MULTIPLY The Horror of it All #3-D: Witches?

Having long red hair is not always an advantage and it was one of the first things she noticed in her life. As a child she soon got the nickname Red Sally from her friends and even her mother seemed to push her to one side. It was always her sister that was preferred.

“Why can’t you be like your sister Betsy. She is always so helpful with the housework. You seem to spend more time day dreaming than doing something constructive” were the words she always heard. No, growing up life was not ideal, but in the middle ages you respected your parents and did what they said. That was another problem; it did seem that Sally’s father Noah would avoid her. She once overheard a conversation between him and her mother.

“There is definitely something wrong with that girl” said Noah. “First of all there is no-one with red hair amongst us. The only person I ever saw with that colour hair was the pot seller that visits the village once a year. She bears no resemblance to anyone on your side of the family, or on mine.”

“I suppose it is just one of those things that happens in nature. Polly Peckham always had nice white sheep on the meadow and suddenly she had a black one. Now who knows where that came from?”

“If you ask me there is something in this witchcraft talk. It just isn’t natural” answered Noah.

Being a witch in those days was dangerous. Just the thought was bad enough. Sally was almost sure she was not a witch, or was she. She remembered when Judith, one of the girls in the village, chased her into the woods and threw mud at her and the other village children just laughed and enjoyed the fun. Sally felt so annoyed, she just wished that Judith was dead. The next day they found Judith’s body floating in the stream. It was an accident of course, although Sally did have a funny feeling in her stomach. After a while she found that life was more peaceful without Judith, and the other village children seemed to keep their distance.

Sally also had a strange idea about the pot seller. Every time he visited the village to sell his goods, he always seemed to spend more time at her house. Her mother would send her off into the woods to collect berries and told her to take her time. When she returned to the hut where they lived the pot seller was gone. As Sally got older she realised she did bear a strong resemblance to the pot seller.

As the years went by Sally grew into an attractive woman, although was still avoided by most of the village population. It was only the visiting folk or gypsies that took an interest in the red Sally. Her parents died, her sister married and Sally stayed in the house. One day she was in her garden when a small kitten suddenly appeared and looked at Sally with such longing eyes. He was so black, that it would be difficult to find him at night, but Sally decided it would be company. She fed him and gave him a nice comfortable place to sleep. She realised that black cats were not looked upon as the ideal pet, witches always had black cats, but she decided as she was already avoided by most of the villagers, having a black cat would not make things any worse.

She gave the name Black Beauty to the cat and with time noticed that the cat would never leave her. Where Sally went, Black Beauty was not far behind her. One day she met Polly Peckham in the village but as she walked past Sally, Polly spit on the ground. Before Sally could say something Black Beauty jumped up on Polly and scratched her hand drawing blood.

“Witch” Polly called “you should be burnt with your cat.” And she walked on.

“May your milk turn sour” shouted Sally to Polly and she went home, still shaking with fright and anger.

The next morning there was a hammering on Sally’s door.

“Open in the name of the sheriff” she heard.

She opened the door and before she could run away her hands were put in irons and a leather band was tied around her neck by which she was pulled along. The sheriff was standing at the door and he was known for not messing around with witches. You only had to mention the word and he was ready for a burning.

“Sally Hobbs I arrest you in the name of the law for witchery. You will be tried tomorrow and when found guilty will received your just punishment.”

Sally was then pulled into a cart and brought to the local jail. Black Beauty, her cat, tried to run away, but was also caught and put into a small cage which was also brought to the prison. Black Beauty barred his teeth and flashed his yellow eyes and spit but there was no escaping. It seemed to Sally that he had turned into a wild beast.

On the day of the trial all villagers were present; some out of curiosity and others because they were convinced that the red Sally was a witch.

Polly Peckham entered the witness stand and repeated the curse that Sally showered upon her that her milk should turn sauer.

“And did it turn sauer Mistress Peckham” asked the judge.

“Oh yes, sir” she answered “as soon as I got home I had a look, as I was sure that red Sally was a witch, and there it was, as sauer as it could be. That woman is definitely a witch. And her cat scratched my hand look your honour. It still hasn’t healed.”

