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The Monkey's Paw (and other bits as well).

Mordant Carnival

00:23 / 23.09.01

Much as been made in the past (not just here but in other information sources) of the concept of spells working, but in such a way as to fuck the caster in a very uncomfortable place (no, not the back of a VW).

The classic example is the old Gothic yarn of the Monkey's Paw. In this story, a couple are given a mummified monkey's paw, which will grant them three wishes. They wish for a sum of money, and their son dies in a freak combine harvester accident, with his life insurance coming to the exact sum they had wished for. This entirely fictional tale is often held up as an example of what can go wrong with magick.

What I'd like to know is this: Has anybody ever had an analogous experience? 'Coz I never have.

The One Eyed King

01:31 / 23.09.01

No I haven't. I doubt that I ever will unless bad karma wants to hit me like a speeding bus.

Lothar Tuppan

17:10 / 23.09.01

My feeling is that most cautionary tales like that are designed to make people wary of trying 'magic' 'witchcraft' or any other spiritual practice that puts 'divine' communication in the hands of the people.

Only one type is accepted (whatever the state religion is) and that type is safely in the hands of the appointed priests.

Don't do that other type kids or this BAD THING could happen to you.

Suffocate

23:43 / 23.09.01

I've never had any kind of Monkey Paw experience, but it's always on my mind whenever I attempt new things. It's that paranoia thing where you try to cover every possible loophole before remembering that you're not making a pact with some Faustian Devil who's looking to fuck you over.

I agree with Lothar that it's simply something embedded into your psyche by a society that views magick as something scary and dangerous (read: unknown)

nul

03:19 / 25.09.01

Even if you seem to out wit the Devil, in the end you haven't.

It is possible that things can go wrong with magic, just as they can go wrong with anything. Assertions of spirtual supremacy aside, people in ye Olden Days did have legitimate concerns about out of control magic or angry gods overwhelming their worlds and did what they could to stop it... including staying away from magic and letting the "qualified professionals" handle keeping the Elder Gods from tearing a hole between dimensions.

Karma (new age definition, not the original) is often utilized as a means to scare witches and the like into keeping away from "black" magic, while the Devil and his evil hordes are used by Christianity to keep Christians from dabbling with magic.

So, overall, I agree with Lothar but wanted to have a longer post than he did.

Lothar Tuppan

13:23 / 25.09.01

quote:Originally posted by Brenden Simpson:

So, overall, I agree with Lothar but wanted to have a longer post than he did.

You ARE the Monkey's Paw aren't you?

nul

03:23 / 26.09.01

That's right, baby. And you've only got one wish left.

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