Images of Harry Potter come to mind as the students pick out their animals before heading to Hogwarts. Frogs, cats, owls, dogs are common animals witches and wizards will use as familiars. Yet, what is a familiar? In legend, a familiar or familiar spirit is a supernatural being that helps and supports a witch or wizard. Familiars can be human, spirit or animal. I believe some of the familiars legends came about with the metamorphosis myth in Lycophron. The dog that accompanies Hecate was originally the Trojan Queen Hekabe. The Trojan Queen Hekabe leapt into the sea after the fall of Troy and was transformed by Hecate into her familiar.
The next time history animal familiars were mention was during the days of the European witch hunts, familiars were “said to be given to witches by the devil,” according to Rosemary Guiley’s “Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.” They were, in essence, small demons which could be sent out to do a witch’s bidding. During the Salam Witch Trials a dog was tried, convicted, and hanged.
Today, animal familiars have a friendlier vibe. From Disney’s Sword and the Stone, Hocus Pocus to Sleeping Beauty. The helpfulness of familiars are a theme in today’s culture. As Halloween is coming upon us maybe you will see a witches familiar wandering the streets as you trick or treat.
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Fun and interesting