Voodoo Running from My Magic: Voodoo, a belief system that originated in Haiti and the surrounding Caribbean islands, has long been associated with magic and mystical practices. It is widely misunderstood and often misrepresented in popular culture. However, at its core, Voodoo is a religion that combines elements from African spiritual traditions with Catholicism. In Voodoo, practitioners believe in the existence of deities called loa, who are believed to be intermediaries between humans and the supreme being. These loa are worshipped through rituals, ceremonies, and offerings. Voodoo ceremonies often involve music, dancing, and spirit possession, where the loa take control of individuals, allowing them to communicate with the divine.
Witches in fairy tales are often depicted as old women with long hair, pointed noses, warts, claws, and hunched backs. Witches possess the ability to practice witchcraft and may use magic for good, evil, or neutral reasons. Most fairy tales depict witches using witchcraft for evil reasons such as creating treats such as gingerbread houses and poisoned apples to trap their victims as well concoct poisoned objects to murder their victims.
When the prince discovers the witch waiting for him instead of the maiden, Dame Gothel curses him to never see Rapunzel again, and the prince falls out of the tower and lands eyes-first in a thorn bush, now blinded. By turns dangerous and kind, hideous and beautiful, outcasted and social, they are often at the heart of their tales, a perfect reminder that fairy tales are never as simple as they first seem.
Voodoo ceremonies often involve music, dancing, and spirit possession, where the loa take control of individuals, allowing them to communicate with the divine. One of the aspects of Voodoo that is often misunderstood is the use of magic. Voodoo practitioners believe in the power of magic to influence people and events.
Fire and Fur: The Many Guises of the Grimms’ Fairy-Tale Witches
The fairy-tale witch is a compelling, frightening, and reliable stock character in our contemporary society. Mention “witch” and the hag of fairy-tale picture books for children comes to mind far more frequently than any other, more nuanced image. As fairy-tale scholar Jack Zipes puts it, “[w]e use the word [‘witch’] ‘naturally’ in all Western countries as if we all know what a witch is”. The witch of our most well-known and well-loved fairy tales is, however, a far more versatile figure than the one-dimensional crone with a wart on her nose and a cartoonish cackle on her lips. In this article, we will explore the witch of the Grimms’ fairy tales in her many guises, from mother to monster, from helper to heroine.
The witches that appear in folklore — in fairy tales, legends, and other folk narratives — are often deeply ambiguous. Rarely are they purely good or evil. Consider, for example, the famous Russian folkloric witch Baba Yaga. In some tales, she is an evil monster… in others, she is the main character’s only hope — “she is not just a dangerous witch but also a maternal benefactress”. Witches are liminal, creatures of thresholds and becomings who resist simple binaries. They frequently have close ties to the natural world. They are associated with healing and knowledge as often as they are with dark magic, but, in either case, “[w]itchcraft is all about power” (Reiti 3). Witches of folklore invite change and galvanize transformation.
In 1812, the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm released the first edition of their Children and Household Tales. Though they revised the tales many times over the next four decades, their fairy tales were always populated with witches and witch-like figures. Though we readily acknowledge that Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm themselves did not share today’s expansive view of what witches can represent, here are just a few of the vibrant and varied roles that witches play in the brothers’ book of fairy tales.
Witch as Monster
The fairy-tale witch that almost certainly first comes to mind is that of the monstrous witch. She is the hooked-nose, cackling, long-nailed nightmare of haunted forests, stolen children, and the spookiest of Halloween dolls. This is the cannibalistic witch in the Grimms’ famous fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel” who builds an irresistible house out of cake and sugar to lure starving children into her clutches. She is, undeniably, a monster: she is an incarnation of uncontrollable hunger in a world where starvation was an all-too-real possibility (Tatar 229-232).
While the witch of “Hansel and Gretel” is beyond redemption (again: cannibalism!), we do want to note that “monster” does not have to mean “evil.” “Monstrousness” is frequently attributed to anyone who challenges social order or ruptures the fabric of the expected. A witch who is deemed to be monstrous may indeed be violent or cruel, but she may just as easily be kind or neutral — monstrosity is often not about the actions or character of the one deemed to be “monstrous” but about the way that others perceive her. In “Mother Holle,” another fairy tale in the Grimms’ collection, the witch seems frightening at first, with huge teeth, but turns out to be a kind figure who rewards those who help her.
