New World Witchery

CORY THOMAS HUTCHESON (Central Pennsylvania) is the cohost of the popular podcast New World Witchery. He has a doctorate in American Studies with specializations in folklore, religion, and ethnicity from Penn State. He is a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of American Folklore and Folklife Studies and American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales, and he has written for popular occult publications, including Witches and Pagans. www.CoryThomasHutcheson.com

Contents

List of Exercises/Practical Work xiii

Chapter One: The Crossroads—An Introduction and Guide to This Book 1

FIRST RITE: NAMING
Chapter Two: Are You a Good Witch?—Defining and Categorizing New World Witchery 13

SECOND RITE: INITIATION
Chapter Three: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son—The Call to Witchcraft and Magic 35
Chapter Four: Killing the Moon—Initiation Rituals 53

THIRD RITE: CASTING THE SPELL Chapter Six: Hair, Milk, and Blood—Cursing Magics 91

FOURTH RITE: SECOND SIGHT
Chapter Seven: Wonders, Signs, and Tokens—Divination and Fortune-Telling 111
Chapter Eight: Bloody Sod and Silver Spade—Treasure-Hunting Magic 131

FIFTH RITE: FLIGHT
Chapter Nine: Salting Her Skin—The Witch in Flight 149

SIXTH RITE: CHEWING THE ROOT
Chapter Ten: Hidden in Plain Sight—Everyday Magical Ingredients 169
Chapter Eleven: Roots, Stones, and Bones—Gathering Magical Supplies 187
Chapter Twelve: Ladders, Dolls, and Bottles—Crafting Magical Objects 211

SEVENTH RITE: THE FAMILIAR
Chapter Thirteen: The Witch's Companion—Creatures and Witchcraft 233
Chapter Fourteen: The Dark Man in the Woods—Diabolical Rumors and Rites 249

EIGHTH RITE: HALLOWING THE GROUND
Chapter Fifteen: A Scratch above Her Eye—Defending Home and Hearth from Witchery 265
Chapter Sixteen: The Devil’s Tramping Grounds—Magical Spaces and Places in the New World 281

NINTH RITE: CALLING THE MOON
Chapter Seventeen: Topsy-Turvy Days—A Calendar of Bewitched Days 301
Chapter Eighteen: At Dawn on the First of May—Magic by the Hour 323

TENTH RITE: WORKING THE CHARM
Chapter Nineteen: Devils’ Books and Letters from Heaven— The Written Word and Witchcraft 343

ELEVENTH RITE: NECROMANCY
Chapter Twenty: Those Are My Boys—Friendly Spirits in Folk Magic 361
Chapter Twenty-One: The Witch's Ghost—A Haunted Legacy of Magic 377

TWELFTH RITE: INVISIBILITY
Chapter Twenty-Two: Dangerous Games—Folk Magic in Contemporary Times 393

CODA
Coda—The Thirteenth Rite: Witches in the Popular Imagination for Better or Worse 409

Bibliography 415

Index 433