The next photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. What does it say to you? Tell us in one hundred words or less. And remember to
MAKE. EVERY. WORD. COUNT.
My story follows the prompt. I appreciate honest comments. Thank you.
PHOTO PROMPT – Copyright Janet Webb
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, LONG AGO
“It’s so cold!” Marybeth shivered by the fireplace.
“This ain’t nothing.” Grandma Hattie’s wizened cheeks glistened in the flickering light. “1697, the year I turned twelve, winter commenced mid-November and by the last of March there was no sign of spring. The good Christians of Leonardtown blamed my teacher and friend Moll Dyer.”
“You knew her?”
“To this day I see them with their torches and tankards hollering, ‘witch! witch!’ as they set her hut ablaze.”
“They say she put a hex on the village, Grandma.”
“If anyone cursed them it was their precious God for slaying an innocent lamb.”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
I don’t know if it research or just gut feeling. but you always catch things so well. The details say more than everything – really you put us there, how they think. And using the winter as an example really brings it home to these days here winter are shorter, at least here in Scandinavia! So interesting, and imagine, that people really used to think that…..quite shocking really, and a far stronger piece about women’s rights than any shouting feminist.
LikeLike
Dear Hamish,
It’s always gratifying, if not exciting, when a reader understands what I’m trying to say. What a frightening time to be a woman. A little eccentricity or bit of intelligence and you could be burned as a witch. No doubt I would’ve been barbecued a long time ago. 😉
Thank you for your affirming comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I guess there is something to be said for being dumb as a brick. No one would ever accuse me of witchcraft. 🙂
LikeLike
There’s something to be said about eccentricity, Frosty. Did they ever roast the court jester?
LikeLike
AnElephantCant help shivering.
And not with cold.
Powerful and thought-provoking as ever.
LikeLike
Dear Elephant,
Encouraging words that tell me I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.
Thank you so much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
What a wonderful story of a wicked past.. alas I think finding a scapegoat is embedded in the human nature. And selecting those that we deem weakest is a common thread.
I need to think about this one.. hmm (I have gotten into the habit of reading yours before I write mine).
Björn
LikeLike
Dear Björn,
Unfortunately it does seem to be true that humans can always find a scapegoat. I’ve always found crime in the name of God and faith to be the most horrifying. The Crusades and Pogroms in Eastern Europe are first to come to my mind. The Salem Witch are right up there with them.
I’m not sure if reading my story before writing your own is the wisest choice. However you usually manage to find your own path with a prompt and I do appreciate the early comments.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Dear Rochelle,
We easily condemn and blame… and that is our curse.
Your ability to bring history to light and life is a joy to behold and even more fun to read. My regards to Isabelle.
Aloha,
Doug
LikeLike
Dear Doug,
And that, my dearest reader, is the premise of my story.
I’m pleased that you enjoy reading my offerings and blessed by your encouragement and friendship. Isabelle says “hey.”
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Rochelle, How easy to get rid of someone you don’t like or to get revenge by simply labeling them a witch. There were no witches but many evil people in those days. Good and well written story once again. Your description makes a reader feel they’re at the scene. — Susan
LikeLike
Dear Susan,
It does seem, from what we know of that time, that it was all too easy to pin the “witch” sign on someone, doesn’t it? Frightening.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
The thing is that people will be looking back in hundreds of years (if we haven’t all killed each other by then) on the things we’ve done and shaking their heads in disgust at our ignorance and intolerance, just as we do now. I fear that is a trait that will never leave “humanity.”
LikeLike
Dear Adam,
I fear you hit the proverbial nail on the head. We have different ways of screaming “witch” now don’t we?
Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
It seems after slaying a witch, things get worse for them. When will they learn? Once again, you bring history to life. I read the follow-on link and got another education. Great stuff, and great story. I think you last line in the story says it all.
LikeLike
Dear Eric,
We watched a documentary about Leonardtown and Moll Dyer recently. To this day, the people believe she put a curse on the town.
I wonder if people will ever learn? We don’t see to have over three hundred years later.
Thank you for you wonderful comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am there with you. I would be barbecued in a blink. Your last line is very powerful and very accurate in my book. As always, you delivered.
