| “ | He simply wants to suckle and be fed by his mistress. It is the price for doing all your bidding. You should be proud to bear your witch mark. But, of course, upon your life, you must also keep it a secret. | ” |
— Countess Von Marburg to Anne Hale
| ||
The Devil's Mark, alternately known as "Witch Mark," is a supernumerary nipple used by witches to feed their familiars.
Description[]
The Mark of the Devil is a supernumerary nipple used by witches to feed their familiar demons, whether by blood or breast milk as both were shown in the series. This nipple is apparently a physical deformation that appears on the witch body to meet the food needs of the demon in the guise of an animal once the Devil gives it to the witch after her affiliation to the Dark Powers. The mark appears in hidden places of the body, such as the inside of the thigh, the groin or the nape.
Throughout the Salem Series[]
Tormented by a spectral attack, young Mercy Lewis is examined by Reverend Cotton Mather in search of the mark by which the girl is forced to feed the witches' familiars. The man shaves her hair and controls every part of her body, either the legs or groin, forcing an embarrassed Reverend Lewis to leave the room while the girl looks away in shame. Later, at the House of the Seven Gables, Mary Sibley nourishes the evil toad holding in check George Sibley, using the witch' mark that the woman has on her inner thigh. (The Vow)
Following the arrival of Increase Mather and the capture of The Divining Rod's madame Mab, to stop her torture the woman moves accusation against her protégée Gloriana Embry, accusing her of being a witch as well. The young prostitute is then taken to prison where Cotton is forced by his father to examine the woman's body looking for the mark, without finding any. (Departures)
As the hysteria of the witch hunt continues, John Alden is charged as a witch and seducer of young virgin, and a lump on his neck caused by a combat wound is exploited in the trial by Increase Mather, who argues that the lump it is actually a mark of the witch. Despite Cotton is able to drop Alden's charges based on cheating, the process continues. Later that evening, a frightened Anne Hale pays a visit to the private rooms of Cotton Mather so that the Reverend can search for evidence indicating her belonging to the legions of Satan. Although Anne's eyes shine of a devilish red and her tongue becomes forked like that of a snake while Cotton controls tentatively her legs, the man does not find any mark or makes the slightest chance to actually notice the diabolical features taken by the young woman.(Ashes, Ashes)Once she got the "Book of Shadows" and her servant demon in the likeness of a mouse, which she affectionately baptizes Brown Jenkins, Anne Hale develops a Mark of the Devil on the groin, from which nourishes the mouse each time it offers help during spells and rituals. (The Beckoning Fair One)
At nightfall, Anne released Cotton from Brown Jenkins in order to nourish her familiar. Cotton took advantage of the moment of freedom for yelling at his wife, begging her to kill him. (After The Fall)
Gallery[]
Memorable Quotes[]
- Cotton Mather (about Mercy Lewis): "She was forced to feed their familiars. She must be searched for the marks, teats where she suckled them."
- — The Vow
- _______________________________
- Tituba: "Careful, mistress. Your tears may sour the milk."
- Mary Sibley: "There was a time that I might have suckled something other than a toad."
- — The Stone Child
- ________________________________
- Anne Hale: "Do you think it's possible to be a witch and not even know it?"
- Cotton Mather: "Um, I... I think one would know if one had deeded one's soul to Satan."
- Anne Hale: "But what if someone deeded it for you?"
- Cotton Mather: "I can assure you, Miss Hale..."
- Anne Hale: "No. I want more than your assurance. I want... I want you to examine me, now, for the mark of the Devil, then you may assure me."
- Cotton Mather: "I feel no sign of Satan. You seem to me, in every respect, unmolested by the Devil. I assure you, Miss Hale, if you were a witch, you would know it."
- — Ashes, Ashes
- ___________________________________
- Countess Von Marburg (to Anne Hale): "He simply wants to suckle and be fed by his mistress. It is the price for doing all your bidding. You should be proud to bear your witch mark. But, of course, upon your life, you must also keep it a secret.
- — The Beckoning Fair One
- ___________________________________
Trivia[]
- Interesting enough, the Specter sent by Mary Sibley fed on Mercy Lewis in "The Vow," but later only familiars were shown in the act of feeding from the Mark of the Devil.
- Three are the Devil's marks shown in the series and belong respectively to Mary Sibley (inner right thigh); Tituba (at the base of the neck); And Anne Hale (groin).
- During John Alden's trial, Increase Mather tried to make a cauterised war wound as evidence of Alden covenant with the Devil.
- When Cotton Mather examined Anne Hale's body, he found no trace of Devil's Mark. Since at that time Anne had not yet completely embraced her dark path in Witchcraft, nor she had a familiar to feed, it is possible that she hadn't one at the time.
- During Ask Salem interview, Tamzin Merchant said she would like to be a witch only if she does not have to feed a toad from her nipple. Seth Gabel jokingly suggested she can feed the familiar with Infant formula.
- Historically any moles, freckles or malformation was used as a pretext during the witch trials. Since most of the time hunters were paid only when caught witches, it was discovered by historians that many of them were using special retractable pins that disappeared into the handle when pressed on the skin, as it was believed that the Mark of the Devil does not bleed.
See Also[]
| |||||