Flying Ointment

By Crusader1307

 Part of the continuing superstitions concerning Witchcraft and the means to discern such Practitioners ''Flying Ointment'' was perhaps the more stranger. Witches and Warlocks were said to have the ability to ''fly and levitate at will''. This belief lead to the associated ''practice'' of flight via a broom handle or piece of Willow Branch. From the 15th Century AD in Europe, it was thought that Witches concocted a special ''potion'', which gave them such abilities. The ''ingredients'' of which varied in type and belief.

One such ''receipt'' called for the use of ''infant body fats'' take (fresh) from their grave. Added to this was Wolf-Bane and various other ''mystic herbs''. Suitably boiled into a liquid, such was never ingested. It was rubbed on portions of their bodies. After a series of rituals and prayers flight for a small period of time was possible. Other mixtures often contained natural psychogenic components which could be ingested or absorbed through skin. Many Historians liken this method more plausible with regards to ''Mental Flight'' or ''Flight of The Spirit''. The application or ingestion of such (by today's standards dangerous) herbal and organic plants would cause one to actually ''believe'' they were flying or perhaps ''seeing'' Familiars and related Demons.