“Snow White” by Jennie Harbour Source
Witch as Mother
It must be said that parents are rarely positive figures in fairy tales. When they aren’t dead, they are often neglectful, and they can even be malevolent or murderous. The Grimms’ tales feature many terrible witch-mothers, and perhaps the most famous are the stepmother of “Snow White,” who is knowledgeable in certain magical arts and attempts to poison her stepdaughter, and the witch of “Rapunzel,” who takes a child in payment for stolen vegetables from her garden, blinds Rapunzel’s prince, and casts her out into the wilderness alone and pregnant.
However, there are positive versions of witchy motherhood to be found in the collection, as well. In “The Goose Girl at the Well,” a witch takes on the mothering role with fierce protectiveness and compassion, guiding the young princess in her care and helping her to better her life.
Witch as Helper
Witches can offer aid and guidance as often as they hurt or hinder. A fascinating instance of the witch as a helper figure occurs in the Grimms’ little known tale “The Three Spinners,” parallels the much more famous “Rumpelstiltskin.” In “The Three Spinners,” three strange, witch-like women come to the aid of a young, lazy girl who hates to spin. Instead of requiring jewelry and her firstborn child as payment for their help, the women ask only to be invited to her wedding and to be called her aunts. Instead of fracturing family, as Rumpelstiltskin would do, the spinners help to strengthen and reinforce community ties. In the end, they even help ensure that she never has to spin again by convincing her new husband that spinning is what made them ugly!
Witch as Lover
At first brush, “Frau Trude” might seem to be a story about another monstrous witch. After all, it appears to be a cautionary tale about a girl who seeks out a witch and is transformed into a log and set on fire by that witch for her trouble. On the other hand, folklorist Kay Turner has argued that the tale might instead be interpreted as one in which the young girl seeks out Frau Trude because she is drawn to her, a feeling that the waiting witch reciprocates. In this reading, the girl’s transformation into “fire” is a metaphor for her sexual awakening, her “flames of passion” (Turner 261), and the tale becomes a queer love story of two outcasted women finding each other (Turner 2012).
“Allerleirauh” by Henry Justice Ford Source
Witch as Princess
If a witch can play so many of the traditional roles for women in the Grimms’ fairy tales, the question must be asked: can a witch also be a princess? We would argue yes. In the tale “All Kinds of Fur,” the princess protagonist is distinctly witch-like – at one point in the text, she is even called a witch! She is not afraid to be ugly, even gender-less, while wearing her furs, she is skilled in witch-associated crafts like cooking, and she somehow manages to put three enormous ball gowns and three golden objects into a nutshell! While we don’t endorse the simplistic statement that fairy-tale princesses are generally passive, the princess of this story moves through her tale with a versatility and ambiguity that suggests a kinship with the witch. She is, after all, “largely responsible for her own transformations” (Yocom 104). Thus, yes, we contend that witches can also be princesses.
The witches of the Grimms’ fairy tales occupy a far more diverse set of roles than is frequently assumed. By turns dangerous and kind, hideous and beautiful, outcasted and social, they are often at the heart of their tales, a perfect reminder that fairy tales are never as simple as they first seem.
References & Further Reading
Rieti, Barbara. Making Witches: Newfoundland Traditions of Spells and Counterspells. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2008.
Tatar, Maria. “Introduction: Tricksters.” The Classic Fairy Tales, edited by Maria Tatar. 2 nd Ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2017. 229-235.
Turner, Kay. “Playing with Fire: Transgression as Truth in Grimms’ ‘Frau Trude.’” Transgressive Tales: Queering the Grimms, edited by Kay Turner and Pauline Greenhill. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2012. 245-274.
Yocom, Margaret R. “’But Who Are You Really?’: Ambiguous Bodies and Ambiguous Pronouns in ‘Allerleirauh.’” Transgressive Tales: Queering the Grimms, edited by Kay Turner and Pauline Greenhill. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2012. 91-118.
Zipes, Jack. The Irresistible Fairy Tales: The Cultural and Social History of a Genre. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2012.
