 |
| hexagon and hexagram |
noun
HEX (3), plur. HEXNA (4) - witch, sorceress
verb
HÉDE HEXNAD (1), HETH BIHEXNATH (2) - had/has (be)witched, hexed
(infinitive would have been HEXNA)
Note: another word for sorceress or witch in OLB is THJONSTER (used once).
OLB fragments with new translations
1 [034/10]
THÁ GVNGON HJA HJA BIHLVDA ÀND SÉIDON THAT HJU.T FOLK HEXNAD HÉDE.
they started accusing her and said she had bewitched the folk.
 |
| Olaus Magnus 1555 depicted witches causing bad weather and cattle disease |
MEN MIN.ERVA HETH AL.ET FOLK BIHEXNATH. JES BIHEXNATH FRJUNDA. IVIN AS AL VS FJA THÀT LÀSTEN STURVEN IS.
but Minerva has hexed all the folk - yes hexed, my friends - just like all our cattle that died lately.
3 [065/01]
IK SKOLDE THJU HEX IN HJARA NEST VRBARNE.
I would burn that witch in her nest.
4 [133/10]
ÔLON LÁWATH HJA AN BOSA GÁSTA. HEXNA. KOLLA. ULDERMANKES.
ÀND ELFUN AS JEF HJA FON THA FINNA WEI KÉMEN.
They persistently believe in evil ghosts, witches, sorcerers, forest spirits
and elves as if they stemmed from the Finns.
 |
| Hexology by J. Ott a.o. |
| Hexe | behexen/verhexen | German |
| heks(e) | hekse | Frisian |
| häxa | förhäxa | Swedish |
| heks | beheksen | Dutch |
| heks | forhekse | Danish, Norse |
The assumption of some etymologists that the word would be derived from 'hagazussa' (Hague-/ hedge-sister) or 'hagetisse' (lizard), is probably based on medieval folk-etymology. A relation to Greek ἕξ (hex): "six" and the six-spoke wheel makes more sense.
 |
| Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Signs |
As de zunne schient en het regent,
dan wörde zegd deur olde meinzen:
de heksen bint an het pannekoe
(Dwingeloo)
