“Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit

Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste

Brought Death into the World, and all our woe”

— Milton

Witchcraft has long captivated the human imagination, evoking images of enchanting spells, arcane rituals, and mysterious brews. Similarly, the humble apple has held a special place in our folklore, associated with both temptation and nourishment. But what is the connection between witchcraft and apples? In this article, we will embark on a journey to explore the entangled history of witchcraft and apples, revealing a web of symbolism, folklore, and mysticism that has endured through the ages.

Historical Roots:

Did you know that apples are actually native to Central Asia? In fact, they're thought to have originated in the forests of Kazakhstan, where the wild ancestors of modern apples still grow today. Apples were brought to Europe by traders, and they quickly became popular for their sweetness and versatility. Cultivated apples were much larger and sweeter than their wild ancestors, and they were prized for their many uses. Farmers in Europe began to grow apples for both eating and cooking, and they became a staple of the medieval diet.

To understand the connection between witchcraft and apples, it's essential to also delve into their historical roots. Witchcraft, often rooted in nature and herbalism, intertwined with the apple's symbolism of magic and mystery. Apples have been featured prominently in various mythologies, one of the most famous in Christian culture being the biblical tale of the Garden of Eden, where the apple was the forbidden fruit.

Apples were also believed to have medicinal properties, and they were used to treat everything from fevers to indigestion. In fact, they were even believed to have magical properties, and were associated with love, fertility, and prosperity. In some cultures, apples were used in love spells and divination rituals. And of course, in many European folktales, apples played a key role as the food of the gods, or as a symbol of-you know where this is going-temptation and sin.

An Apple By Any Other Name…

Did you know that the latin name for apple is ‘Malus’? As an adjective, malus means bad or evil. As a noun it seems to mean an apple, coming from the very common tree now known officially as the Malus pumila. And, while I don’t want to get too sidetracked, there is some interesting information on how this crosses with other fruit that has been used as a lowkey feminine sexual metaphor. And ultimately this is a blog on how food intersects with all aspects of life and death, and boy howdy does sexualization affect our views on how women are treated in society. And this directly affects how are deaths are treated as well.

The history of this “evil lineage” dates back to the fourth century A.D., when Pope Damasus ordered his leading scholar of scripture, Jerome, to translate the Hebrew Bible into Latin. Jerome's 15 year project used the Latin spoken by the common man and as it turned out, the Latin words for evil and apple were the same: malus.

See, in the Hebrew Bible, a generic term, peri, is used for the fruit hanging from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Robert Appelbaum, who discusses the biblical provenance of the apple in his book Aguecheek's Beef, Belch's Hiccup, and Other Gastronomic Interjections, commented that "Peri could be absolutely any fruit, [and] Rabbinic commentators variously characterized it as a fig, a pomegranate, a grape, an apricot, a citron, or even wheat. Some commentators even thought of the forbidden fruit as a kind of wine, intoxicating to drink."

So when Jerome got to translating peri, he decided to go with malus, because of the dual meaning of both a fruit, and evil. Pretty clever actually.

“To complicate things even more," says Appelbaum, "the word malus in Jerome's time, and for a long time after, could refer to any fleshy seed-bearing fruit. A pear was a kind of malus. So was the fig, the peach, and so forth." This explains why Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco features a serpent coiled around a fig tree.

But it was the apple that began to dominate Fall artworks in Europe after the German artist Albrecht Dürer's famous 1504 engraving depicted the First Couple counterpoised beside an apple tree. It became a template for future artists such as Lucas Cranach the Elder, whose luminous Adam and Eve painting is hung with apples that glow like rubies.

Basically to sum this up in terms that make sense today, malus becoming entwined with apple was like an early form of artists and bloggers copying and pasting from other artists and bloggers. Copy and paste. Copy and paste. Until it has been printed and painted so much that it now changes the definition to what we know today as simply, apple.

Cool huh? Now you know why I’ve gone down on such a rabbit hole here on food and meaning. Essentially this section alone poses a question about all the surrounding sections because it asks whether or not the rituals that we performed as ancient humans have been lost due to language translation. Anyhow this is meant to be an overview not a college course so let’s keep moving shall we?