Grimm Tales Mentioned:
“All Kinds of Fur,” “Frau Trude,” “The Goose Girl at the Well,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Mother Holle,” “Rapunzel,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Snow White,” and “The Three Spinners.”
Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman
Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman are award-winning folklorists, teachers, and writers with a combined 26 years in higher education and over three dozen publications. Together, they founded Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, teaching creative souls how to re-enchant their lives through folklore and fairy tales. In 2019, Carterhaugh won the Dorothy Howard Award from the American Folklore Society. When they aren’t teaching at Carterhaugh, they are scholars, writers, and best friends who have published peer-reviewed articles, appeared on podcasts, sold stories and poems, written book introductions and encyclopedia entries, and written for magazines and blogs. (They’ve also been known to crush “Total Eclipse of the Heart” at karaoke.) They are regular writers for Enchanted Living Magazine, and their weekly blog has reached more than 60,000 people. Sara and Brittany also deliver sold-out lectures at venues like the Profs & Pints series, the Maryland Renaissance Festival, the Contemporary American Theater Festival, and FaerieCon.
Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman
Yocom, Margaret R. “’But Who Are You Really?’: Ambiguous Bodies and Ambiguous Pronouns in ‘Allerleirauh.’” Transgressive Tales: Queering the Grimms, edited by Kay Turner and Pauline Greenhill. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2012. 91-118.
However, it is important to note that Voodoo magic is not inherently evil or sinister. It is simply a tool that can be used for either good or bad purposes. The practice of Voodoo magic is often referred to as "hoodoo" or "rootwork" and involves the use of herbs, candles, talismans, and other objects to create spells and charms. These spells can be used for various purposes, such as healing, protection, love, and prosperity. Contrary to popular belief, Voodoo magic is not about controlling others or causing harm. It is about tapping into the natural energies of the universe and using them to manifest positive changes in one's life. It is a tool for empowerment and spiritual growth. However, like any form of magic or religion, Voodoo can be misused by those with ill intentions. There have been instances where individuals have used Voodoo magic to harm others or manipulate them for personal gain. These cases, however, are not representative of the true essence of Voodoo. In conclusion, Voodoo is a complex and rich belief system that combines African spirituality with Catholicism. It is a religion that celebrates the connection between humans and the divine and incorporates rituals, ceremonies, and spellwork. While Voodoo magic is often misunderstood and misrepresented, it is a tool for empowerment and positive change when used responsibly..
Reviews for "The Rituals of Life and Death: Voodoo Practices Surrounding Birth and Funerals"
1. Jane Smith - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Voodoo Running from My Magic" as the premise sounded intriguing. However, I found the execution to be lacking. The plot was confusing and disjointed, jumping from one storyline to another without clear transitions. The characters were also underdeveloped and unlikable, making it difficult for me to connect with them. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. John Doe - 1 star - "Voodoo Running from My Magic" was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was amateurish, with repetitive and awkward phrasing throughout. The author also failed to create a believable and immersive world, as I struggled to suspend my disbelief while reading. Additionally, the pacing was off, with slow and uninteresting segments that made it hard to stay engaged. I regret wasting my time on this book and would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Emily Thompson - 2.5 stars - Although "Voodoo Running from My Magic" had an interesting concept, it fell short in execution. The writing was underwhelming and lacked depth, with shallow characterizations that made it difficult to root for any of them. The pacing was uneven, with moments of excitement mixed with long stretches of boredom. Overall, while the book had potential, it failed to deliver on its promises and left me unsatisfied.
4. David Johnson - 1 star - I had high hopes for "Voodoo Running from My Magic," but unfortunately, it was a complete disappointment. The writing was subpar, filled with grammatical errors and awkward syntax. The plot was confusing and convoluted, with too many unexplained elements that left me frustrated. The ending was rushed and unsatisfying, leaving several loose ends unresolved. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a well-written and coherent story.
5. Sarah Wilson - 2 stars - I found "Voodoo Running from My Magic" to be a mediocre read at best. The writing lacked depth and failed to evoke any emotions in me. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked growth throughout the story. While the concept had potential, it was not executed well, leaving the plot feeling disjointed and unresolved. I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.