ined witch-stories away as peasant superstition or mere trickery or suggested that the crime of a witch was a "dealing with the Devil." However, they insisted that such a witch had no real power and the Devil only gave her the illusion of such power to mock her. Furthermore, according to the theory of the divine right of monarchies, rulers are to be treated as gods in their domain; and since the monarchical order is an indication of the divine order upon earth, a crime against the King is synonymous with a crime against God. In this way, treason and witchcraft were combined. In contrast with the elitist conception of witch craft, the popular tradition saw the witch as a peril to domestic happiness and harmony. This popular tradition is documented by testimonials and accounts of witnesses and suspects present at witch trials. Therefore, it consists mostly of stories of killing infants and domestic animals, of women cursing their children and their cooking utensils, and of witch hangings. In addition, unlike the elitist conception, the witch was seen as a creature of the "third world" and the supernatural, attached to neither heaven or hell not as merely a servant of the devil (Lawless NP).
             The Weird Sisters are considered to be constructed from several different sources. Among these of course are the elite and popular conceptions of witches, but critics consider classical and literary traditions of witchcraft to have a great influence as well. In appearance (as described in the quote below), the Weird Sisters conform to both elite and popular tradition, which puts emphasis on the hideousness and filthiness of witches (Lawless NP).
             How far is 't called to I?Forres?'I?What are these,
             So withered, and so wild in their attire,
             That look not like th' inhabitants o' th' earth
             And yet are on 't??Live you? Or are you aught
             That man may question? You seem to understand me
             By each at once her choppy finger laying
             ...