Bewildered and Bewitched

       Bewildered and Bewitched

Suzanne Marsh

June 1692

“I curse you Martha Putnam, I curse you to speak the opposite of what you mean. Artra,

Begum arta tagum.”

Lightning flashed, thunder roared as Mercy Warren raised her fist in the air; anger and hurt her only weapon. Mercy knew the moment she raised her fist in the air was the moment she would be accused of witchcraft. She could be burned at the stake; but she really did not care about life or death. She hated being here in Salem, in this Puritan society. She thought that if she cursed Martha Putnam folks would leave her alone. Martha Putnam accused her of bewitching her husband, Jock; obviously she had not but Martha had been convinced. ‘Well, what is done, is done’ thought Mercy as she sauntered down the wooded path toward Salem town.

Martha Putnam knew she had to make the accusation stick; she was bewildered by the curse Mercy had put on her. Did the opposite of what she meant pertain to everything she said? She hoped not; that would make her a witch also. That would never do. Martha decided that it would be wiser to accuse Mercy of witchcraft. She knew that if she told the Judge that she had been curse by Mercy, she would be convicted of witchcraft.

“This court is called to order; order I say.’

“Martha Putnam, you are accusing Mercy Warren of being a witch; what proof have you?”

“She cursed me. If I say that the color is black, I really mean white. I say no when I know.

I meant yes. It is very bewildering.”

Mercy, snickered, knowing that Martha thought she was cursed. The judge attempted to sort it out:

“Mercy Warren did you put a curse on Martha Putnam?’

“Yes, I did, and I curse all who don’t understand me!”

“Mercy Warren, you have admitted to witchcraft. I sentence you to be burned at the stake.”

Mercy fainted; Martha Putnam had her revenge, or did she? The following morning, Mercy Warren walked unsteadily toward the piles of wood. She was bound by chains around her neck and waist. The fire was ignited; Mercy began to scream. Pain racked her body as the fire spread. Three hours later Mercy’s ashes were thrown into the lake. Once the ashes were disposed of there would be no more witchcraft, or so it was thought.

June 2022

Melanie Putnam hated high school; she always felt like a mental midget. She would say something, and everyone would stare at her. She did not understand why everything she said was misconstrued. She thought she had a mental issue until the class assignment that changed her thinking. The assignment was to study witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. She began her assignment after her mother informed her that one Martha Putnam was supposedly bewitched by one Mercy Warren. Melanie thought that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard her mother say. She then recalled the words her mother said:

“Melanie, you listen to me; when the Salem witch trials were happening, Martha Putnam

your great, great, great, great grandmother testified to Mercy Warren being a witch.

Mercy according to family legend, put a curse on her; everything she said would be.

the opposite of what she really meant. Mercy was burned at the stake; but not before,

she put a curse on all those living in Salem.”

Melanie, at first, was taken aback:

“Mom, there is no such thing as witchcraft or witches. You have given me a great idea,

for my history assignment, however. I am going to research what you have told me.”

“Melanie, be careful of what you write please.”

“Mom, I will be careful I promise.

Melanie began her research. Most of what she found was on the web until she the names Putnam and Warren. She began to read:

“Mercy Warren, a self-proclaimed witch, burning at the stake in Salem, Massachusetts. Mercy

when asked if she had cursed Martha Putnam replied: “I cursed her and I curse all who are

here in this courtroom. I am a witch.”

Melanie screamed for her mother. Shelly Putnam ran toward the scream. The door to Melanie’s room was closed. Shelly entered; her daughter was so very pale:

“Mom, look what I found on the web! It really did happen. Mercy Warren was burned,

at the stake. Martha Putnam apparently accused her, and she confessed.”

“Melanie, do you remember what I told you about the curse?”

“Yes, that everything is the opposite of what either of us intended to say.”

“That is correct. If you make a claim about being bewitched and bewildered, we

will have all sorts of crackpots calling us and messaging us about this curse.”

“I see what you are saying. I need a good grade Mom, and this will give it to me.”

Shelly, rolled her eyes as she thought: ‘it might give you a good grade but there will be,

repercussions, no doubt about that. Especially since we are still the victims of that

curse.’

Melanie wondered if perhaps there was a way to break the curse. She thought about all the days in school; teachers would ask her what color her skirt was she would say white when it was black or blue when it was green. Learning colors made her refuse to go to school. Now at least she could make some sense of the situation. Melanie had one question that could not be answered on web:

how to break Mercy’s spell. She checked the web and could find nothing to help until she came across a site about prayer. She hoped that would be the solution to this generational curse that was over three hundred years old. Could prayer actually be effective? She hoped so; it would be wonderful to not have to worry about what she said would be the opposite of what she meant. She said the prayer she had found:

“Dear Lord, please lift this curse from our family. Amen”

The wind began to blow from out of nowhere; the thunder and lightning seemed awe striking. A cold chill went down Melanie and Sherry’s spines. Suddenly the felt as if the burden of three hundred years had been lifted off their shoulders. The curse was broken.