#folk magic

Recently, I've been experimenting with adding oils and hydrosols to the water glass - silver-tongue oil today to help facilitate good communication and Sphere & Sundry's Waters of the Immortal Heart to help encourage the creation of a safe and calming space.

Dick stopped at the Llindir Inn on his way to Llanrwst and was charged fourpence for the ale and sixpence for the bread and cheese. He considered this outrageous. He paid it anyway. Before leaving he wrote a spell on a slip of paper, tucked it quietly under the leg of the table, and rode off into the dark, whistling.

That evening the serving girl began dancing around the kitchen, leaping and spinning, shouting "six and four are ten, count it o'er again." The landlord came down to stop her and immediately began dancing himself. The landlady came to stop them both and joined the dance. All three of them were spinning and stamping and shouting, "six and four are ten, count it o'er again," unable to stop, until the noise woke the neighbours.

One of them recognised the work of Dick Spot. He saddled a horse and rode after him, and found Morris some miles down the road, taking his time, still whistling. No need to hurry back, Morris said. Just burn the paper under the table. They burned it. The dancing stopped.

Morris worked as a cunning man for nearly eighty years. This is just one of the fantastical stories recorded about him.