In this episode we’ll explore the Irish folktale “The Witches Excursion.” It was recorded by Patrick Kennedy in the book Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts published in 1866. Like the Grimm tale, “Frau Holle,” here is another story that began as a myth and became a folktale. We’ll discuss how the character of Queen Medb is reflected in this tale and how the wise crone once again saves the day!
Story: "The Witches' Excursion" collected and narrated by Patrick Kennedy in Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts (London: Macmillan), 1866.
Cover illustration: Woodcut by Mathers' Wonders of the Invisible World (1689) and used in an 18th-century pamphlet about the Lancashire witches.
Music: The Snow Queen Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.
Copyright 2022 Kathy Shimpock.
For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).