ab:calls.txt                                                       16jan90



                               Of Calls


   Of old there were many chants and songs used, especially in the dances.
   Many of these have been forgotten by us here; but we know they used
   cries of IAU, HAU, which seems much like the cry of the ancients: EVO
   or EAVOE. Much dependeth upon the pronunciation if this be so. In my
   youth when I heard the cry IAU it seemed to me to be AEIOU, or rather
   HAAEE IOOUU or AA EE IOOOOUU. This may be but the way to prolong it to
   make it fit for a call; but it suggests that these may be the initials
   of an invocation, as AGLA used to be. And of sooth the whole Hebrew
   Alphabet is said to be such and for this reason is recited as a most
   powerful charm. At least this is certain, these cries during the dances
   do have a powerful effect, as I myself have seen.

   Other calls are: IEHOUA and EHEIE. Also HO HO HO ISE ISE ISE.

   IEO VEO VEO VEO VEOV OROV OV OVOVO may be a spell, but it is more
   likely to be a call. 'Tis like the EVOE EVOE of the Greeks and the
   "Heave Ho !" of sailors.  "Emen hetan" and "Ab hur, ab hus" seem calls;
   as "Horse and hattock, horse and go ! Horse and pellatis, ho, ho, ho !"

   "Thout, tout a tout tout, throughout and about" and "Rentum tormentum"
   are probably mispronounced attempts at a forgotten formula, though they
   may have been invented by some unfortunate being tortured, to evade
   telling the real formula.
----------
   -Published in Janet & Stewart Farrar's "The Witches' Way", from GBG's
    Text B/C BOS.