Hey YouTube, Jim here! Welcome to Top 10 Archive! If you've been a fan of ours for a while,
you'd know that we have a plethora of top 10 videos in the mythology genre. And out
of all of those topics we've discussed, we've yet to tackle one of the most basic.. What are the Top
10 Scariest Witches of Mythology?! From Slavic to Celtic, to Wales, and Russian, we'll try to cover
a little from each of the mythologies'. 10. Kikimora
It's unlikely that you've heard of this Slavic mythology witch. They were more of a house spirit,
a type of invasion in a house that haunts those who dwell there. According to legend,
they hide behind the stove or in the cellar, and make mouse-like noises to get food.
These types of spirits would often take the blame for sleep paralysis in Russian Folklore, something
that hadn't yet been studied. In myths, a Kikimora comes in through the keyhole, sits on your chest,
and tries to strangle you as you sleep. Whenever someone wanted to curse a home, they would call
upon a Kikimora to vandalize their homes, by breaking dishes, leaving wet, muddy footprints,
and other mischievous activities. 9. Erichtho
Throwing it back to Roman times, we have Erichtho, a Thessalian witch who pops up in many different
forms time in literature. She's uglier than anything you've ever seen and is written
about in many different literary works. In one, she finds a cadaver, fills it with potions, and
raises it from the dead. She lives in a cemetery, refusing to live in a "normal" way. She's unkempt,
and refuses to talk to normal people, only the dead, or take part in any social norms.
According to legend, she was responsible for carrying out any heinous acts that Lucan wanted
her to, a Roman Poet who lived around 50 B.C. 8. Trivia
No, it's not the fun game you like to play with friends, Trivia is actually a Roman witch. Well,
actually, a goddess. She was the goddess of sorcery and witchcraft
and was known to haunt crossroads and graveyards, which is very well where we might get all of these
images from nowadays. According to the legend, she was stealthy, only traveling at night.
In fact, you'd only know she was around because of the barking of dogs.
She is also mentioned as the "queen of ghosts," "goddess of the Mist" and the force which hides
all mythological happenings from the eyes of mortals. This is actually where the word
"trivia" comes from in modern times. It refers to having knowledge of unknown information.
7. Circe Seen in Homer's Odyssey,
Circe was a beautiful witch-goddess with her own island, named entirely with vowels - "Aeaea".
One of her favorite things was to turn passing sailors into animals. She also turned Calchus,
the king of nearby kingdom, insane, after he fell in love with her, and she didn't reserve the same
feelings. When Odysseus visited the island, Circe turned his men into pigs. Odysseus was spared only
because of a plant the gods gave him that left him invulnerable to her spell. When Odysseus decided
he wanted to be the only mortal to ever visit the underworld, Circe helped him. In the end,
they all ended up great friends. 6. Morgan le Fay
From the legends of King Arthur comes Morgan Le Fay, a witch associated both with war and death,
and also fertility. An odd combination, you might think, but everyone needs a dark side
and an approachable side. In the 12th Century, she appears in Chretien de Troye's works as a
good witch, and a healer. Then in King Arthur she's ruthless, the lover and apprentice of
Merlin who shape-shifts into monsters, queens, fairies, and mermaids, to manipulate humans.
5. Baba Yaga This Russian witch
is both scary and amazing. How, you ask? Well, she looks like your stereotypical witch, for starters.
She has iron teeth, a long nose, she lives on the edge of the forest in a hut that moves by itself
with chicken legs. So far, this fits pretty well into a storybook. Unlike other witches,
though, Baba Yaga rides around in a huge mortar which she pushes with a pestle, like a boat.
She does use a broom, but not for riding. Instead, sweeping away the tracks she leaves behind.
If you run into her, it's a coin toss whether she'll help you or not. If you're a bad person,
she'll likely deliver the karma that's been waiting for you. If you're a good person,
well, she might just leave you alone or help you find your way in the lonely dark forest.
4. The Graeae In Greek Mythology, the Graeae,
also known as the Grey Sisters, were three sisters who shared one eye and one tooth among
them. They were daughters of the sea-deities Phorcys and Ceto, and sisters to the Gorgons,
one of which was Medusa. In legend, the hero Perseus forced the Grey Sisters to them him
the whereabouts of the three objects necessary to kill Medusa, by ransoming their shared eye.
They were malevolent, not caring about anyone but themselves. They also had knowledge of the unknown
and fate, but they had no control over it. 3. Raven Mocker
This evil spirit comes from Cherokee traditions and is said to rob the sick and dying of their
heart. They torment and kill their victims without leaving any mark, and are often invisible,
adding a year to their own life for every one their victim would have lived. If you
hear a raven mocker, says the legend, someone in the community will die. The fear is so strong,
that Medicine Men often keep watch of the sick and dying to keep raven mockers from attacking them.
2. Hecate In Greek Mythology,
Hecate was the goddess of witchcraft, the goddess of witches, sorcery, poisonous plants, ghosts,
the moon, death, necromancy, and a plethora of other witchy activities. She was the daughter
of Perses, and one of her other names - Chthonia - translates to "of the underworld". So, what makes
her so fearsome? To those who still practice hellenic polytheism, she's not to be feared,
but she is capable of both good and evil. 1. The Bell Witch
The Bell Witch is a legend that originated in Tennessee, and is perhaps the most well-known
Witch from the United States. She originally showed up in 1817 on John Bell's property - a
300 acre ranch in Adams, Tennessee. It started simple, with knocking on doors and hands slapping
the walls. Soon after, blankets would be pulled off of beds, family members hair would be pulled,
and they'd be pinched and slapped to the point of receiving bruises. She vowed to kill John
Bell at all cost, and when he did pass away in 1820, she seemed to quiet down a lot.