Documented by folklorist Walter Traill Dennison in the 1880s in the Orkneys, Scotland: “The Witches’ Charm” is a dedication ritual to the witch gods from whom the petitioner wishes to attain magical powers.
During the full moon, go to a solitary beach on the sea. Turn yourself around three times witherlins and lay down on the beach at the ebb — the area between high and low tide. Place a stone at each of your outstretched hands and feet, one at the head, one at the chest cavity, and one over the heart totalling seven stones. Speak aloud:
O’ Mester King o’ a’ that’s ill,
Come fill me wi’ the Warlock’s Skill,
An’ I shall serve wi’ all me will.
Trow take me gin I sinno!
Trow take me gin I winno!
Trow take me win I cinno!
Come take me noo, an take me a’,
Take lights an’ liver, pluck and ga,
Take me, take me, noo I say,
Fae de how o’ da heed, tae da tip o’ da tae.
Take a’ dats oot an’ in o’ me.
Take hare an hide an a’ tae thee.
Take hert, an harns, flesh, bleud and banes,
Take a’ atween the seeven stanes,I’ de name of da muckle black Wallowa!
Translation:
O Master King of all that’s ill,
Come fill me with the Witches’ Skill,
And I shall serve with all my will.
Devil take me if I sin!
Devil take me if I fly!
Devil take me when I cannot!
Come take me now, and take me all,
Take lungs and liver, organs and feet,
Take me, take me, now I say!
From the brow of the head, to the tip of the toe.
Take all that’s out and in of me.
Take hair and hide and all to thee.
Take heart and brains, flesh, blood and bones,
Take all between the seven stones!
In the name of the great dark Witch!
Lay quiet and meditate for a few moments, then open your eyes, turn on your left side, rise and throw each stone individually into the sea crying: “Trow take me with each throw!”.
The “Master King” may be Manannán or Shoni, the Gael’s god of the sea, the underworld, and the dead. The “great dark Witch” is most likely Nicneven also associated with the titles “Gyre Carline” and “Queen of Elphame”, the Scottish equivalent of other underworld goddesses like Hecate, Hel, Holda, and possibly related to the Norns. To dedicate yourself these two is to give yourself over to the unseelie court…
References:
Why would the translation change from Warlock to Witch?
Just curious as I see the bottom line Wallowa is also translated as witch.
In old Scots slang warlock wasn’t just used for a male witch, it was used to mean witchcraft in general, i.e. “warlocky” meaning witchcraft, wizardry or sorcery. The use of warlock and warlocky was also associated with spaecraft which is similar to the practices of the Cunning Folk of England. The folklorist who documented this chant believes the first part involving the Devil is a later edition to a much older charm related to spaecraft and its origin from the Völva of the Norse.
“Muckle black Wallowa” is a title – muckle is often used in Scots terms associated with witchcraft and the devil, and “Wallowa” is believed to be a corruption of the Norse title “Völva” for the priestesses of Hel, literally translating as “great dark witch”.
Sláinte,
Sarah
MM Sarah
The ritual is interesting, as was your explanation to W.D.
I find the reference that the ritual will “give yourself over to the unseelie court” to be a bit confusing. Perhaps there needs to be another paragraph break after the first sentence of the last paragraph so that this “leap in logic” is not actually associated with the ritual itself, but is only associated with the musings on associations behind the ritual (i.e., with underworld goddesses)?
Yeah, I hate to get out of bed some mornings, and I’m sure you’re sorry you got out of bed today, too! It’s a compulsion, but at least it shows I really read what you write — and think about it.
Faerie blessings,
Kat
Lol, about the getting out of bed! Makes sense to me, Nicnevin is the Queen of Elphame and her consort guards the entrance to the otherworlds, they are essentially the king and queen of the unseelie. But I can see how it may be misunderstood, when I publish things from my grimoire for others, I need to remember not everyone’s versed in Scottish witchcraft!