#18 - The Hag

A common feature in many many stories of an old woman who looks ugly and evil but isn’t necessarily evil

• Witches/Fairy Godmothers

• Use their powers for good to help the unselfish (like Cinderella)

• Sometimes are personified as a death omen or a crypt keeper

• Many stories about hags are meant to keep children from misbehaving.

•Hags are often seen as malevolent, but may also be one of the chosen forms of shapeshifting deities.

• Many tales about hags do not describe them well enough to distinguish between an old woman who knows magic, or a witch or supernatural being.

• In Scotland, a group of hags, known as The Cailleachan (The Storm Hags) are seen as personifications of the elemental powers of nature, especially in a destructive aspect. They are said to be particularly active in raising the windstorms of spring, during the period known as A Chailleach.

• The most common pattern is that the hag represents the barren land, who the hero of the tale must approach without fear, and come to love on her own terms. When the hero displays this courage, love, and acceptance of her hideous side, the sovereignty hag then reveals that she is also a young and beautiful goddess.