To be a Witch

This story sets the stage for a book I will be bringing out before Hallowe’en 2026.

Belladonna and Lilith,
together with their cat,
who was called Naviganda,
talked of this and that.

“I’m seven years old tomorrow,”
Lilith said, “and you?”
“That’s wonderful!” her friend replied,
“I will be seven too!”

“Twins,” screeched Naviganda,
their cat. “We must beware!
Thank goodness I have found this out
We’ll have to take good care!

For twins have twice the power,
you share your special day.
And you run twice the danger
upon your seventh birthday!

For number Seven has magic
in oh, so many ways.
Seven sins and seven seas,
a week has seven days!

Oh Lilith, Belladonna
Your danger lies in this.
Seven years are a crossroads,
seal friendship with a kiss!

For when you turn a page in life
be careful where you go.
Keep within the limits,
choose the friend you know.

I’ll draw a magic circle
with my spells all about.
You and everything you need
within and not without.

Quick, there is no time to lose,
I must act in haste.
Let me focus on my spells,
there is no time to waste.”

Naviganda sat and grew
her curly tail so long,
it stretched round in a circle,
then she began her song.

“Oh wickedness and sorcerers
this is not your place!
You shall go where you belong
if you dare show your face!

The witches here have chosen good,
love, happiness for all.
You cannot take them for your ends,
this circle is a wall!

A mirthless laugh then echoed
from every corner round.
The laughter slowly disappeared
and fell into the ground.

“You will be sorely tempted.
but you must resist.
They will tempt you several times
for sure they will persist.”

Naviganda arched her back
“Bread we need and wine
salt, good foodstuffs for our life,
for spells, and for a sign!

Look, the sky is cloudless
it’s really getting hot.
Something evil’s in the sky,
normal it is not! “

The sun shone hotter all the time
the heat grew hard to bear.
The three within the circle
were too done in to care.

“Naviganda, can you make some shade?
We need a leafy tree.
Both Bella, and Lilith her twin
said, “Oh please, do help me.”

Naviganda screeched, “ Unless we find a way
to break this spell, we’ll surely die.
The Sun will burn and shrivel us
until we simply fry!”

Now I have finished my part of the story, and you can have fun making up the last bit yourself!

Both the text and audio versions are copyright to me,
Charlotte Sebag-Montefiore. So here we go. Enjoy and I hope you’ll be here next month.

Published by Charlotte Sebag-Montefiore