Paganism an overview introduction - South African Pagan Council

for fifty francs from one of the servants of a confraternity. It had belonged to the
witch’s mother, who was also a witch, and had been stolen from the objects given by
her before dying to the priest to be burnt. It must be the left humerus, the right having
been used for giving the benediction.
It is possible to make a lover come in the following manner. At noon precisely take
hold of a shutter or door of the room with the left hand, shut it quickly three times,
then strike the floor heavily three times with the left foot. This ceremony is repeated
three several times; at the end the shutter is slammed with violence. Each time the
door or shutter is shut, say: “Porta, che vai e vient;” then at the last time of all:
“Prendilo, Diavolo, e non lo trattieni; giacche` set il Diavolo Zoppo, portami N-- o
vivo o morto.”
To prevent a lover from liking another, stand in front of a wall so that your shadow
falls on it; speak to the shadow as if to the lover, saying: “Buona sera, ombricciuola
mia, buona sera a me e buona sera a te; avanti a N--- tutte brutte figure, ed io bella
come una luna.” In speaking of oneself, touch the breast; the shadow, in naming the
lover; in saying bella, touch the face; in mentioning the moon, the wall. Witches
undertake to punish the unfaithful. They prepare three cords with knots, a black cord
for the head, red for the heart, white for the sexual organs. To cause pain in the head,
they take hold of the black cord, gaze at a star, and say: “Stella una, stella due, stella
tre, stella quattro, io le cervella di N-- attacco, glide attacco tanto forte, che per me
possa prendere la morte.” This is repeated five times outside the witch’s door. For the
heart, say: “Buona sera, buona sera, N-- mio, dove e` stato? Diavolo da me non e`
accostato; diavolo, tu questa sera me lo devi chiamare e qui me lo devi portare.”
Taking hold of the white cord, is said: “Diavolo, to in mano ho questo laccio; to gli
lego c---i e c-o, da nessuno possa f/--e ed impregnare; solo a questa f-a possa
adorare.” The incantation finished, the cord must be worn in order to keep the knots
intact, for if untied the charm is broken. A lemon, orange, or even a potato, stuck over
with pins of various colours and nails answers the same purpose. The pins and nails
are inserted at midnight in the open air, deeply or superficially, according to the harm
intended. In sticking in each pin, is said: “Stella, stella, delle fore fore, diavolo
quattro, diavolo nove, io questa spilla in testa a N--- inchiodo,gliela inchiodo tanto
forte che per me ne deve prendere la morte.” Then knots are made round some of the
pins with a cord secretly bought by the witch for this special purpose, refusing to take
change; if the seller calls her back she tells him that he is mad. In knotting the cord, is
said: “Diavolo Zoppo, io metto questa spilla in testa di N-- vivo o morto.” Then the
object is hidden to prevent a disenchantment, as by throwing it into a drain or into the
sea. The head, heart, or liver of an animal is also used, the head of a cock for a man,
of a hen for a woman.
To prevent an unfaithful lover from sleeping, the woman goes to bed quite naked,
takes hold of the left sleeve of her chemise, saying: " Rissa, rissa, diavolo, io mi
vendo questa camicia, non me la vendo per denaro. Pulci, cimici, piattole e tafani e
I'ortica campaiuola, da N-- ve ne andate, ed allora pace fossa trovare, quando questa
camicia si viene a prendere." Then, putting the chemise in the middle of the bed, she
stands at the foot, places her arms crossed on the bed, and turns them four times so
that the last time the-palms are turned upwards, saying: “Il letto di N-- non Io vedo,
non Io so. Ai piedi ci metto due candelieri, alia testa ci metto un capo di morte,
146