Witchcraft and Herbalism:

Witches and herbalists shared a common bond in their use of nature's bounty, and apples were no exception. During the Middle Ages, witches were often portrayed as using apples in their spells, remedies, and rituals. The fruit's association with healing and magic made it a versatile ingredient in their practices.

One example is a traditional Celtic herbal drink called "caudle," which was made with apples, eggs, and wine or ale. It was believed to have restorative properties and was often given to women who had just given birth.

Ancient texts and accounts document the use of apples in various witchcraft-related rituals, further cementing the fruit's mystical reputation. In some stories, witches would use apples to cast love spells or curses, but it was also believed that apples could create potions and poisons, and to either ward off or summon spirits.

"Wassail," which was made with apples, spices, and sometimes ale or mead, was thought to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits, and it was often consumed during the winter solstice. This association was likely due to the apple's association with fertility and prosperity, and its reputation as-say it with me-a powerful symbol of temptation and sin.

Apple Divination:

One fascinating aspect of the connection between witchcraft and apples is the practice of apple divination. This involves using apples to gain insights into the future or communicate with spirits.

Traditional methods include apple bobbing, where participants attempt to catch apples with their teeth without using their hands, and apple peeling, where the length of the peel could reveal answers to questions or the initials of a future love.

During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the belief in the magical properties of apples led to a number of superstitions and folk beliefs surrounding them. For example, in some parts of Europe, it was believed that if an apple was cut in half and the seeds revealed a star-shaped pattern, it was a sign of good luck.

In other parts of Europe, it was believed that if an apple was buried in the garden, it would bring fertility to the crops. There were also many beliefs about apples and the dead.

Witches, as well as the pagan Celts and Druids, knew the secret that the apple holds—that within it, the seeds form a perfect pentagram resembling earth, air, fire, and water bound by spirit. In Celtic folklore, it was thought that apples could provide a pathway to the Otherworld.

In some parts of Europe, it was believed that planting an apple tree over a grave would allow the deceased to rest peacefully. In parts of Germany, it was believed that if you put a bit of apple on your doorstep, the dead would be able to enter your house and eat it, but only if you invited them in with a proper welcome. Additionally, in Slavic folklore, apples were believed to ward off evil spirits, and they were placed in the hands of the deceased to protect them in the afterlife.

The apple has a strong connection to the pagan sabbat Samhain, also called “Feast of Apples”. The Celts would bury apples during the time to be used as food for those souls waiting to be reborn. And, in many cultures, it was believed that eating an apple on All Souls' Day would allow you to communicate with the spirits of the dead.

***The Queen in disguise, offering lace to*** ***Snow White*** ***(a late 19th-century German illustration)***

Folklore and Myths:

We briefly touched on Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ in a previous section. For those not familiar with his work here’s a brief rundown. "Paradise Lost" is a timeless epic poem written by John Milton, first published in 1667. This literary masterpiece delves into the biblical story of the fall of humanity, vividly portraying the rebellion of Satan and his cohorts against God, their expulsion from Heaven, and the ensuing temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Through its eloquent verses and rich symbolism, Milton explores complex themes such as free will, temptation, the consequences of disobedience, and the ultimate redemption of humankind. "Paradise Lost" is a seminal work that continues to captivate readers with its profound philosophical and theological inquiries into the nature of good and evil.

It’s more than likely that this essential piece of literature is responsible for the more familiar apple placements in literature that come to mind. Stories like Snow White, which existed in the public sphere in many variations wasn’t officially committed to writing and published until 145 years of evil apple propaganda had passed. Resultin in the iconic image we know today of the poison apple. In Snowdrop, an alternate version of Snow White, the poisonous apple in this story is “beautiful to look upon, pale with rosy cheeks, and everyone who saw it longed for it, but whoever ate of it was certain to die.”

We also have Baba Yaga, a famous figure in Slavic folklore. She is often depicted as a mysterious and enigmatic witch or supernatural being. She is a recurring character in various Russian, Ukrainian, and Eastern European folktales. Baba Yaga is typically described as an old, haggard woman who lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs and can turn around to face visitors. This hut is often said to be surrounded by a fence made of human bones.