LikeLike
Dear Loré,
You comments made me smile. My husband agrees that I’d have been toast. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mid-November to March is a fairly standard winter up here in the Frozen North, Rochelle, but that aside, you put me right there with Marybeth and her granny, remembering terrible times and the cruelties of intolerance. If only we were all done with those now, eh?
LikeLike
Dear Jennifer,
As long as there are humans there will be intolerance. 😦
It seems that the winter of 1697 in Maryland was longer than normal. People died of starvation and illness. Superstition abounded and horrid atrocities committed in God’s name. Too bad they didn’t have Dopler radar.
Thank you for your kind comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
You would definitely be toast M’luv. Your interweave of fiction and history is always amazing to me. I saw a documentary on this subject, and the stone is supposed to be haunted also. Great job, as usual.
LikeLike
Great story this week, Rochelle. It is interesting how both of us went with a curse. Something about that picture, I guess. That or an obsession that at least one of us has with gothic literature. 😀
Thanks for the link too. Interesting. I knew that the Puritans of Massachusetts were this superstitious, but I didn’t know much about this type of occurrence in Maryland.
May your day be free of curses–real or imagined.
Peace,
Marie Gail
LikeLike
Dear Marie Gail,
I’ll admit to a certain obsession with the witch trials. Horrifying. I think if I’d lived back then I’d have been roasted over an open fire.
Thank you for such great comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, you did good. I mean great!
We’ve been called a lot of names over the centuries, makes my head spin all the way.
We just keep taking it don’t we. Let’s stop.
Unfortunately, we learn the good things and the bad (not progressive) from our dear mother’s.
Excellent Rochelle!
LikeLike
Dear Gardenlilie,
I agree. People…men in general I think are intimidated by women, particularly ones with intelligence. 😉 And if God created men and women to complete each other. why are men trying to destroy a part of themselves? The thought just came to mind.
Thank you for your enthusiastic comments. Warming on a cold day.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great. Love to learn things when I read.
LikeLike
Thank you, Caerlynn. 😀
LikeLike
Impressive story, Rochelle. I’m always dazzled how you tie all these layers together. I’m wondering if the cylindrical shape in the prompt was likened to Moll Dyer’s spirit I read about. This is a challenging prompt to come back to! I enjoyed your story very much.
LikeLike
Dear Amy,
To read that your dazzled is affirming, exhilarating and humbling, all at the same time.
There are so many story possibilities found in history. So much fun.
A challenge is a good thing, right?
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Interesting! I just finished a course on Colonial History from 1642-1700 (or there about). We touched on the witch trials and the reasons some of the women might have become crazy and thought of as witches. Nicely done.
LikeLike
Dear Alicia,
I wonder if we read the same things about ergot poisoning being a possible cause. No matter what, murdering them wasn’t a viable option in my humble opinion.
Thank you for coming by with nice comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
It’s always handy to be able to call someone a witch and blame them for everything. I wonder if they blamed someone else the next long winter?
Another great piece of historical fiction.
LikeLike
Dear Ali,
Too bad they didn’t know about weather patterns back then. On the other hand they would’ve blamed a witch for tampering with that, too. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
In many ways this mind set is still true today.
LikeLike
True story, Dawn. Thank you for coming by and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle,
I really like this, especially the title. It’d be nice to think we’ve left actions like this in the past, but as Dawn said, it’s somewhat of a basic human trait, unfortunately.
LikeLike
Dear David,
I wish this were all in the past. Subroto shared a sobering link about witch burnings in Papua, New Guinea.
Glad you liked my story in any case. 😀
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Great story right out of The Crucible. The one who’s different – here the woman teacher – is always the one to blame. Excellent writing as always and a very strong ending.
LikeLike
Dear Perry,
Such a bleak part of American history. Where was it decided that women had no right to be intelligent, talented or strong-willed?
Thank you for such nice comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Thought provoking reminder of history Rochelle, and the depravity of the human heart that says they act on God’s behalf.
LikeLike
Dear Lyn,
My point exactly! Where did they get these ideas?
Thank you for coming by and commenting..
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
some deeply religious folks can’t blame god for their misery. they have to look for “witches” to blame — those who appear weird and don’t seem to belong. so sad.
