ABSTRACT
Some people even had special relationships with beings such as fairies either as individuals, or even as members of groups with shared beliefs and ritual practices. These popular beliefs and practices were not usually about witchcraft directly, but they contributed to the development of stereotypes of witchcraft, and influenced individual trials. Stories about witchcraft drew heavily on folk belief. Witchcraft suspects, asked about demonic baptism, could produce folkloric elaborations on it, such as the idea that demonic baptism had to occur three times. Elaborations of the demonic pact involved telling a story about it, usually about the development of the suspect's personal relationship with the Devil a story that often culminated in sex. Important ideas about folkloric witches concerned their powers of flight and shape-shifting motifs to which people now turn. Ideas of the witches' sabbat were often influenced by folk belief. The common folk did not worship the Devil, nor did they believe that anyone else worshipped the Devil.
