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| Witchcraft is the use of supposed magic powers, generally to harm people or to damage their property. A witch is a person believed to have received such powers from evil spirits. From earliest times, peoplke in all parts of the world have believed in witches. The word witch comes from the Anglo-Saxon word wicca, meaning wise one or magician. Originally, a witch was a man or a woman who supposedly has sipernatural powers. But through the years, only women came to be considered as witches. Men with similar powers were called sorcerers, warlocks or wizards. |
| Magic is the supposed use of unnatural or superhuman power by a human being. A person uses magic to try to control human actions or natural events. Magic often seems to achieve results, but the results actually have other causes. For example, a person might cast a spell to make an enermy sick. The enrmy may learn about the spell, become frightened, and actually feel ill. The practice of magic includes the use of special words, actions, and objects. Magic objects include certain plants, stones, and other things may be called a fetish. Many people carry around objects called amulets, charms or talismans to protect themselves from harm. Many amulets and talismans are stones or rings engraved with magic symbols. |
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| Some people divide magic into black magic and white magic. Black magic harms people, but white magic helps them. Witches usually practice black magic. But when a saint cures a sick person, he uses white magic. |
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