to walk in the dank and water-logged depths of the cave.

Billy and Jay, in the meantime, traveled to the hidden gravesite of John Bell, which sits in the very spot the Bell family home once stood, and where John was poisoned by the Bell Witch. Though they sat for some time, they captured no EVPs of the Bell Witch, or any other entities.

Finally, nearing the end of the night, Zak asked for the Bell Witch to show herself in the form of a ball of light. Suddenly, captured on one of Zak’s cameras, he saw a ball of light shoot towards him through the darkness. Strangely, this was the only ball of light to appear throughout the entire time spent in the cave. Even more shocking, Zak’s recorder picked up a voice at the exact moment the light sped past him, clearly saying: “Here I come.”

Paranormal Findings & Analysis

Based on the findings of the Ghost Adventures crew, they were able to conclude that the area is indeed a hotbed of paranormal activity. Despite the torturous hauntings of the Bell family above ground ending 200 years ago, the continued reports and evidence of hauntings within the cave suggest that there could well be a spirit - or spirits - residing in its depths.

Is the spirit within the same spirit that killed John Bell? Is it the Bell Witch, or some other spirit, disturbed by the comings and goings of tourists eager to view what was once a sacred place?

“Year of the Witch”: 1937 and the Return of the Bell Witch

In the January 3, 1937 issue of the Tennessean, Nashville journalist T. H. Alexander raised a 120-year-old specter. In his syndicated column, “I Reckon So,” Alexander shared a startling fact that his writing partner, Ben Bass, unearthed during their research for a magazine feature on the Bell Witch. Since its last reported appearance a century ago, the famous poltergeist of Tennessee was “practically certain to return to this earth in this good year 1937.”

Illustration of the legend of the Bell Witch (Source: Washington C. H. Recorder-Herald, April 1937)

His record of “America’s No. 1 ghost story” was novel for its timeline. In most versions of the legend, the Bell Witch (commonly known as Kate) began tormenting John Bell and his family in modern-day Adams, Tennessee sometime in 1817. After 11 years of frightening phenomena, the witch vowed in 1828 to return in 107 years. In 1935. But Alexander’s account determined that the ghost departed in 1827 and planned to return 110 years later. In 1937.

The recent find came only three years after John Bell’s great-grandson, Dr. Charles Bailey Bell, renewed public interest in the legend with his 1934 publication, The Bell Witch—An Early Account. But Alexander was a skeptic. He later admitted that he revived the story because he “relish[ed] a good ghost story” and found them widely popular. Despite his disbelief in the supernatural, his version of events quickly gained popularity, and heightened fears in Adams.

In April, a journalist for the Central Press news syndicate reported from Adams that “many Negroes and some superstitious whites of this community are worried over the predicted return this year of the Bell Witch.” Four months later, residents described a series of eerie incidents to Jack Tucker, a staff correspondent for the Tennessean. Strange noises from Bell Witch cave; a mysteriously emptied corn sack; blackouts and broken beds; scattered feathers from unknown chickens. Some locals accused the Bell Witch outright; others were reluctant to name it for fear of retribution. Several spectators traveled from surrounding counties to investigate the alleged haunting, including a Hopkinsville magician with plans to spend a night in the haunted cave and capture the ghost on film. By then, a group of teenagers had already spotted the Bell Witch during a weenie roast. But the alleged apparition turned out to be merely a stone.

Louis Garrison of Adams, TN inspects Bell Witch cave to discover the source of strange noises.
(Source: The Nashville Tennessean, August 1937)

While Adams was fearful, Nashville was festive. In June, Nashville’s WSM radio station broadcasted the “Bell Witch of Tennessee,” a special 40-minute dramatization written by Bell Witch enthusiast Marshall Morgan with over 40 voice actors and musicians. Alexander publicized the production in his column along with his and Bass’ story in the July issue of Coronet magazine entitled, “Bell Witch—America’s No. 1 Ghost Story.” Four months later on Halloween night, The Return of the Bell Witch appeared on stage at the Princess Theatre.

The “Year of the Witch,” as Alexander branded it, was not without its detractors. One Nashville local reasoned that the strange happenings reported in Adams were a result of people’s fear, not the ghost. That same month, a grandchild of John Bell’s daughter Betsy, wrote to the Tennessean to ask on behalf of his relatives that the paper cease publication of “the rubbish that you are publishing.”

Bell’s descendent eventually got his wish. As the year came to a close, fewer stories about the Bell Witch appeared in the paper. By December, Bell Witch mania had passed without any proof of the paranormal activity, leaving one reporter to suggest that the ghost “must have forgotten all about” its fated return. But it had returned, if not from the supernatural, then from T. H. Alexander’s pen.

By Skyler Gordon
Prepared October 30, 2017

Bird's Yellow House

Last summer, The Colonel and I visited the Bell Witch Cave in Adams, Tennessee. To tell you the truth I was a bit apprehensive about visiting the cave. The Colonel told me stories about how those who wished to visit the cave sometimes had their plans thwarted by the Bell Witch. The Colonel really wanted to see the cave so I agreed to accompany him.

