In many myths and folklore tales, the concept of witches has always intrigued and captivated people's imaginations. Whether they are portrayed as good or evil, powerful or wicked, the figure of a witch has always been synonymous with enigma and mystical powers. According to one well-known prophecy, it is said that "a witch shall be born." This phrase indicates the birth of an individual who possesses magical abilities and an inherent connection to the supernatural world. This notion underscores the belief that certain individuals are destined to become witches based on their lineage or other cosmic factors. The idea of a predetermined birth suggests that being a witch is not a matter of choice but rather a predetermined fate.
Howard: Absolutely. And I’ll have an example of another Conan tale not to do that with in the next collection, because it delayed my exploration of Conan for another two or three years longer. And you’re right that it IS refreshing to see that even genius falters. Not that I take any pleasure from that. Like most Conan fans, I simply wish that there were more of these stories from Howard’s underwood, or if not more, then that these mis-steps and leftovers were at the same level as the finest. Ah well.
There are literally DOZENS of words to describe a lovely female yet Robert E Howard presents the SAME woman to us in story after story using EXACTLY the same language. The pace is off, there s no sense of adventure or momentum, and there is very little from the cast of minor characters to hold the reader s interest.
The idea of a predetermined birth suggests that being a witch is not a matter of choice but rather a predetermined fate. This notion raises questions about the nature of destiny and how it shapes a person's life and abilities. It suggests that witches are not just ordinary individuals but rather unique beings who possess a profound connection to the spiritual realm.
A Witch Shall Be Born
A WITCH SHALL BE BORN is one of the original sword and sorcery novellas by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian. It was written in only a few days in the spring of 1934 and first published in Weird Tales in December 1934. It sold for $155.00.
In July 5, 1934 Howard sent the typescript (not the final draft) to Mr. Barlow. In the letter he tells Barlow that Farnsworth Wright had told him it was his best Conan story.
Queen Taramis of Khauran awakens one day to find her identical twin sister, Salome, staring her in the face. As an infant, Salome was deemed a witch due to a crescent-shaped birthmark on her chest. This birthmark was believed to be a sign of evil, so she was left in the desert to die. However, a magician from Khitai (China) found Salome, brought her up, and instructed her in the art of sorcery.
Published in:
- WEIRD TALES VOLUME 24 NUMBER 6,Popular Fiction Publishing Company, December 1934
- AVON FANTASY READER #10, Avon Novels Inc., 1949
- HÄPNA! NR. 5/6, Grafiska Förlaget Kindberg & Söner AB, June 1957 (Swedish, Part 1 of 2)
- HÄPNA! NR. 7/8, Grafiska Förlaget Kindberg & Söner AB, August 1957 (Swedish, Part 2 of 2)
- 魔女の誕生 (MAJO NO TANJO) (A WITCH SHALL BE BORN),Shinjibutsu Ōraisha, September 1970 (Japanese)
- THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN VOLUME 1 NUMBER 5, Marvel Comics, April 1975(graphic adaptation)
- A WITCH SHALL BE BORN, Grant, 1975
- THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE, Berkley/Putnam, 1977 (restored text)
- THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE, Berkley, 1977
- HÉROES BÁRBAROS, Editorial Bruguera, 1977(Spanish)
- THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE,Science Fiction Book Club, 1977
- MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #23, Marvel Comics, 1979 (graphic adaptation)
- CONAN Z CIMMERII,Wydawnictwo Alfa, 1988 (Polish)
- CONAN, A BARBÁR,Csokonai Kiado Vállalat, 1989 (Hungarian)
- CONAN: A ZRODÍSE ČARODĔJKA, Klub Julese Vernea, Winter 1989(Czech)
- MUŽ Z CIMMERIE, Klub Julese Vernea, 1989 (Czech)
- L’IRA DI CONAN,Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, February 1990 (Italian)
- CONAN TAISTELIJA, Javala, 1990 (Finnish)
- И СЕ РОДИ ВЕЩИЦА (I SE RODI VEŠHICA),Pleiades, 1991 (Bulgarian)
- CONAN A KIMMÉRIAI,PhoenixKönyvkiadó, 1993 (Hungarian)
- TUTTI I CICLI FANTASTICI – IL CICLO DI CONAN TOMO I,Newton Compton Editori, April 1995 (Italian)
- FANTASY: TIO NOVELLER AV FANTASYNS MÄSTARE,Sam J. Lundwall Fakta & Fantasi, 1995 (Swedish)
- STORIE DI STREGHE,Newton Compton Editori, October 1996 (Italian)
- THE ESSENTIAL CONAN,Science Fiction Book Club, June 1998
- CONAN JA MUSTA RANNIKU KUNINGANNA, Elmatar, 1999 (Estonian)
- THE CONAN CHRONICLES Volume 1, Millennium, August 2000
- CONAN: A ZRODÍSE ČARODĔJKAA JINÉ POVÍDKY, BB Art, 2001(Czech)
- COMPLETE CONAN OF CIMMERIA VOLUME 2, Wandering Star, 2003
- THE BLOODY CROWN OF CONAN, Del Rey, December 2004
- THE BLOODY CROWN OF CONAN, Science Fiction Book Club, December 2004
- ÖSSZES CONAN TÖRTÉNETE I,SzukitsKönyvkiadó, 2004 (Hungarian)
- CONAN. IL CERCHIO NERO,Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, June 2005 (Italian)
- THE COMPLETE CHRONICLES OF CONAN, Gollancz, January 2006
- THE WEIRD WRITINGS OF ROBERT E. HOWARD Volume 2, Girasol Collectables, March 2006
- CONAN 2, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, July 2006 (German)
- GARDENS OF FEAR, Wildside Press, December 2006
- 新訂版コナン全集2: 魔女の誕生 (SHINTEIBAN KONAN ZENSHŪ 2: MAJO NO TANJŌ)(THE AUTHORIZED CONAN CHRONICLES 2: A WITCH SHALL BE BORN),Tōkyō Sōgensha, December 2006 (Japanese)
- CONAN – O DEMÓNIO DE FERRO, Saída de Emergência, 2006 (Portuguese)
- THREE TALES OF CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Echo Library, March 2007
- CONAN I, Aurora, 2007 (Czech)
- A WITCH SHALL BE BORN,Dodo Press, February 2008
- THE CONAN CHRONICLES Volume 1,Gollancz, April 2008
- CONAN – L’HEURE DU DRAGON, Bragelonne, April 2008 (French)
- BEYOND THE BLACK RIVER, Cosmos Books, July 2008
- “. . .AND THEIR MEMORY WAS A BITTER TREE . . .”, BlackBart Books, August 2008
- THE ADVENTUROUS TALES OF CONAN THE CIMMERIAN,Onno Tasler, October 2008
- CONAN – L’HEURE DU DRAGON, Bragelonne, November 2008 (French, 2nd printing)
- CONAN. IL CERCHIO NERO,Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 2008 (Italian)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Prion Books, May 2009 (U.K.)
