Tonight’s the night, my weird Swedish sisters!
According to ancient tradition, this evening the witches of the north fly down to the island of Blågylla for an evening of magic, mayhem and merry-making with Mephistopheles.
Satanic smorgasbord, skinny dipping and diabolic disco.
The only problem is that it’s bloody snowing here. I thought yesterday was April Fools Day.
And whereas the hardened crones of yore would not miss this necromantic knees up for anything, I suspect that the modern Swedish witch is a tad more finicky.
“Nick darling, could we do the Satanic incantations on Skype this year? I’m having problems with my broomstick and I’ve got a new Ozzy DVD I just have to watch.”
That old black magic just doesn’t have the same appeal. Beelzebub may be on his tod tonight. And the pizzeria in Byxelkrok hasn’t even opened yet for the summer season.
Strange how what would have had you burnt at the stake 300 years ago is now an excuse to get more chocolate.
All the small girls here are dressed as witches today and will go round trying to cadge some sweets. A bit like trick or treat. My daughter looked particularly splendid in her pointy hat as she trudged off through the snow to school. No cat available so she had to make do with a large frisky dog.
Any other examples of what was once frightening and horrific which has now become cuddly and acceptable?
I don’t know if @locust has a broomstick.
One thing I have learnt though, thanks to my son’s history book, is that over 1000 “witches”were executed in Sweden during the 17th century . A figure that Witchfinder Matthew Hopkins would doubtless be envious of.
And now Lila Downs singing about a witch ( una bruja).
Broomstick? Nah, I took the metro to Blåkulla (not -gylla) – well, close enough; Solna Centrum (Blåkulla is the nickname for the nearby area of blue highrise buildings – also known in the Swedish world of Hip Hop as “Blue Hills”).
Didn’t meet the king however…:
Glad Påsk!
John Lydon?
Thanks for correcting my spelling Locust. And thanks too for posting the wonderful Garmarna,( now sadly defunct.)
One more from them, eh? Their mixture of folk music and electronica was stupendous. A Swedish Fairport Convention in their way.