Feeling a bit ill? Many of us are feeling poor due to hay fever these days. Fear of covid-19 is also present everywhere. Some people however, have inexplicable physical pains that have nothing to do with the above mentioned, and they are not to blame on the weather of some cold. Does one of your loved-ones have these inexplicable pains, and you don’t know why? Sometimes, such a condition can be caused by elves! Elves are little, human-like creatures. They carry bows and arrows, and they do, not seldom, shoot passengers. Human nor animal is safe from these little, shooting creatures. Elves are not necessarily dangerous, but evil ones can cause you great pain. Elf-shot usually causes a shooting pain in any particular area of the body. It’s not easy to defend yourself or your loved ones against these little devils, because these creature and their arrows are invisible. Preventive medicine are, up to date, not yet discovered. There are, however, ways to get rid of the condition, and we’re going to help you! We will use some charms from the Anglo-Saxon Lacnunga to help you treat your loved one suffering from elfshot. There are several ways to help overcome the illness. You will find a few here. Attention: Unfortunately, not every patient can be saved. Also beware that the local Priest may object to this practice. It is best to make sure you won’t be seen.
- Against elf-sickness. Take bishop’s wort, fennel lupine, the lower part of enchanter’s nightshade, and lichen from a hallowed crucifix and incense, take a handful of each. Tie all the herbs in a cloth and dip them three times into hallowed baptismal water. Have three Masses sung over them, one Omnibus Sanctis, the second Contra Tribulationem, the third Pro Infirmis. Then put live coals in a chafing dish and lay the herbs on them. Smoke the man with those herbs before 9 a.m. and at night. And sing the Litany and the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. And inscribe the sign of the cross on each limb. And take a small handful of herbs of the same sort, hallowed in the same way, and boil them in milk; drop a little hallowed water on them three times and let him take some of it before his food. He will soon be better.
- Against the same. Go on Wednesday evening, when the sun is set, to a spot where you know that elecampane is growing. Then sing Benedicite and Pater Noster and the Litany. And thrust your knife into the herb. Leave it sticking there, go away. Go back to that spot, just as night and day divide. On that same morning [before daybreak] you must go to church and cross yourself and commend yourself to God. Then go in silence, and if you meet something dreadful or a man, do not speak any word to them, until you come to the herb which you had marked on the previous evening. Then sing Benedicite and Pater Noster and a Litany. Dig up the herb, leave the knife sticking in it. Go back to church as quickly as possible, and lay it under the altar with the knife. Let it lie until the sun has risen. Wash it afterwards, make it into a drink, together with bishop’s wort and lichen from a crucifix, boil them three times in several kinds of milk. Pour holy water on them three times. Sing on them Pater Noster and Credo and Gloria in Excelsis Deo, and sing the Litany on him (the patient). And also inscribe a cross about him on four sides with a sword. And let him drink the draught afterwards. He will soon be better.
- Against the same again. Lay these herbs under the altar, have nine Masses sung over them: incense, holy salt, three head of garlic, the lower part of enchanter’s nightshade, elecampane. In the morning take a cupful of milk. Drop a little holy water on it three times. Let him sup it as hot as he can, and eat three slices (of bread) with enchanter’s nightshade with it. And when he goes to rest, let him have live coals in there (i.e., the room where he sleeps). Put incense and enchanter’s nightshade on the coals, and smoke him with it so that he sweats, and smoke the whole house. And make the sign of the cross reverently on that man. And when he goes to rest, let him eat three slices (of bread) with elecampane and three with garlic and three with salt. And let him have a cupful of ale. And drop holy water into it three times. Let him swallow every slice. Let him rest afterwards. Do this on nine mornings and nine nights. He will soon be better.
Vertaling toverspreuken/Translations of charms: Storms, G. Anglo-Saxon Magic. Den Haag: Martinus, 1948.
Other sources/ further readings:
- Bonser, W. “Magical practises against elves.” in Folklore 37, nr. 4 (1926) 350-363.