Top 10 Legendary Witches from Mythology and Folklore

Hailing from Finnish mythology, Louhi is a classically wicked witch, the queen of an otherworldly northern realm known as Pohjola. Along with casting enchantments, she’s also able to shapeshift. Louhi is a principal villain of the Kalevala, a compilation of Finnish folklore, battling the hero Väinämöinen for control of the Sampo, a mystical device that’s said to grant untold riches. She may actually be one and the same as Loviatar, a goddess of death and disease. The witch has infiltrated various other mediums, from the music of heavy metal band Amorphis, to video games, such as the “Final Fantasy” franchise.

The legend of the Bell Witch has persisted for two centuries, since it first emerged in the early 1800s. The story recounts an alleged haunting that tormented the Bell Family while they were living in rural Tennessee. The Bell Witch, also known as “Old Kate Batts’ Witch,” was a malevolent being that behaved similarly to a poltergeist, even physically attacking the family in their home. A mysterious girl dressed in green was reportedly seen on the property, as were strange animals that appeared and disappeared. The patriarch of the Bell Family, a farmer named John, was supposedly fatally poisoned by the witch. She was even said to have disturbed mourners by breaking out into drinking songs.

This infamous Norse witch is one of the villains of the Germanic Völsunga saga. Grimhild, or Grimhildr as she’s sometimes known, appears in several other sagas - where she is also portrayed as alluring, but duplicitous and evil. In the Völsunga saga, she is a queen who uses a magic potion to make the hero Sigurðr forget he married his wife Brynhildr. Her aim is to have both marry her own children. In another saga, Grimhild is a queen who poisons her husband and curses her step-daughter and step-granddaughter. In most depictions, she receives a fatal comeuppance, in the form of fire or stoning.

There are many examples of folk tales designed to keep children away from deep and dangerous bodies of water. Jenny Greenteeth was one such creature, a hideous river-hag who prayed on children and the elderly, whisking them away beneath the waves. Her name comes from ‘Grindylow’[c], a supernatural creature popular in the folklore of Lancashire, England. The waterlogged witch served as the visual inspiration for the infamous Meg Mucklebones in Ridley Scott’s film “Legend”. With her green skin, sharp teeth and long, dripping-wet hair, she made for a frightful sight, one destined to haunt nightmares.

There’s a lot of overlap in mythology between magic-users and deities, with some figures doubling as both, depending on the story. Ceridwen is known from her origins in Welsh mythology as an enchantress, although more modern interpretations have expanded her legacy to incorporate patronage of poetry and the arts. Legend has it that Ceridwen had an ugly son, whom she sought to make wise with a potion; but servant boy Gwion Bach[e], who stirred her cauldron, accidentally drank the crucial first drops. As she pursued him, both changed in various forms, until she ultimately ate him - then became pregnant and gave birth to him in the form of the bard Taliesin!

This enchantress from Greek myth was the granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and a priestess of the goddess Hecate. She features most prominently in the myth of Jason and his search for the Golden Fleece. The sorceress assists the captain of the Argo in his quest, and even marries Jason after his adventures. The union ends in tragedy, however, when Jason seeks another bride, and Medea is exiled. She kills her own sons, as well as Jason’s new wife, forever severing her ties with the disloyal hero.

One of the great things about holiday traditions is how they differ throughout the world. After all, one might not immediately associate a witch with Yuletide gift-giving, but that’s exactly the point behind Italy’s La Befana. This old witch takes a position similar to that of Santa Claus, delivering presents to good little children, and lumps of coal for those who’ve been naughty. The Befana is further associated with the Christian tale of Jesus Christ in her association with the Three Magi. The legend asserts that the Befana actually housed and fed the Magi while they were en route to the birth site. As a result, her yearly visits are said to symbolize the Befana’s endless search for the infant Christ.

Some mythical figures straddle the line between enchantress and goddess - and Circe is a perfect example. The daughter of the sun god Helios and water-nymph Perse, Circe is a powerful enchantress and minor deity who had a habit of transforming her enemies into animals or even monsters. Travelers know to fear her, thanks to her role in Homer’s famed epic the Odyssey, where she turned most of Odysseus’ crew into pigs. She’s also a goddess closely associated with herbalism and potions, to the point where her transformation of men into animals was sometimes seen as a metaphor for drunkenness.

Merlin isn’t the only magician in Arthurian legend - not by a long shot! There’s reason to believe that Morgan le Fay originated in Welsh folklore, before appearing on the pages of Arthurian romance. She’s often portrayed as Merlin’s apprentice and King Arthur’s sister, with a shifting moral compass. In some stories, she’s a benevolent healer, while in many others, she’s fascinated with dark magic and works against Arthur’s rule in Camelot. These latter depictions have cemented her as an unpredictable and chaotic sorceress, whose ambition and subterfuge make her a formidable antagonist.

There’s a historical duality in how this witch from Slavic mythology has been portrayed. There’s no middle ground: Baba Yaga is either a villain who kidnaps children for supper, or a humorous satirization of Peter the Great's wife Catherine I. Fantasy and fiction have largely favored the former, focusing upon Baba Yaga’s infamous domicile deep in the forest - a hut that stands on chicken legs. In some stories, she flies around on a broom, but in others, her preferred vehicle is a mortar. Occasionally, she’s described in triplicate, as a trio of sisters. Any way you slice it, Baba Yaga is one of the standout witch figures from the fascinating world of myth.

What’s your favorite cinematic representation of a witch? Let us know in the comments!