Before I take you along on our visit to the Bell Witch Cave I must first tell you about the Bell Witch.

The Bell Witch haunting (1817-1821) is a legend centered on the 19-century Bell family of Adams, Tennessee. John Bell Sr. was a farmer alongside the Red River. According to the legend the Bell family came under attack by an invisible entity described as a witch. The witch was able to speak and affect the physical environment. Some accounts record the witch had the ability to be in more than one place at a time, cross distances with rapid speed and have the power of prophecy.

The witch was named 'Kate'. Physical activity centered around the Bell's youngest daughter, Betsy and John Bell, Sr. 'Kate' expressed particular displeasure when Betsy became engaged to a local man named John Gardner.

The haunting began in late summer of 1817 with John Bell Sr. witnessing the apparition of a dog with the head of a rabbit. Bell fired at the animal but it disappeared. Activity moved into the house with sounds of scratching, knocking and lip smacking. Sheets were also pulled from beds. The activity grew intense as 'Kate' pulled hair, slapped, pinched and stuck pins in the family with particular focus on Betsy. Friends of the Bell's would come to the home and try to help them against the witch but no help could be given. Legend has it that even future president Andrew Jackson was intrigued with the story. He and his men were frightened away by the witch while traveling to the Bell farm to investigate.

At times, 'Kate' displayed a form of kindness, especially towards Lucy, John Bell's wife, "the most perfect woman to walk the earth", according to the witch. She would give Lucy fresh fruit plucked from the air and sign hymns to her. 'Kate' also showed John Bell Jr. a measure of respect.

Referring to John Bell Sr. as "Old Jack", the witch claimed she intended to kill him and signaled this intention through curses, threats and afflictions. The legend climaxes with John Bell being poisoned by the witch in 1821 and soon after Betsy called off her engagement.

'Kate' told the family she was going to leave but return in seven years. In 1828, she returned as promised to Lucy and her sons Richard and Joel with similar activities as before, but they chose not to encourage the witch and 'Kate' appeared to leave again.

Before our tour of the Bell Witch Cave we had a tour of a replica of the Bell home. The replica is not located on the original site of the Bell home. The original site is some distance away on private land. While touring the rooms of the house we learned of the legend through an audio program. The audio program was well done and very informative.

Now, let me tell you a bit about the Bell Witch Cave. The cave is a Karst cave (formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone). It is approximately 490 feet long. The cave is located on property once owned by the Bell family. Many believe that when the witch departed, she flew to the sanctuary of the cave.

Legend has it that young Betsy Bell and some of her friends had gone to explore the cave. While there, one of the boys crawled into a hole and became stuck. A voice cried out, "I'll get him out" and the boy felt hands grasping his feet and he was pulled out of the hole. The invisible Bell Witch then gave the young explorers a lecture on reckless cave exploring.

Our tour guide for the cave was the owner of the cave. We had a private tour, as no one else was (brave enough to be) on the tour that day. The approach to the cave was a long, down-sloping, gravel trail that was beneath the canopy of very welcomed, shade-giving trees.

The closer we came to the cave's entrance, the cooler the temperatures were. It was very refreshing as the day of our visit was hot and sticky. We finally made it to the cave's entrance and our guide was waiting for us.

We navigated the the few steps down and towards the gated entrance of the cave. Our guide unlocked the gate and we stepped inside the Bell Witch Cave.

The Bell Witch of Tennessee

Near Adams, Tennessee, stands a cave and a historical marker on a farm where the family of John Bell lived in the early 1800s. It was the scene of a series of mysterious manifestations that became known as the Bell Witch haunting.

John Bell, his wife Lucy, their nine children, and a family of slaves moved from North Carolina to Tennessee around 1804. Bell bought up land and eventually accumulated over 300 acres. In 1817, the family began to experience unexplained phenomena that were often centered around Bell's daughter Betsy. They would hear strange tapping and a faint singing voice, identified as that of an old woman, although they couldn't understand the words. The Bell children (three more were born in Tennessee) were awakened at night by something pulling at their bedcovers and sounds of something chewing on the bedposts. John Bell encountered a strange animal in his fields, described as having the body of a dog and the head of a rabbit. Despite nighttime hunting expeditions, they never caught the animal.

As time went on, the family was plagued by loud pounding on the outside of their cabin. Betsy was attacked in her sleep, encounters which left bruises and welts on her face. John Bell told his friend James Johnston about the haunting. Johnston and his wife spent a night in the Bell home and experienced noises and moving objects themselves. As the voice became louder, the family could tell the "witch" was quoting scripture and singing hymns. Over time, she began addressing family members by name. She hated John Bell and vowed to kill him. The witch also spoke to Betsy and warned her against marrying her intended, Joshua Gardner.