Cover Art for ***Baba Yaga's Book of Witchcraft***

In some versions of the Baba Yaga stories, she possesses magical apples. These apples are not just ordinary fruit; they are often imbued with special properties. The specific details of the apples and their effects can vary from one tale to another. In some stories, these apples are said to grant youth or immortality, while in others, they may offer wisdom or knowledge. To obtain these apples, characters in the stories often have to complete difficult tasks or solve challenging riddles set by Baba Yaga, and they must do so without falling victim to her cunning and potentially malevolent nature.

The character of Baba Yaga and her magical apples represent the archetypal nature of folklore, where supernatural beings often test the wit, bravery, and resourcefulness of those who encounter them. Baba Yaga's tales continue to be a rich source of inspiration in literature and art, both in Eastern Europe and beyond.

Modern Witchcraft and Apples:

To wrap it up, let’s end with a little contemporary witchcraft! I know we have covered a lot, from the origin of apples to their association with evil in literature. I think it’s safe to say that the intertwining of women, apples, and fear has been a long road. I think it’s safe to say that ultimately it is the woman with self knowledge and sexuality that man fears the most. As we dig deeper into culinary knowledge we find that magic and spells were just recipes and knowledge of plants. When women did it they were witches, and when men did it they were considered scholars. So what we really have is a life long propaganda of being terrified of a smart woman. Which makes sense, I would also be terrified of half the population of earth if I had subjugated them since the beginning of time.

For me, work as a mortician, knowledge of plants and cooking, and my abundance of black cats (three currently) could easily be misconstrued as being a witch; hopefully a good witch. But I have never been one to rely on titles in the physical realm. I mean, I rely on them here but it’s more of a way to index my work and hope that you will find me.

Blerg. What am I even trying to say? I suppose it’s this. I love you. My wonderful witchy coven of intelligent, empathetic and kind women. Your very existence is magic. And I hope you use it with a kind and loving intention to make the world a better place.

Postscript Spells

Common witchcraft uses for apples:

An apple given with a specific intention can be a spell all its own. Apples are commonly used in spells for love, lust, and luck.
Cook with apples, calling on the energy that most closely matches your intention. Share your recipe with the target of your spell, preferably with their consent.
Add apple seeds to charm bags or spell jars.
Carve sigils into apples.
Add dried apples to magical tea blends.
Add peels and cores to a simmer pot.

Apple Magick

Apple Love Divination
- Apple love divination has a long history. You might try this age-old ritual traditionally performed on Halloween night: To see a vision of your future partner, turn out the lights, light a candle, cut an apple into nine pieces, and eat eight of them while gazing in the mirror. Pierce the ninth piece with your paring knife and hold it over your shoulder. The apparition of your future partner is said to appear to you and take it.
Apple Love Spell
- Apples have long been used for love spells. Create an anointing oil to call your soulmate to you or to enhance an existing love. On the night of the new moon, put eight dried apple blossom petals into a small, pretty bottle. Cover them with a carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil or another skin-friendly oil. Gently shake the bottle each day, envisioning the qualities you desire in your mate or the feelings that you wish to be enhanced between you and your existing lover. On the eve of the full moon, anoint your heart center with the liquid, to open it and draw your soulmate to you (or to enhance the bond with your lover). A note on ethics: Keep in mind that love spells should never involve coercion but rather work with existing feelings between two consenting partners.
Apple Incense
- Dried apple blossoms, seeds, and bark can be burned as a natural incense to strengthen divination practices (like tarot reading, scrying, and automatic writing) and to enhance magical rituals and spells associated with love, healing, and connection to the spirit world. To make, simply grind up dried apple blossoms, seeds, or bark in a mortar and pestle. Burn the powder on a special incense charcoal tablet in a heat-proof vessel, like a cast iron or copper cauldron. To produce a more pleasant aroma, you can add a ground-up resin tear like copal or frankincense to the compound. Adding a drop of essential oil will also do.
Apple Blossom Medicinal Honey
- Apple-blossom-infused medicinal honey soothes a sore throat and can be used as a cold preventative. Simply fill a pint-size mason jar half full with unsprayed, fresh apple blossoms. Poor honey over the blossoms, filling the jar all the way to the top. Cap it and set it in a warm spot near a sunny window out of direct sunlight. Allow it to infuse for two weeks. Strain the infused honey through a strainer lined with cheesecloth and discard the plant matter in your compost pile. Store your magical apple blossom honey in a cool, dark pantry or in the refrigerator. It should keep for several months or longer. Enjoy!