LikeLike
Dear Plaridel,
Why do people need to blame anyone for their misery? A sad commentary on human nature.
Thank you for commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I always, always learn something from your stories. I think you’ve raised historical flash fiction to a fine art. In fact, you’re probably the only one who does it! You’ve set a pretty high standard!
Thank you for yet another wonderful story!
LikeLike
Dear Vijaya,
What lovely things to say.Thank you so much.
shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Um … I didn’t find the Green Amphibian. Where do I plop my story? Since it’s past midnight, I don’t think I’ll find an answer right now.
I guess I’ll link it here, and see if I can find your amphibian tomorrow p,m.
http://vijayasundaram.com/2014/12/04/frost-flowers-or-aging/
LikeLike
Sorry about the disappearing linky frog. Glad you were able to link after all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is always exciting to see what you will do to bring a historical figure back to life, Rochelle. It is a real gift! Your writing here is so fluid and rich; the story could be today… wonderful story!
LikeLike
Dear Dawn,
All I know for sure is that I love finding humanity and personality in history. To know that someone else such as yourself enjoys my endeavors is exciting for me as well.
Thank you for such head-turning comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle, People who want to see witches – will see witches to the death of many poor souls in Salem, MA. Excellent story and true to history. Good job and another entertaining history lesson Professor! Nan 🙂
LikeLike
Dear Nan,
Unfortunately it’s still true. While we don’t burn them at the stake here any more we find other ways to crucify those who are different, don’t we?
Always happy to share a good history lesson. Class dismissed. 😉
Thank you.
shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
always and everywhere the innocent lambs are available for sacrifice,world will never change
LikeLike
Dear IB,
Sad but true. People are people the world over.
Thank you for commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Accusations of witchcraft (or communism, or countless other unproven and unprovable crimes) have ever been a favoured way of ridding oneself of an inconvenient individual…
Doing it in the name of god (or king, or country, or whatever) is simply a way of getting community support.
A very interesting take on the prompt.
Cheers
KT
LikeLike
Dear KT,
The mob mentality. We’re seeing it all over the news, aren’t we?
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
woww that’s a haunting tale. Loved the narration.
LikeLike
Dear Rajlaksmi,
And to this day, the people of Leonardtown believe that Moll Dyer put a curse on their town.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
you pack a powerful lot into a little bit.
Even down to a sentence like “1697, the year I turned twelve, winter commenced mid-November and by the last of March there was no sign of spring. ”
nice
Randy
LikeLike
Dear Randy,
It’s always a challenge to tell a complete story with only a hundred words at my disposal. Some weeks work out better than others.
Thank you for the encouraging words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I always love your historical references! Nicely written and spookily entertaining.
LikeLike
Thank you for the kind words, Ruth.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I like how you can describe things so well in just 100 words, especially about winter and the cold. Good job! Going to try to write something up too.
LikeLike
Dear Smudgy,
The hundred word challenge is like a drug to me. I’m completely addicted. 😉 It’s nice to know when my intent comes across to the reader.
By all means, jump in and write.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
What a sad and ignorant time you’ve recreated in your story. The characters are so real, and the details bring it to life. Lovely.
LikeLike
Dear Marg,
It’s a time in American history that both fascinates and horrifies me. I’m glad that it was real for you.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
How lucky we are to live in an age when women are no longer…oh wait, scratch that.
Puritan barbarians do still roam the earth. They may never become extinct. I love the way you make the political personal here. “Wizened cheeks” – exceptional!
LikeLike
Dear Stephonie,
At least we live in a part of the world where women are looked at as people rather than so much chattel.
Thank you for your comments. I always look forward to them.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Good story Rochelle along with the use of a historical person! Be well! ^..^
LikeLike
Dear Barb,
Well, according to Wikipedia Moll Dyer might be historical or she might just be hysterical. 😉
Glad you liked my story.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its 2014 and they are still killing witches http://tinyurl.com/aoy84zq
Fascinating story and loved your take on it.
LikeLike
Dear Subroto,
I’m not sure whether to thank you or not for that horrifying article. Seriously, it needs to be shared. In America we think of the witch hunts as something in our dark, distant past.
