Witches familiars Part 1: 🐸 Toads .... Frogs and toads have been associated with myths, folklore and magic for thousands of years. They are portrayed as demons in some cultures, and as an omen of good fortune, protection, rain and fertility in others. 🐸 In Egyptian myth the frog or toad is associated with the goddess Heket, the goddess of fertility and childbirth who assisted Isis in her ritual to resurrect Osiris. She is depicted as a frog-shaped goddess, whose priestesses trained as midwives. Frog shaped knives were placed on to the bellies of pregnant women and newborn babies as protection. 🐸 In ancient China the toad was a trickster and a magician, a master of escapes, spells and the keeper of powerful secrets. 🐸 As frogs and toads go through major transformations during their lives (tadpole to adult, some shed their skins regularly as they grow). They therefore are symbolic of re-creation, and keepers of the secrets of life after death in some cultures . 🐸 Some European myths tell that it was bad luck to kill a frog for they housed the souls of dead children. 🐸 Throughout history the toad is associated with Witches, and thought to be their devoted magical animal used to carry out deeds. In the Witch trials at St. Osyth in England in 1582, Ursula Kempe's young son testified that one of her four familiars, a black toad named Pigin, had caused illness in a young boy. Toads were popular as poisonous ingredients in potions and hallucinogens: “the women-witches of ancient time which killed by poysoning, did much use toads in their confections”. It was said that some witches could control the weather by concocting brews from frogs, toads and snakes, (Toad Soup). 🐸 In Cornwall the toad is said to have searching powers and relating to the object that the witches were casting their spell on through the toad's mental telepathy in spells of cursing but also of good fortune and happiness. 🐸 Limited amount of Taxidermy Australian Toads @musesofmystery #toad#witchesfamiliar#witchesfetch#toadmagick#protection#spell (at Muses Of Mystery)
