The Witches’ Mill

Z. was so good as to send us out the lyrics and the tune of the Witches’ Mill today, as well as a brief description.

Z. says that this song is known as the Cauldron or Mill Dance in traditional sources.  In order to perform the dance or “Turn the Mill”, participants stand in a circle, turn their bodies to the left and extend their right hands to the center of the circle.  They join hands so that their arms form spokes on a wheel and their bodies form the rim.  Participants then begin walking clockwise in a steady, deliberate manner while chanting the verses three or four times through, increasing both the speed of song and the speed of the walk while chanting.

As you can gather, it would be difficult to perform the Witches’ Mill with more than six or seven participants standing together.  I think that doing something like what we did the last time we used the mill–stringing cords around a wreath and holding the cords–would help.  The increased length to the center would allow more participants to take part.

Air breathe, air blow,
Make the mill of magic go,
Work the will which we do say,
IO, IO, Evohe.

Fire flame, fire burn,
Make the mill of magic turn,
Work the will which we do say,
IO, IO, Evohe.

Water heat, water boil,
Make the mill of magic toil,
Work the will which we do say,
IO, IO, Evohe.

Earth without, earth within,
Make the mill of magic spin,
Work the will which we do say,
IO, IO, Evohe.

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