The Old Witch.

The next story is about an old woman who was feared by those who were jealous of her wealth. Was she guilty of being in league with dark forces or just misunderstood. It’s called

The Old Witch.

Once upon a time long, long ago, somewhere in County Mayo there lived an old woman that all the neighbours were afraid of. She always seemed to have loads of money but no one knew where it came from or how she managed to be so wealthy. She had no husband, no land, no livestock, and she had no rich relatives that may have either left her money or a big inheritance. It was a complete mystery but every night the sound of eating, drinking, and merriment could be heard on the wind coming from the direction of her old cottage. She seemed to have the best of wine, fowl, sweet stuff, and the best cuts of meat delivered to her door and yet when people dared asked how she managed to pay for it all she would simply laugh and say,

“I have paid for it, now mind your own business” and she would walk off mumbling to herself about nosy neighbours.

Off course it wasn’t long before jealous townsfolk began to spread rumours that the old woman was in league with the devil and she could have whatever she wanted just by merely wishing for it. Soon she began to be called “The Old Witch”. She never went out of her house during daylight only at night when darkness fell and she always carried a bridle and whip in her hand. People said that they often heard the sound of a horse galloping far off into the night especially from the direction of the old women’s cottage.

Soon another rumour began to spread, this was a strange story that said if a young man drank some of her fine wine at supper he would shortly afterwards fall into a deep sleep. The Old Witch would then throw a bridle over him, change him into a horse and ride him all over the county. It was also said that whatever she touched with her whip became hers. Fowl, wine, the best of bread and butter, cheese, meat, and new baked cakes. All she had to do was make a wish and spirit hands would carry them to her cottage and place them in her larder. When she had all she needed or wanted then she would ride the horse back to her cottage remove its bridle and whisper a magic spell and it would return to the shape of the young man, still fast asleep and with no knowledge of all that had taken place. Once he woke up from his deep sleep the Old Witch would invite him to “come again” and drink of her expensive wine as often as it pleased him.

It was said that there was a brave young man in the neighbourhood who decided to get to the bottom of these stories. He began to walk past the old women’s cottage every day and with a cheery wave would shout out,

“Good morning mam, How are you today”

Gradually he made friends with the old women and he began to sit outside her cottage and pass the time of day with her. However, he was always watching her knowing that she would try to bewitch him.  Soon the old woman took a shine to him and invited him to supper. She told him that if he came she would give him the best meal he would ever eat; he would have the best of everything especially the wine.

A night was agreed and the young man turned up at her front door full of curiosity. Upon entering the cottage he saw on the table the most beautiful supper he had ever seen, there was plenty of food to eat and plenty of wine to drink. The young man knew the stories about the wine so he was very careful and when the old woman wasn’t looking he emptied the contents of his glass onto the ground. In those days cottages had earth floors so the wine quickly soaked in. He began to pretend to be very sleep and the old woman said,

“Oh you poor thing, you look very weary. Why not have a lie down and sleep here tonight for it’s getting late and you’re far from home”

He lay down on one of the benches in the cottage and pretended he was fast asleep, but he watched her all the time.

Eventually the old woman crept over to the bench and looked at him. He never stirred, breathing heavily he looked to be fast asleep. She quietly walked over to where the bridle was hanging from a hook on the wall, taking it down she walked back to where the young man was sleeping and went to fling it over his head. He jumped up, seized the bridle and before she knew what was happening he threw the bridle over her head. Immediately she was changed into a horse, he led her out into the yard, jumped up onto her back and rode away as fast as the wind until he came to the blacksmiths forge.

“Hoy Smithy” he cried, “Get up out of your bed, I have a horse to be shod and she is weary after the journey”

The blacksmith did as the young man asked and when he had finished the young man paid him well, climbed back onto the horse and rode like the wind back to the house of the old woman, the old witch woman. There he took of the bridle and she immediately regained her own form and sank into a deep sleep. Unfortunately for the old woman the blacksmith had shoed the horse without whispering the magic spell, well how was he to know. So when she woke up the horse shoes remained on her hands and feet and no power on earth could remove them.

The Old Witch never rose from her bed again and died not long after, some say it was from grief and shame. No one followed her on her last journey, no one went to her graveside. The bridle was burned and all her riches disappeared. Nothing was left but a handful of ashes and they were flung to the four points of the earth to be blown away by the four winds. So the enchantment was broken and the power of the Evil One was ended. However, what happened to the old woman’s whip.  I’ll let you write an ending.