Sisters

“Witch!”

“Church Lady!”

The two women pass each other in the square, one makes the sign of the cross the other wards against the evil eye. Mariam practically scurries toward the presbytery. Katrin veers toward the forest path.

Mariam lives in a cottage, three doors down from the little village church. She attends mass every morning, takes the Eucharist to the infirm and house bound daily. She cooks for the good Father taking the leftovers to needy parishioner. She cleans the presbytery, makes sure the hymnals are in place and the songs for the service are noted on the placards at the front of the church.

Katrin lives in a cottage at the end of the forest path. A clearing with a medicinal herb garden, a drying shed. She spends her early mornings foraging, harvesting her evenings preparing simples and cantrips, ointment, potions, and spells. She spends her days delivering her salves and cures to her clients.

On market day, Mariam and Katrin start at opposite corners of Market Square and they travel through the booths until they meet in the middle, exchanging their traditional greetings with the sign of the cross and the ward against the evil eye. Katrin’s been known to spit over her left shoulder, Mariam’s been known to splash holy water. By unspoken rule they do not see the same clients – at least at the same time.

The village folk all call Miriam “Church Lady” and they all call Katrin “Witch” both with equal deference. All know that a witch who cannot hex cannot heal, and that the wrath of God is the other side of His blessing. The village folk know also that once these two formidable women were sisters. Born just a year apart, no one remembers who is the elder and who the younger.

Their mother was pregnant with her third, a boy, the midwife swore. But when her bleeding would not stop, the village witch was called in to apply her salves and knowing. When that failed, the good Father was called to give the Last Rites. The widower father knew nothing of the keeping of young girls, he was a poor man and in thanks for the help to his late wife gave one child to the village witch, and the other he sent to live with the good Father and Sister Tereza.

Katrin felt her calling to follow in the footsteps of her foster mother. Miriam did not feel a calling to join the nuns, but she did remain dedicated to the church. These two girls once so alike as children, as different now as snow and summer.

Miriam is afraid. She’s afraid that Katrin will be denied the life everlasting promised. Her morning devotions are often prayers for the salvation of her sister’s soul. Miriam is confident she herself is going to heaven. She thinks it will be very lonely without her sister and prays for her repentance. Katrin lives comfortably knowing which changes in the wind portend rain and which spell disaster. She can chatter and chat with most of the wild creatures and birds. She’s as happy in her life following the wheel of the year as Miriam is following the liturgical seasons.

Once a year, at the stone marking where their mother and father are buried, the two sisters meet. They share small beer and trade stories whilst they weed, sweep, and plant new flowers over the graves of their parents. Katrin brings herbs and simples to Miriam who isn’t any younger. Miriam brings her sister a new scapular. Then they part.

“Witch”

“Church Lady.”

— Lkai