“Burn the witch, burn the witch” shouted the villagers in the court.

“Silence” called the judge “based on the evidence of Mistress Peckham I find Sally Hobbs guilty of witchery and she will be burnt at the stake tomorrow evening with her bedevilled cat.”

“This is not a fair trial” screamed out Sally, but to no avail. She was taken away from the court and locked in a cage, not a cell, to await her punishment. Her cat was in a cage next to hers.

“Have no fear Sally” he said to her.

“Did you speak, then you are bewitched.”

“Sally we are few cats that are really bewitched as you say. We are always on the search for a witch that will look after us. You know the truth Sally, you are a witch.”

“I am a witch! Things do sometimes happen that I cannot explain, yes, but I do not feel evil.”

“No, you are not evil; you are just on the dark side of life, like me. Do not fear, after the fire you will be cleansed. You will not die, and neither will I."

The next day Sally was tied to a stake on top of the wood pile with her caged cat next to her and it was ignited. She was frightened, very frightened, but her cat said nothing and just stared ahead. An hour later it was over, and the charred remains of the cat and Sally were thrown into the local cesspit.

If people had not been so busy watching the burning and the removal of the bones afterwards, they might have seen something red leaving the burnt remains of the wood, not just red, but glowing. It ran away, but it was seen again a week later. There was a fire in the village and Polly Peckham’s house burnt down. Her complete family were there, her husband and two children. They were sleeping when it happed and there were no survivors.

Some villagers that were called to extinguish the fire saw a glowing red cat sitting in the still smouldering timbers of the remains of the house, surrounded by smoke and flames, but it seemed to have no effect on the cat. The villagers poured water on the fire, although it was already too late, and the cat disappeared.

Many fires occurred in the village and each time the cat was seen. Sometime later the village was deserted. People no longer wanted to live there; the rumour was that it was haunted by a fire monster.

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MULTIPLY The Dare: Bridge

Our local market town of Solothurn is built on the river Aare in Switzerland on both sides, so we need bridges. All together there are 4 bridges. Two were only finished last year and this year, one is completely new for the traffic connection to the motorway and the other was a new bridge to replace the older one. Another bridge is strictly for the railway connection. However, here I am showing our bridge known officially as the Kreuzacker bridge. This name is not often used by the Solothurn population and is mainly called the Velo bridge, velo being our word for a bicycle. Yes, this bridge is reserved for bikes and people, safer it cannot get. There have been tourists not knowing that this bridge is not there for a car, but they usually get their photo in the newspaper because it is unique and also a fine from the police.

On the other side of the bridge on the right is the St. Urs cathedral and on the left at the end of the bridge is a building which was once the winter residence of the French ambassador in Switzerland, but this was many years ago. In the meanwhile it has been used as an art gallery and is now a restaurant. The mountain chain in the background is the Jura which stretches from Geneva almost to Zürich in the North of Switzerland.

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MULTIPLY Poetry Posse Week 43 Prose: Lazy Days

Lazing in the shade of the undergrowth
Earth surrounding, playing cool with my skin
Ants wimmling their way into my tangled fur
Leaving again searching for other pastures
A sticky snail embedding in my coat
Oh to be a cat on the lazy summer days
To sleep in the shadows, snoozing into Nirvana

Alert! I feel the vibrations of movement in the air
A flash of rainbow colours before my eyes
Awake, up, action, jump, clap paws together
Quick and stealth the prey was captured
A tasty dish of wings and body for a snack
Re-creating circles of sleep, re-winding my way to oblivion
Needing no day, sleeping away the sun
The night is there for adventure

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #170: Just leave it to Phil

Sumax's Challenge

There's an empty room with a smashed plate on the floor and food dripping down the wall near the door.
In a short story, tell us what might have happened ... and don't make it the obvious wife/husband or sibling argument..

"Well what do you think Kate?“

Kate looked at Phil as if he was something from another planet.

