The Witch
After a sheltered and protected childhood, a prince is at last allowed to go hunting, accompanied by one of his advisors. When they spot game, the advisory tells the prince to follow it himself, and the prince becomes lost; the advisor returns to court and reports that the prince was killed. Meanwhile, the prince encounters a weeping maiden, and he offers to help her return to civilisation. They ride together for a while, until they come to a ruin, and the maiden asks to go a refresh herself in private. After she has been gone a little while, the prince follows her, and spies her surrounded by wicked spirits - demons or witches - who greet her as one of them, and respond delightedly to the news that she has caught a man for them. Terrified, the prince hurries back to his horse, and when the woman returns, he cannot hide his shaking. She asks what is wrong, and he replies that he is afraid of someone powerful who wishes him harm. Thinking philosophically, the woman suggests that he use his power as the king's son - or the wealth that comes with that - to protect himself, but the prince replies such things will not help. Finally, the woman suggests that he pray to God for deliverance; loudly, the prince cries out to God for help, and the woman falls writhing to the ground and cannot rise, and the prince rides away safely.
| Striga appears in the following versions and secondary versions
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| Striga is narrated in the following occurrences
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Arabic Version A1001 (Thousand and One Nights), Arabic Version A101 (Hundred and One Nights), Berlin Staatsbibliothek Sprenger 1368, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 3660, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 3662, Leiden Universiteit Or. 14.303, Libro de los Engaños, Madrid Real Academia Española 'El Conde Lucanor', Ms. 15, Paris Bibliothèque nationale de France Arabe 3639, Paris Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 3660, Paris Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 3661, Paris Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 3662, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 3670, Toronto Aga Khan Museum 00513, Tunis Bibliothèque nationale de Tunisie, MWT 04576
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