26 WOMAN AS WITCH 



If, then, I have indicated that we must look upon 

 the witch - gatherings as fossils of high festivals for 

 dancing, feasting, and the choice of sweethearts by the 

 younger folk, I have still to show that the devil as 

 master of the ceremonies is a late importation. I can 

 do this best by citing to you the legend of the Bensberg 

 in the Herkenrath district. Here there is a spot in the 

 forest termed the weichen Hahn, which appears to be 

 a corruption of the wichen Hain, or sacred grove. At 

 this place, according to tradition, there are great witch- 

 gatherings on May night and Midsummer night. Over 

 these gatherings the devil and his grandmother preside. 

 Three lads who once went as unobserved spectators 

 were, according to the legend, astonished by the num- 

 ber of witches present, and by a grandeur of which they 

 had never dreamt. Upon a resplendent throne, the 

 jewels of which lighted up the wood, sat the she-devil 

 in youthful beauty, at her feet sat her grandson, the 

 devil himself, and in a large half-ring round stood the 

 witches, who kept flying in. Then the witches began 

 a rhythmic movement with song and resonant music, 

 ever bending towards the throne. The devil's grand- 

 mother consecrated them with water from a golden 

 vessel, using instead of the usual water -sprinkler a 

 bunch of green ears of corn, which she carried in her 

 right hand ; in her left hand she held a beautiful 

 golden apple. All the witches appeared young l and 

 active maidens of astonishing beauty, such as the 

 observers had never before seen, and the music sung 

 was sweeter than any they had ever heard. 



It is true that when the lads' presence was dis- 



1 Compare the young witch in Baldung Grien's cut, p. 30. 



