33° The Honey-Makers 



In parts of Holland and Low Germany a fish-like form 

 is offered as a sacrifice for the whole body. 



There is a German legend repeated to this effect : — 



" Whoso offers a hand of wax 

 To him is healed the wound upon his hand. 

 And whoso offers a foot of wax 

 To him his foot becomes whole." 



But all too soon this simple act of faith changed to the 

 pagan magic. The science of " Azman," practised by 

 means of a waxen goblin, became a wide-spread secret 

 art. 



It is said that at the ceremony of initiation in the art 

 of Azman, the baptismal rite was performed in the most 

 solemn manner with the use of holy water, this sacrilegious 

 act being considered necessary to give power to the image 

 of wickedness. 



In a book written in 1455 by Dr. Hartlieb we are 

 told : — 



" One finds certain sorcerers who make Atzmana of wax 

 and other things. They make these at certain hours and 

 pronounce over them certain incantations and names, and 

 hang them where they can swing freely in the air. It 

 is believed that when the wind stirs them, the persons 

 in whose names the images were made, shall have no 

 rest." 



These Atzmana were immersed in water, toasted by the 

 fire, or stuck through with needles and buried under the 

 door-step, as well as hung in the air, it being believed 

 that the person intended to be bewitched through the 

 image would suffer all the torments inflicted upon it. 



It was considered of great importance that the features 

 of the person to be bewitched should be copied as ac- 

 curately as possible in wax. If needles were stuck into 

 the image, the bewitched person represented by it felt 



