To protect themselves against evil, people aren’t just putting their faith in the local wise women practising white magic. Ordinary people too have weapons against the Devil.
Fossilised sea urchins – or thunderstones as they are called – have zig zag patterns that look like lightning. They are placed under the roof of one’s house to protect against thunderstorms – and against fire. The small magic rocks may also help the result along when churning butter. Buttermakers call them butter chickens and put them in the churn itself.
The small squid fossils called vættelys (vætte candles) named after a certain type of supernatural spirit, often a household deity – are believed to have magical powers, and these too are used to prevent lightning strikes. But they can also keep away the vætter – strange creatures from the underworld – away from infants if the magic rocks are put in their cradles