F. Marian McNeill

“Although the medieval witch-cult of Western Europe derived from a primitive, non-selfconscious nature-religion, with sophistication it had become corrupt (as had paganism in ancient Greece) and developed into a pathological cult in which the doctrine and rites of the Christian Church were deliberately parodied, and evil instincts and desires were sanctioned and encouraged.”
― F. Marian McNeill, The Silver Bough, Volume 1: Scottish Folklore and Folk-Belief

“...[A] legend shows the Cailleach and Bride not as two contending personalities but as one and the same. On the Eve of Bride, the Cailleach repairs to the Isle of Youth, in whose woods lies the miraculous Well of Youth. There, at the first glimmer of dawn, before any bird has sung, or any dog has barked, she drinks of the water that bubbles in a crevice of rock, and having renewed her youth, emerges as Bride, the fair young goddess, at the touch of whose wand the dun grass turns a vivid green starred with the white and yellow flowers of spring.”
― F. Marian McNeill, The Silver Bough