How to Ride a Broomstick

Here's an interesting item sent to me by Geoduck, just in time for Halloween. Apparently a rumor has been going around suggesting that the image of witches flying on broomsticks, with the brush behind them, is wrong. Back in the old days witches always flew holding the brush in front of them. It was only in modern times, as we came to understand aerodynamics, that we flipped the broom around. This rumor can be traced back to Kevin Carlyon, a self-proclaimed Witch King. But this website, Pagan Prattle, has studied the issue by looking at images of witches dating back as far as the 15th century, and has determined that Carlyon doesn't know what he's talking about. The proper way to ride a broom IS with the bristles behind you.

Paranormal

Posted on Tue Oct 21, 2003


Comments

This is true...especially in colonial America...the broom was 'ridden' to meetings with the bristles behind, which erased your footsteps so that you might not be followed. The broom (besom) is used for many things, such as cleansing a ritual space, the handle for stirring 'witches' brew', and other such things.
Posted by catlady  on  Sun Dec 12, 2004  at  04:53 AM
Personally, I like to ride my broom with the end of the handle planted firmly inside my
Posted by bobo  on  Sun Dec 12, 2004  at  08:21 AM
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