Witchy Wednesday, batty about Bats! 🦇

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and caldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the caldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

By William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

Poster advertising Viola Tree's Company performing 'The Tempest' by William Shakespeare at the Aldwych Theatre, London - Charles A Buchel (1872-1950) - Designed in 1904, Printed in 1921.

Creatures such as frogs, lizards and bats are often featured in stories associated with witches, Vampires and fairy folk. Please visit these fab links below for interesting articles that explore the reasons why bats are so woven into Witchcraft and folklore. And also how we can help to take care of these misunderstood beautiful creatures!

https://www.astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2019/7/15/bats-amp-witches

https://www.batcon.org/article/bats-in-magic-potions-and-medicinal-preparations/

https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/news/beware-of-bats-by-enora-boivin/

https://blog.nwf.org/2022/10/why-are-bats-owls-toads-and-crows-associated-with-halloween/

https://folklorethursday.com/folktales/bats-in-mythology-and-folklore-around-the-world/

https://www.curiousordinary.com/2018/05/folklore-of-bats.

https://www.bedsbatgroup.org.uk

https://livinglibraryblog.com/the-bat-of-celtic-folklore/

https://www.countryfile.com/wildlife/mammals/guide-to-britains-bats-species-facts-identification/

To help our UK bat community please visit 

https://www.bats.org.uk/

Because some folklore stories can be quite scary and disturbing with some adult content I would always advise visiting, reading and viewing links before showing or reading to younger children.