ABSTRACT
If we ask Reclaiming people how the Witch movement came into being, the sceptical and ignorant will say it was invented by Starhawk and other feminists. The sceptical and well read will say it was invented by Gerald Gardner on the basis of the European esoteric traditions. The non sceptical lovers of myth, who represent the majority of feminist Witchcraft, will refer us to a certain myth of ancient origin. This myth, in different versions, is met with in all variations of the Witch movement (Adler 1979:45). In fact, it is not really a myth, but a genealogical account which, when clothed in terms of the history of religions, describes how some of the Witches themselves understand their origin and evolution.The Reclaiming version of the myth is formulated by Starhawk. She claims to have inherited it from the Faery tradition, although its narrative elements are similar to Gardner’s accounts.1 Briefly, Starhawk’s version is as follows.
