7 Surprising Facts About Hungarian Witches

 

Witches of Hungary

While researching The Stone Sea I came across a ton of fascinating trivia about the boszorkányok, the witches of Hungary. In fact, I discovered so many fun facts, I realized I couldn't fit it all in here. So I cherry-picked for you some interesting, and occasionally hilarious bits from legends, fairy tales, and more. 

I am delighted to present to you ... 

Seven Witchy Facts From Hungary

1. Oh, Dear, not a Dried Frog!

Now, this information is useful if you don't want to be inundated with unexpected witchy guests. 

In order to bar a boszorkány from entering the house at night, place one of the following under the door: 

  • onion, 
  • garlic, 
  • belladonna, 
  • a piece of red felt, 
  • or a dried frog. 

There, now you have a shopping list for the next grocery run.

2. The Witchiest Days

According to folklore, Tuesday and Friday are the witchiest days of the week. 

Now, I will say, I'm a little unsure whether that means that you are most likely to meet a boszorkány on these days. Or whether you are encouraged to practice your witchcraft on Tuesday or Friday. All I could find is that they are considered boszorkányos days. 

Tarot card: Did you know? According to Hungarian folklore, Tuesday and Friday are the witchiest days of the week.

3. Married to a Fae King

Now we come to a piece of trivia that I've known even without any research thanks to a childhood spent flipping through a volume of seventy-seven Hungarian fairy tales.

You see, in some stories, the boszorkány is the wife of the Tündér King. The tündérek are the Hungarian fae or fairies. I prefer to translate them as fae because they are not adorable pixies but more akin to very beautiful humans. They have their own kingdoms, have a thing for dancing, and some of them turn into swans.

4. The Witchiest Place of Budapest

Gellért Hill, which overlooks the Danube in Budapest, is supposed to be a legendary meeting place for witches. 

Honestly, even if you are not looking to hang out with witches, I still think it is worth the hike to go up there if you happen to be in Budapest. You will have a jaw-dropping view of the city from Buda Castle, to the Chain Bridge, the Parliament, and more. 

5. Shapeshifting Witches

Witches most often appear as animals in legends. They could take the shape of a cat, a goose, or a boar. 

According to my favorite accounts, however, they could even turn into pumpkin tendrils.

According to Hungarian folklore, witches can shapeshift into geese, cats, boars, and pumpkin tendrils.

6. The Thing About Bumblebees

After learning about their cool shapeshifting abilites, would you like to become a boszorkány? Well, it's a little more challenging than you'd expect.

According to folklore, one way to become a witch is to have a bumblebee fly into your nostril. 

Better be careful while sniffing flowers in meadows. 

Or better start sniffing flowers in meadows. 

I suppose that'll depend on your life goals.

7. Barrel Riders

If you do choose to hike up to Gellért Hill to meet up with the boszorkány, don't be surprised if, instead of broomsticks, barrels will be landing next to you. 

You see, some witches can apparently travel by sitting on a barrel. 

Turns out, Bilbo Baggins isn’t the only who can claim the title of “Barrel Rider.”

Tarot card: Did you know? According to Hungarian legends, witches would ride barrels.
 

I hope you enjoyed these seven witchy trivia I shared with you today. 

If you would like to spend more time with a boszorkány, you can meet Zalka, a Hungarian witch and the protagonist of The Stone Sea

If you would like to learn about other Hungarian supernatural beings, you can see some flamelings here: MAGICAL CREATURES IN MY DINING ROOM!



Meet the witches of Hungary


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Disclaimer

All magical beings, characters, and superstitions on this site are based on supremely subjective research undertaken by Thea Litay, and any resemblance to Hungarian supernatural creatures living, dead, or undead is not coincidental in the least.