“Phil are you serious? First of all I have to help you to empty the room. Most of the furniture is in the living room and the rest in the cellar because I thought you were going to do some redecorating. We decided when we bought the house that this room would be a sort of study for you and me. You have your desk and drawing board on the one side of the room and I have my sewing machine and needles and threads on the other side. This does not look like you are going to go ahead with this.”

Phil had to think quick to make sure Kate got convinced that what he was now going to do was one of the best ideas he had ever had. He knew she was not happy when he decided to turn the garden into a rose garden. The plants all died with mildew. His next idea was tropical fish. Unfortunately there was a power cut one night due to an electric storm and they were all dead in the morning as the water had got too cold. His new plan was so good that he just wanted to surprise Kate. “So how do I convince her.”

“Phil you owe me an explanation and answer, and now please. I thought I at last had somewhere where I could make my own clothes and now the room is empty. What happens next?”

“It’s my new hobby Kate.”

“What is your new hobby Phil? Do you need the complete room?”

“Not quite, just part of one wall will do, but until I have finished the preparations it is better when the room is empty. This evening you will see what it is all about.”

Later in the evening Phil and Kate sat down to the evening meal.

“Phil what are you doing? Did you invite someone to dinner that you have put three plates on the table.”

“It’s all part of the new me. I will now be successful in life, I am sure. My name will be in the magazines, television, just let me get on with it. I will do the cooking this evening.”

Kate was glad to let him get on with it so Phil started frying the eggs, bacon and potatoes for the evening meal and arranged them on the three plates. On the one plate he garnished the food with two large spoonfuls of tomato ketchup.

“Phil what the ....”

“Just wait Kate and watch. Now give me that plate with the ketchup.”

Kate knew that Phil was a bit of an individualist at the best of times. It was Phil’s idea to arrive at their wedding by parachute where they both landed outside the church. They did at least have something completely different in the wedding photo album, so she was not really surprised.

Phil now carried the plate into the empty room and walked across the room. He then pulled his arm backwards, the one where the hand contained the plate and threw it with all his might. The plate hit the wall next to the door and naturally broke, some of the pieces remaining stuck between the wall and the mixture of egg, bacon and ketchup and the remainder landing on the floor. The food was now running down the wall.

“Do you see Kate, how great that looks? Now if I had not emptied the room everything would have been messy.”

“Great Phil, just wonderful; so can we now wash the wall down, sweep the crockery chips away and put the furniture back in the room. Or did you want to lick the sauce off the wall?”

“Kate honey, we now leave it all to dry until tomorrow morning and then phase two of my plan will be realised.”

Kate decided to say nothing, after all Phil had his good side as well. She was just curious to know what would happen “tomorrow morning with phase two”. Phil was up early in the morning and Kate was still sleeping when she heard the noise of an electric saw which did wake her quite abruptly. She arose from the bed; no she shot out of the bed, and ran to where the noise was coming from. Phil was sawing the dried up remains of last night’s dinner for the third guest out of the wall.

“Don’t worry Kate; I will fill in the hole with plaster when I am finished. Now look at that, it really looks good. I am sure that is going to be a winner.”

“A winner?”

“Honey that’s the surprise; down at the local art gallery they are running a competition for the most modern and impressive work of art and that is my entry. I have at last discovered my artistic vain.”

What could Kate do?

“How much is the prize money Phil?” She was a practical person.

“Ten thousand and a contract which confirms that the next art works I produce will be exhibited at their gallery.”

Yes Phil won (Kate knew he would) and he became well known for his “action” works of art. So if your husband starts cooking just stay cool like Kate. You never know!

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Avoid the Supermarket on Tuesday, unless you are over 60 years old

I wrote in an earlier blog (Click here) that our supermarket has had a face lift and everything is much bigger and better - here is a photo of the entrance that I took from the first floor where the action now is. The ground level floor is still being renewed and will afterwards be the place for the gardening stuff I think.

