Mommet

From Traditional Witchcraft Wiki Project

Mommet is a Somerset word for a scarecrow, and is also used as an affectionate word for someone mischevious. However, it is also used as a term for a poppet (that is to say a puppet or doll) used in the witch arts. Such may be used to heal and harm, and several have been found in the Somerset and Devonshire area, especially in chimneys. Here follows a quote to illustrate the popular belief in such from the Exmoor area:

A farm boy left his employment in a neighbouring parish against his master's wish, "to better himself," and took service near. Soon after, he was seized with a "terrible" pain in his foot, so that he could neither stand nor drive home the cows. An acquaintance coming by took him home in his cart, and advised him to consult "Conjurer ------." The latter told him at once, "Somebody's workin' harm 'pon thee." In the end the boy was advised to go back to his old place, and to keep a sharp watch if Mr. or Mrs. ------ took anything down out of the "chimbly." "’Nif they do, and tear'n abroad, they can't never hurt thee no more." After many questions he was taken back into the house again, and in a short time he saw Mrs. ------ take an image down from the chimney. "’was a mommet thing, and he knowd 'twas a-made vor he." He saw that the feet of the little figure were stuck full of pins and thorns! As soon as he found out that the thing was destroyed, he went off again to farmer ------'s, because his feet got well directly, and he knew they could not work harm a second time.

Quoted from "The Evil Eye" by Frederick Thomas Elworthy (1895) However,the use of a poppet is entirely different to the concept of the Mommet.