Description

IN THIS LAND, THE HISTORY AND LORE OF THE WITCH AND WISEWOMAN RUNS DEEP.

Let Of Toads and Hares take you on a magical county-by-county tour of English folklore and myths that have lain dormant for hundreds of years. Discover the witches who cavorted with spirits, sold themselves to the Devil and shapeshifted into hares. Journey through the marketplaces where wisewomen could tell your fortune, heal and curse, whilst selling you a love charm.

Step into England’s mystical and superstitious past with these carefully curated retellings of well-known and obscure regional legends. An excellent research tool to dip into for writers, travellers and cunning folk alike that shows the story of the witch goes further than the gallows.

Publisher Review

‘Benjamin Stimpson’s latest work is a very interesting and informative overview of the folkloric witchcraft of the English counties. It is an excellent introduction to the lore, mythology and magic to be found in the old tales and will be of great value to anyone wishing to learn more of this subject. A good read.’ — Nigel G. Pearson * author of Treading the Mill: Workings in Traditional Witchcraft * ‘An important new work from one of the brightest lights in the folklore revival.’ — Dr Christina Oakley-Harrington, author and Founder of Treadwell’s Bookshop and Event Centre ‘This compendious volume takes the reader on a meandering tour of the English landscape, and in recounting the tales told of the magical practitioners that lived there, the reader may come to appreciate something of the commonalities found in witchcraft narratives across England. Yet in this journey we also bear witness to the many idiosyncrasies found in regional expressions of magic, such being afforded by the uniqueness of the spirits of place.’ — Martin Duffy * author of Effigy: Of Graven Image and Holy Idol, and Anathema Maranatha: Christianity and the Imprecatory Arts * ‘Of Toads and Hares is a superb collection of English folktales concerning witches, meticulously researched by Benjamin Stimpson as part of his ‘Wise Ones Series’ of books. It follows on from Of Doves and Ravens which focused on Wales. The book is an enchanting read, which can be dipped into for pleasure or study. I thoroughly recommended it to anyone interested in folklore and historic depictions of women and witchcraft. Witches, according to a plethora of folktales, were shape-changers. An old and probably ugly woman with magical powers would take the form of a hare, cat or sometimes a toad to spy on neighbours. A man hunted or otherwise injured the animal, and the witch’s powers were outed when she was seen to have an identical wound. Her fate was determined by the same man or an angry mob because, of course, witches were usually depicted as malefic. They stole or curdled the milk, played tricks on people, sometimes caused illness or even death. These were scary tales to entertain and thrill, and this collection accurately represents that – warts and all. Yet Of Toads and Hares also offers some positive accounts of wise women from the past. All of these stories can still entertain today and I really enjoyed discovering some rare examples from all over the country. I hope at least some modern readers would, perhaps, also wish they could tap into the old magic and shape-change into a hare. — Lucya Starza * author of Pagan Portals: Poppets and Magical Dolls * ‘Of Toads and Hares is a fascinating, thorough exploration of the folkloric witch in England, sharing the stories which have shaped belief across time. Retold with a fairytale flair but anchored in specific real world locations the text exists in a liminal space between history and imagination. Highly entertaining and undeniably intriguing, a great addition to anyone’s bookshelf, whether you love witches, folklore, or just enjoy a good story.’ — Morgan Daimler * author of Fairy: The Otherworld By Many Names and Paid With a Kiss: Love and Sex in Fairy Belief *