Now we "oldens" are being spoilt, and I would warn any under sixties to avoid the place on Tuesday, unless of course you drag your poor worn out mothers and fathers with you to the supermarket to used their 10% reduction on shopping on Tuesday. The allowance passport looks like this

On one side (the picture on the left) it tells you that you are now the proud possessor of an advantage card and that on Tuesday you are entitled to a reduction of 10% on the complete assortment of articles available in the sales department of the Migros, the shop in question. On the other side you have to sign it. You also have to show your identity card to prove that you are old enough to be entitled to the card. I accepted the card with mixed feelings. On the one hand I do not yet feel old enough to be stamped as being old, on the other hand 10% is not and small amount. I would add this special offer is only available until the end of September.

I said to my husband, just wait and see what happens. I can tell you that Tuesday shopping in this place will no longer be fun. It will be crowded with senior citizens doing the family shopping for their sons and daughters as well as any other younger colleagues they might have. Sure enough, on Tuesday you can be lucky to find a parking place for the car. I have even seen sons and daughters who now go shopping with their parents on Tuesday, which they otherwise probably avoid.

The first time the card was available to be used the new part of the supermarket had not yet been opened. This meant that the sales space of the shop was still selling computers and televisions and other electric goods, meaning that these also included the 10% rebate. Imagine the line of senior citizens each having a television or computer in their shopping trolley. Well not all, but a lot. Last week my husband asked at the cash desk on Tuesday whether the electronic goods were also included in the special card, he was just too late. They have now taken these goods out of the assortment and are now being sold in separate parts of the supermarket in their own shops. They are no longer included. Somehow I think a small mistake had been made, or they did not realise the interest in the senior citizens to learn computer or buy a new television.

It is nice to have these special reductions, but slowly I do prefer the normal shopping days, where there are not too many people and you do not have to drive round the parking twice until finding somewhere for the car. I had another small shock today, Saturday is 15th August. This probably does not say much to most people living in other countries, but it is Asumption day. If you are catholic you know what it is, if you are not catholic then you do not, but one way or the other it means that in the Swiss catholic Kantons (states/counties) all the shops are closed. Now as this is a Saturday, then good luck to all that want to do the week-end shopping on Friday. At least it is not a senior citizen 10% reduced day.

MULTIPLY Creative Challenge #65: Drown

In Memory of George Baldock October 1860-May 1866

In eighteen-hundred-and-sixty-six on one fine day in May
Little Georgie Baldock had finished his dinner and decided to go out and play
He lived with his parents in the country, the family worked on a farm
Had so many brothers and sisters at home and his life was happy and calm

He was the second oldest, Edward was the elder brother
Life was simple but he was loved and had a wonderful mother
He told Edward he wanted to fish, he had a stick and line
There was a pond in the field near bye so everything was fine

Little George took his line and rod and sat at the side of the pond
It was very near to the house where he lived and to the family of which he was fond
It was a calm and peaceful day, a Sunday in all its glory
But then little George fell into the pond, such a tragic story

His brother Edward rushed to the spot and could not see his brother
There was only his cap floating on the surface and so he called his mother
Mother Baldock came as quick as she could, but saw nothing, she was in despair
She walked into the muddy water, but Georgie was not there

She called and shouted for others to come, she was not feeling brave
The neighbours came rushing one by one, Mother Baldock’s son to save
Alas there was no trace of him, the water was so deep
The policeman arrived and dived in the water, and found little Georgie asleep

A sad procession returned to the village, all faces wore a frown
It was on this unforgettable day in May that Georgie Baldock drown
There was an inquest in the local courts, all witnesses were called
Although the verdict was accidental death, the family remained appalled

It is more than one-hundred-and-fifty years later but his death is not forgot
The granddaughter of his youngest sister did research and quite a lot
She found the records of Georgie’s death and keeps them guarded well
She found that George should not be forgotten and his story I now do tell

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MULTIPLY Rita's "Riting" Challenge #34: Graveyard Meeting

It was one of those dark nights, no moonshine, just a few stars dotted across the sky, definitely not a night for a walk through the cemetery. Rose and Charlie found it ideal, they had a lot to catch up with as they had not seen each other for a few years, and what better place could they meet than at the cemetery. Charlie had been there almost ten years and Rose only arrived a week before.