The story of the Bell Witch spread through the community, and in 1818, John Bell was excommunicated from his church. The official reason was a charge of usury over a slave sale, but some think the supernatural events were the actual catalyst.

In 1819, General Andrew Jackson paid a visit to the Bell homestead. The three oldest Bell sons had served under Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans, and he had heard the story of the Bell Witch. Jackson had a horse-drawn wagon and several men with him. As they approached the farm, the wagon stopped and the horses could not pull it from its position. After trying to get the wagon going for some time, Jackson exclaimed, "By the eternal, boys, it is the witch." And then …a female voice was heard, saying "All right General, let the wagon move on, I will see you again to-night." And the horses were able to pull the wagon again. Jackson had planned to stay a week, but the group, having experienced more of the witch's attacks overnight, left the Bell farm next day. Accounts exist of this event, but it does not appear in any of Jackson's personal writing.

As time went on, John Bell referred to the witch as "Kate." The rapping, voices, and attacks continued for years. John Bell died in 1820 at the age of 70, and the family found a mysterious vial in the room where Bell's body lay. They fed the liquid inside to the cat, and it immediately died. Then the witch's voice took credit for Bell's death. The witch reportedly laughed and sang constantly during Bell's burial on the farm. A year later, the voice warned Bell's widow Lucy that she would return for more haunting in seven years. Seven years later, in 1828, the manifestation made her last reported appearance, in a discussion with John Bell, Jr. in which the voice predicted the Civil War.

The tales of the Bell Witch haunting were passed down from source to source before being written in an 1894 book, so details vary. It is very likely that the family stories were exaggerated with each retelling. There is some speculation that the manifestations may have been a ruse to break up the relationship between Betsy Bell and her fiancé Joshua Gardner. The witch was strongly opposed to the marriage, and Betsy ended the relationship in 1821 out of fright. In 1824, she married her schoolteacher Richard Powell. Powell had known the family a long time, and some think he may have caused the initial manifestations. Powell began teaching in the area in 1815, and soon developed a liking for Betsy. He became friends with Betsy's parents and was a frequent visitor to the Bell home. It wasn't long after that the mysterious noises began. Powell's first wife died in 1821, the same year Betsy ended her engagement to Gardner.

Today, you can visit the Bell farm and the nearby cave. An early version of the family's cabin has been recreated on its original spot, and its furnishings are recreations, although there are some actual artifacts on site.

The most complete early account of the Bell Witch events are in an 1894 book called An Authenticated History of the Famous Bell Witch. It is available online.

The broomstick and cauldron are props that children can use to enhance their play and make it more realistic. The black cat is a companion for the witch and can be used in various scenarios. Children can imagine the witch brewing potions in the cauldron while her cat sits nearby, or they can create a story where the cat helps the witch with her magical spells.

The little book of spells adds an educational component to the set. It includes simple and fun spells that children can pretend to cast. This not only encourages imaginative play but also helps children learn new words and expand their vocabulary. The Fisher Price Witch Set is made with child-friendly materials that are safe for little ones to play with. It has bright colors and well-designed details that capture children's attention. Additionally, the set is designed to be easily grasped by small hands, making it suitable for children as young as 2 years old. Overall, the Fisher Price Witch Set is a great toy for children to engage in imaginative play and create their own magical adventures. It stimulates their creativity, promotes storytelling skills, and enhances their vocabulary. With its safe and child-friendly design, it is a toy that parents can feel confident in providing to their little ones..

Reviews for "Fisher Price Witch Sets: The Perfect Toy for Halloween Parties"

- Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Fisher Price Witch Set. The quality of the materials used was very poor. The broomstick broke after just a few minutes of play, and the witch's hat was flimsy and constantly falling off. The toy didn't provide much entertainment value either, as the sound effects were annoying and repetitive. Overall, I expected better from Fisher Price.

- Andrew - 1 star - This Fisher Price Witch Set was a complete waste of money. My daughter was excited to play with it, but the toy didn't work properly from the start. The witch's wand didn't light up as it was supposed to, and the cauldron didn't make any bubbling sounds. I contacted Fisher Price customer service, but they were unresponsive and didn't offer any solution. I would definitely not recommend this toy to anyone.

- Emily - 2 stars - The Fisher Price Witch Set looked promising, but it didn't live up to my expectations. The toy itself was very small and didn't have many features to engage my child. The witch's voice was annoying, and there were only two phrases that repeated over and over again. The toy also required a lot of batteries, which added to the cost. I regret buying it and would choose a different toy next time.

- Mike - 2 stars - The Fisher Price Witch Set had potential, but it didn't deliver. The toy was difficult to assemble, and the instructions were not clear. The broomstick didn't fit into the witch's hand properly, and it constantly fell out. The cauldron didn't stay securely in place either. It was frustrating for my child to play with, and I ended up returning it. I would not recommend this toy.

The Role of Fisher Price Witch Sets in Problem-Solving Skills