The Flower In The Hedge - A Baneful Protection Spell
Then the maiden and her dear Roland took again their natural shapes, and traveled on the whole night through until daybreak. Then the maiden changed herself into a beautiful flower, standing in the middle of a hedge of thorns, and her dear Roland into a fiddle-player. It was not long before the witch came striding up, and she said to the musician, "Dear musician, will you be so kind as to reach that pretty flower for me?” "Oh yes," said he, "I will strike up a tune to it." Then as she crept quickly up to the hedge to break off the flower, for she knew well who it was, he began to play, and whether she liked it or not, she was obliged to dance, for there was magic in the tune. The faster he played, the higher she had to jump, and the thorns tore her clothes, and scratched and wounded her, and he did not cease playing until she was spent, and lay dead.
-Sweetheart Roland, Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales
Intent: To protect yourself or a loved one from someone who means to do you harm.
Ideal Timing: Waning Moon
Materials:
Jar with Screw-top Lid
Pins, Needles, & Tacks
Palmful of Salt*
Poppet
To begin with, yes, this is a spell of protection. And yes, it is also a baneful spell. Two things can be true, and they are not incongruous. This particular model is a target-triggered spell, meaning that the effect of the spell will not activate unless the target of the spell completes a designated action. Thus, the activation of the spell is the consequence of their own actions.
Take your poppet and stuff the material focus, if there is one, into the chest cavity. If a focus is not available, you can use a name slip or name the poppet thus:
Poppet, I name you [Name]. Your limbs are their limbs, your flesh is their flesh. As you suffer, so shall they suffer, according to my will.
If the target is an unknown person, the poppet can be named Danger or Threat, but this spell generally works best with a proper name. You can also specify the actions which will trigger the activation of the spell, as well as the consequences that will arise when it does, or the harm to be undone by the spell.
In the jar, combine half of the pins with the salt.* Put the poppet inside on top of the pins, then pour the rest of the pins on top to form a loose cage. Whisper into the jar:
On your feet, it's time to dance; With the music, jump and prance.
Cap the jar and seal the lid tightly. Select a song with a good dancing beat and shake the jar to the beat for as long as you can. If you can make it through the whole song, do so; if not, shake for as long as you can. The idea is that as the poppet "dances," it is pierced by the pins in the jar.
Set the jar aside somewhere that it won't be disturbed. Whenever the target gives you trouble, take the jar out, turn on the music, and shake the poppet full of pins. If at any point you feel the target has learned their lesson, retrieve the poppet from the jar, take out any pins stuck into it, and remove the focus or dunk the poppet in saltwater overnight to neutralize the spell.
*Yes, I know that salt is generally used to protect, or to neutralize a spell. In this case, it's there to make the pinpricks hurt more. Feel free to substitute your favorite noxious herb or stinging spice if you don't wish to use salt in your jar.
-Adapted from The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells and Charms for Your Happily Ever After, (2nd ed) © 2017 Bree NicGarran
Want more fairy tale spells? Check out the masterpost here.
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