“So now we are together again Rose, I really missed you the first few years: taking walks on my own on the dark nights.”

“Oh Charlie, I missed you too. The first year was the worst, but afterwards I just found that life must go on. And now it doesn’t any more.”

“That’s death Rose, just have to get on with it like the rest of us.”

“Where are the rest of us Charlie, are we the only two here.”

“No, of course not Rose, there are hundreds of us, but only a few special ones like us. They have their own deaths to live like us.”

“Look at that nice bench Charlie, I often had a sit down after I put the flowers on your grave. I suppose it is now our grave. I hope you liked them. You always said you were partial to lilies, so I always brought them for you.”

“Oh yes Rose, I really liked them. It made the place look a bit more comfortable and homely. I suppose it is finished with the lilies now.”

“Probably might be Charlie, you know how much I like yellow roses and Benny, our son, and his wife have already put some on the grave. Hope you don’t mind. You know, I did get a funny feeling sometimes as if you were near when I made my visit.”

“That was the idea Rose. Didn’t like leaving you so sudden, but if the heart stops beating and you have a hungering for something special, then there is nothing you can do about it.”

“Anyhow it’s a nice quiet place here. None of that stress from life any more and we are together again. Hope you don’t mind me having the top floor.”

“No problem Rose, I can just float up now and again if I want to and you can visit me down below. Things are so much easier now. When I think of all those aches and pains I had from the rheumatism and it’s all gone now. Now and again I get a bit hungry, but nothing that a flight into town won’t cure.”

“You are right there Charlie, just a nice peaceful rest.”

“Evening Charlie, is that the wife?”

“Good evening George, yes she has now joined me. Let me introduce you, Rose this is George, he has now been here at least twenty years.”

“Good evening Rose and nice to meet you. Now if you want to know anything or are a bit unsure of things, just ask me.”

“Thank you George, but I am settling in quite well at the moment.”

“That’s what we like to hear, isn’t it Charlie. Next week is full moon, did Charlie tell you about the preparations?”

“No, he didn’t. Is that something special?”

“Not really special Rose. It’s a sort of getting to know you evening, isn’t it Charlie.”

“Yes Rose, I am sure you will love it. George usually organises it and we all meet at the bench for a talk. You would be surprised at the familiar faces you might see. Even your grandmother will be there. She kept asking me when you would eventually arrive. You were her favourite granddaughter you know. Afterwards we take a flight into town to quench our thirst. ”

“Oh, that will be nice Charlie.”

“Well I will be getting along now Rose and Charlie, so wish you a very happy remainder of the evening. Daylight will soon be arriving.”

“Did you hear that Charlie. Now daylight is not so good for the undead like us is it?”

“Definitely isn’t Rose. We might melt or explode into flames, so better be getting back home. Oh it is lovely to have you at my side again Rose. Think of all the expeditions we can make together when we get organised. You don’t even have to be worried about getting bitten, after all we have all ready got our bites.”

And as the two vampires walked back to their grave, they knew that they would now stay together forever and Rose was so looking forward to seeing her grandmother again.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #169: Human Language Crash Course for Felines

Potashtam's Challenge

An animal that you know, or your pet, learns to talk.
Describe how they learnt and a conversation you then have with them.

“Now this looks like an interesting task Mrs. Human.”

My big black long furred overweight cat Nera was poking her nose into my computer again.

“What do you mean Nera? I just have to tell everyone how I taught you and your litter sister Tabby to speak and understand what I say.”

“Huh, that I don’t laugh. You taught us what to say? Mrs. Human I don’t remember Tabby and I sitting down and you taking pains to explain verbs, nouns and adjectives to us. It was just learning by doing as far as we cats are concerned.”

Nera was looking at me with her needle like stare, waiting for my further words so I continued.

“Nera what was the first word that I taught you.”

“Let’s just say Mrs. Human that the word we most often heard when we took over your place was “NO”. You said it so often that it just had to stay in our sensitive feline ears.”

“Nera is right” said my short haired striped cat Tabby, who just arrived on the scene. “I remember that you were always saying No when we first arrived and took charge.”

“You took charge! Tabby, Nera, what was the first things you did when you arrived? You sharpened your claws on the carpet and that is definitely No.”

“Mrs. Human” said Nera “that was part of the taking over process. We didn’t mean it personally, we were just leaving our wonderful perfume in certain places to be sure that you knew who this place now belonged to.”

“Nera is right.” Tabby always supported Nera when she said something.

“But cats, I could not have you making holes in the carpet.”

“But you said NO rather loudly Mrs. Human, and so we learnt the word NO. You also said NO when we circled down onto your bed for a comfortable sleep. You even said NO when it was human feeding time and we hopped onto the table to see if we could eat it as well. Our life at the beginning seemed to be a complete NO. Your body language was also quite clear.”

“You are right Nera, as always" said Tabby. "If it is something us cats understand without having to learn, it is body language. We grow up with it from the first lick our mother gave us. Mrs. Human you never licked us. If you did that at the beginning the case would have been clear and we would not have had to learn these stupid human words.”

“Sorry to disappoint you Nera and Tabby, but we humans do not lick each other. We have other ways and means of showing affection.”

Nera looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face and her and Tabby rubbed noses together.

“Mrs. Human” said Nera in an asking tone “that is one of those words where Tabby and I still have problems.”

“Which word do you mean?” I asked

“Affection.”

“Affection is when you like someone.”

“Like someone?” questioned Tabby. “What is liking, explain please.”

“Tabby, Nera I like you both although you can be a bit difficult sometimes.”

“Difficult? Tabby do you understand what she is talking about?”

“Not really Nera, I would suggest that you stay with the basics Mrs. Human.”

“What are the basics?”

“Something like eat, sleep, smell, eat, tuna fish, chicken, bird, mouse. Sorry I said “eat” twice, but just to underline its importance in the language. You know the words that mean something to a feline. All those other words like … um…..”

“Tabby wants to say that we need no unnecessary words and that even includes NO. We just learn the important things to get us through life. After all our human servants have to understand our needs.”

“But Nera, Tabby, I notice you can always express your feelings in our language when necessary.”

“That is exactly what we mean Mrs. Human. No good learning things that are superfluous, we just need the rudimentary words to get what we want.”

“Well that was a long word, rudimentary.”

“Mrs. Human we are not stupid. We store these things to make sure we are understood. By the way we would prefer it when you and Mr. Human would remain in one language. It can get confusing when you speak two different languages.”

“You notice that as well, very good.”

“Of course we notice that. You speak to us in one human language and suddenly you change into another. It is a good job you complement it with body talk now and again. And something else Mrs. Human, Tabby and I would be pleased if you would not raise your voice to us. We cats have sensitive ears.”

“I never raise my voice Nera.”

“Mrs. Human, I can understand Nera’s point of view” said Tabby. “You sometimes shout at me as well; always when Nera or myself make ourselves comfortable on the armchair in the evening. That was when we learnt the word “move” and sometimes you even gave us a push. Cats do not raise their voices but just give a swipe with their paw to the offender.”

“Thank you Tabby, yes you are right; nothing more annoying that having a nice cat nap and you are told to move; quite insulting for two noble felines such as we are. So you see how degrading it is to have the first two words in a foreign language being “no” and “move” and Nera stamped her paw on the ground just to make her point.

“But Nera, I like the word “come”. That usually means that food is ready, although the noise of the can opener does just as well” added Tabby

“Actually Mrs. Human, I don’t see the use for all these words really; actions speak much louder and are more precise. The opening of a can means food, opening the door means you can go out, and opening a cage means a visit to the vet.”

“I don’t like that last one Nera.”

“Neither do I” answered Nera.

I decided it was time to end the conversation. Did I say conversation, I sometimes wonder if it was worth the effort to demonstrate to these two felines how to speak.

“Between you and me Tabby" continued Nera, "I think Mrs. Human is right. We cats got on for thousands of years without speech, body talk shows all, with a meow now and again just to keep the voice box lubricated; seems to me that those humans don’t understand each other either sometimes.”

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