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from Diary of a Village Witch
The blacksmith's wife came to see me today. Maigret, her name is. Maigret Black. An important woman hereabouts, and not only because of her husband. The bees warned me she was coming but even so I barely had time to get ready. It's not a good idea for one of the villagers to see me when I'm not expecting company. No one expects a witch to look like the person next door, although they'd be surprised at how many of us there are living seemingly ordinary lives next door.
But I am an official witch and that means I need to look the part.
The reason she almost caught me unawares was the speed with which she came. She must have been almost running to lag the bees so shortly. For that matter, I was surprised that she was there at all, she'd left on a visit to her son in Rivermark town only a few days before.
Turns out, that was the reason for her haste. All was not well at her son's home. She told me that her grandson, a lad of three years age, was under an evil eye and she wanted me to go remove it.
Well, as flattering as that may be, I told her I couldn't. Rivermark town is not in my territory. There's a witch or wizard there in town to whom she should appeal; the one responsible for Rivermark.
I'm a village witch, not a town witch or a wizard. I like being a village witch. I have three hamlets for which I oversee the balance; Smitham, Rockbottom and Oakdon. I have help; the bees, Brunie, and Dis. And Pishek, of course. My cat. I can't even envision what sort of helpers a town witch would employ.
Maigret Black told me that her daughter-in-law wouldn't even consider the idea of bringing in a witch to help and her son ... Maigret's son, that is ... isn't at home at this time to insist. He's off on a trading trip which was why Maigret had decided to visit; to help out in his absence.
According to Maigret, her daughter-in-law ... Sheena ... had called in a doctor who told her that the boy had the falling sickness, for which there is no cure. He suggested that she tie the lad to his cot to keep him from harm.
What kind of advice is that?
The best thing ... the only thing ... that can be done is for Maigret herself to go to the local authorities for help. She's the lad's father's mother, that gives her the right, the power and the authority to insist, even over the boy's mother.
That's what I told her and then I sent her off.
But I don't feel so very happy with myself at the moment. The poor lad.
But I am an official witch and that means I need to look the part.
The reason she almost caught me unawares was the speed with which she came. She must have been almost running to lag the bees so shortly. For that matter, I was surprised that she was there at all, she'd left on a visit to her son in Rivermark town only a few days before.
Turns out, that was the reason for her haste. All was not well at her son's home. She told me that her grandson, a lad of three years age, was under an evil eye and she wanted me to go remove it.
Well, as flattering as that may be, I told her I couldn't. Rivermark town is not in my territory. There's a witch or wizard there in town to whom she should appeal; the one responsible for Rivermark.
I'm a village witch, not a town witch or a wizard. I like being a village witch. I have three hamlets for which I oversee the balance; Smitham, Rockbottom and Oakdon. I have help; the bees, Brunie, and Dis. And Pishek, of course. My cat. I can't even envision what sort of helpers a town witch would employ.
Maigret Black told me that her daughter-in-law wouldn't even consider the idea of bringing in a witch to help and her son ... Maigret's son, that is ... isn't at home at this time to insist. He's off on a trading trip which was why Maigret had decided to visit; to help out in his absence.
According to Maigret, her daughter-in-law ... Sheena ... had called in a doctor who told her that the boy had the falling sickness, for which there is no cure. He suggested that she tie the lad to his cot to keep him from harm.
What kind of advice is that?
The best thing ... the only thing ... that can be done is for Maigret herself to go to the local authorities for help. She's the lad's father's mother, that gives her the right, the power and the authority to insist, even over the boy's mother.
That's what I told her and then I sent her off.
But I don't feel so very happy with myself at the moment. The poor lad.