Thank you for your kind comments.
shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Thank you for taking me to a wonderful, if macabre, piece of folklore.
LikeLike
Dear Hilary,
Glad you enjoyed the trip. Thank you for coming by with your wonderful comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Dear Ginger Ali,
Twas indeed a cold period in our nation’s history. I was just thinking how tired your legs would get if you were locked in the stocks for even a couple of hours. I’d probably collapse and choke to death, or stranded in the sun where I’d get too hot and melt.
Here’s wishing you a cool night, Frosty
LikeLike
Dear Frosty,
It was a cold period in history, one that both fascinates and appalls me. Cruel punishment those stocks. Definitely horrible treatment for a snowman.
Thanks for commenting.
Shalom,
Ginger Ali
LikeLike
Thank you for this interesting story and character! I did a quick google on her for a little more. Had I lived back then, I probably would roast, too. I’ve been told that I am a bit eccentric. Really! 🙂
Lily
LikeLike
Dear Lily,
I don’t for a minute believe Moll Dyer was a witch. That’s if she truly existed. I’m with you. We’d probably have adjoining stakes. Eccentric? C’est moi? 😉
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
It’s always the erudite, especially the impoverished erudite, that get targeted.
LikeLike
Dear Alice,
The erudite and eccentric. Anything out of the norm, I think.
Thank you for commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Such ignorance then and now. Couple that with mass hysteria and this is what happens. If the grandmother in your story has her way, the granddaughter won’t remain misinformed.
Ellespeth
LikeLike
Dear Ellespeth,
Exactly so. Grandma knows the power and horror of mob mentality. And we keep seeing it on the news, don’t we?
Thank you for commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Sad that such “witch-hunting” still takes part in some places of the world, Rochelle.
Nicely expressed.
LikeLike
Dear Anita,
Tragically people require a scapegoat. It has always been so.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I don’t know what I can say that hasn’t already been said — but — brava — this is chilling.
LikeLike
Thank you, J. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s MY story. Different words but same sentiments. Eerie. My lawyers are writing at this very moment! Except I think mine is set in 2014.
LikeLike
Dear Patrick,
I’ll set my lawyers to writing as I think I wrote mine first. 😉 On the other hand I prefer to think of these stories as companions and a commentary on how some things never change.
At any rate, I hope this means you liked my story.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Hi Rochelle,
Wedding and family shenanigans kept me too distracted to take part in this last week, but I’m glad I caught this week’s story! Wow. Very well done!
That period of history has always fascinated and repulsed me. Interesting how those ghost stories linger on hundreds of years later.
Wonderful work, as usual. 🙂
Emilie
LikeLike
Dear Emilie,
My words exactly concerning the period. Fascinating and horrible.
Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Well that worked. Maybe it was just browser. Glad I got to read this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Joseph,
I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
I enjoyed your story Rochelle. You are so good at putting so much in so few words.
LikeLike
Dear Colline,
Compliments don’t get much better.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Powerful piece Rochelle! Reminds me of trying to explain the historical vilification of women that were the witch hunts to my daughter. “But in the movies . . .” Only six and they’ve already indoctrinated her ugh.
LikeLike
Dear Riya,
It doesn’t take long, does it? Hence my last week’s story, “We Begin With the Young.” 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Baseless accussations are one of those things whih can seen in past, present and future, I guess. In 100 words you shared a lot more than a story, Rochelle. I love reading your fictional pieces. 🙂
LikeLike
This was a great story, thank you for sharing. I wonder how many times witches were blamed for the Little Ice Age…
LikeLike
Dear Danny,
You mean witches weren’t responsible for the Ice Age? 8O,
Glad you liked my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I enjoyed your story. I love taking thee historical approaches. My favorite genre.
LikeLike
Dear Roger,
Historical fiction is my favorite genre also. So much so, I’ve been accused of being the Friday Fictioneers history professor. 😉
Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Very moving story. I have heard so many stories they burned women in the pretext of practicing witchcraft in India just to grab their property. You write so well!
LikeLike
Dear Indira,
How sweet of you to come back and comment.
It saddens me to know that women are still burned as witches. It’s a dark and bleak part of American history, one that fascinates and appalls me.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike