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The prehistoric image of the witch in certain areas of the world, including Britain, as being one of the great primeval figures of terror still leaves a stain on the imagination of modern people.
One of the greatest nightmares of my childhood involved witches.
Really.
I remember extremely vividly to this day, and it was absolutely terrifying.
The witch in fairy tales is often there to disrupt the norms, the well and the beautiful baby, the happy ever after.
She's there to strike fear into your heart.
You had Hansel and Gretelweather, which was very scary, and she was a cannibal.
Then you had the story of Rapunzel.
And you never really know what she wanted because she imprisoned.
She wanted a child, but she imprisoned the child.
But we never found out what she wanted to do by isolating her.
And how we have loved to tell and warn of witches.
Of course, the Snow White Witch, you know, which was a straight story of power and jealousy.
I'm Indy rackerson and from BBC Radio 4, you're listening to Witch.
It's episode seven.
So as we pass the halfway post on our journey, I'm asking you to pause and lose yourself in a tangle of tales as we head into the woods.
That story in Sleeping Beauty is extended.
You know, we get it when the prince kisses her awake, but in fact, there's a part to it that's been burglarized, which was that he came back again and he found her awake.