Alluring women and ailing knights, enchantresses and seekers of revenge, wise old women and badly-behaved girls. Says editor Shahrukh Husain, 'to me the witch is the ultimate example of womanhood in all its complexity'.

Here are over fifty stories of crones and nixies, shape shifters and beauties including the loving fox witch of Japan; Italy's Witch-Bea-Witch; Scotland's Goodwife of Laggan; Biddy Earl and the terrifying Kali. Then there is Baba Yaga who comes in many forms down through the ages to haunt, entice, possess, transform and challenge.

Every corner of the globe bequeaths us folklore and legends about women who step out of line and become Banshees - a howling night-witch and harbinger of death; She-devils - Lilith and her daughters; or Bitches - Hecate, whose chariot is drawn by dogs. Beware the witch!

The Virago Book of Witches is a celebration of anger, tom-foolery, fun, strife and victory because the witch never really disappears . . .