A Witch's Natural History, by Giles Watson

A Witch's Natural History, by Giles Watson. 2020 first printing softcover. 174 pages, very nice condition. Out of Print (oddly).

This book, originally published as a series of essays in The Cauldron, is a meditation on the relationship between folklore and nature. Giles Watson explores the lore, legends and life-histories of a selection of animals which are commonly employed as motifs in the history of witchcraft: culturally maligned creatures such as reptiles, amphibians, crows and rats. He also casts light on the magical significance of more commonly neglected birds, spiders, insects and snails, before turning his attention to plants, and whole ecosystems which have cultural associations with witchcraft. He combines a call for a new reverence for nature with a fascination for some of folklore's strangest representations of our dependence upon it: from the toad-bone amulet in East Anglian witchcraft to the seductive Queen Rat of the Toshers in Bermondsey.

Discover how the lore of the natural world can inform and influence your magical practice. Giles Watson explores the lives and lore of animals that are employed as motifs in witchcraft's history, such as reptiles, amphibians, and rats. He also casts light on the magical significance of birds, spiders, and insects as well as plants and ecosystems connected to witchcraft.