- THE BLOODY CROWN OF CONAN, Tantor Media Inc., August 2009 (audio)
- HEROES IN THE WIND: FROM KULL TO CONAN, Penguin Books, September 2009
- CONAN THE REAVER,Halcyon Press, Ltd., December 2009
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Easton Press, January 2010
- THE CONAN SERIES: A WITCH SHALL BE BORN, Paradox Entertainment, Inc., January 2010
- THE ROBERT E. HOWARD OMNIBUS: 99 COLLECTED STORIES,Halcyon Press, Ltd., May 2010
- SWORD’S EDGE: PAINTINGS INSPIRED BY THE WORKS OF ROBERT E. HOWARD, Underwood Books, September 2010 (excerpt only)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Prion Books, November 2010
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Metro Books, 2010
- MUSTAN RANNIKON KUNINGATAR JA MUITA CONAN-KERTOMUKSIA, Javala, 2010(Finnish)
- CONAN IL BARBARO,Newton Compton Editori, July 2011 (Italian)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN: THE CLASSIC ORIGINAL STORIES THAT INSPIRED THE FILM, Gollancz, July 2011
- CONAN, Milady, August 2011 (French)
- THE CONAN SERIES: A WITCH SHALL BE BORN, Paradox Entertainment, Inc., September 2011
- CONAN IL BARBARO,Newton Compton Editori, October 2011 (Italian)
- CONAN THE DESTROYER,Gollancz, October2011
- CONAN BARBARZYŃCA, Rea, April 2012 (Polish)
- WEIRD TALES: 101 WEIRD, STRANGE, AND SUPERNATURAL STORIESVOLUME 1, Civitas Media, May 2012
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Jame-Books, August 2012
- CONAN I SKRWAWIONA KORONA, Rebis, August 2012 (Polish)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN: TALES OF MAGIC & MAYHEM VOLUME 1,Summit Classic Press, September 2012
- A WITCH SHALL BE BORN, JEWELS OF GWAHLUR, BEYOND THE BLACK RIVER: CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Jame-Books, September 2012
- CONAN 2, Urco Editora, 2012 (Galician)
- LEGJOBB CONAN-TÖRTÉNETEI,SzukitsKönyvkiadó, 2012 (Hungarian)
- ROBERT E. HOWARD’S COLLECTED WORKS, Jame-Books, February 2013
- WEIRD TALES: 101 WEIRD, STRANGE, AND SUPERNATURAL STORIESVOLUME 1, Civitas Media, April 2013
- PULP REPLICA: WEIRD TALES VOLUME 24 NUMBER 6, Girasol Collectables, May 2013
- THE DEVIL IN IRON, Fiction House Press, February 2015
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, SELECTED SHORT STORIES, Benediction Classics, April 2015
- CONAN – DIE ORIGINAL ERZÄHLUNGEN BAND 3, Festa Verlag, July 2015 (German)
- CONAN ZDOBYWCA. TOM 2, BookRage, August 2015 (Polish)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Ulwencreutz Media, November 2015
- CONAN BARBARZYŃCA, Rea, November 2015 (Polish)
- A WITCH SHALL BE BORN, Perennial Press, December 2015
- КОНАН TOM 1, Изток-Запад (East West), 2015 (Bulgarian)
- CONAN IL BARBARO, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, October 2016 (Italian)
- A WITCH SHALL BE BORN, Speculative!, October 2016 (audio)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN – COLLECTED ADVENTURES, The Castanea Group, December 2016
- CONAN: BROADSWORD LEGACY COLLECTION, Shirtsleeve Press, April 2017
- A WITCH SHALL BE BORN, Sir Angels, April 2017
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN – COLLECTED ADVENTURES, The Castanea Group, June 2017
- ROBERT E. HOWARD’S CONAN THE CIMMERIAN BARBARIAN: THE COMPLETE WEIRD TALES OMNIBUS, Pulp-Lit Press, June 2017
- ROBERT E. HOWARD’S CONAN THE CIMMERIAN BARBARIAN: THE COMPLETE WEIRD TALES OMNIBUS, Audible Audio, June 2017
- ROBERT E. HOWARD’S CONAN THE CIMMERIAN BARBARIAN: THE COMPLETE WEIRD TALES OMNIBUS, Easton Press, 2017
- NACERÁ UNA BRUJA, Sportula, March 2018 (Spanish)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Prion Books, 2018
- DE TOREN VAN DE OLIFANT EN ANDERE VERHALEN, Spatterlight, January 2019 (Dutch)
- L’HEURE DU DRAGON (CONAN, TOME 2),Le Livre de Poche, January 2019 (French)
- NACERÁ UNA BRUJA, Sportula, April 2019 (Spanish, 2nd edition)
- CONAN, O BÁRBARO – LIVRO 3, Pipoca e Nanquim, August 2019 (Portuguese)
- THE FEASTING OF SWORDS: EPIC TALES OF BLOOD AND THUNDER, Legendary Planet, August 2020
- ROBERT E. HOWARD AND WEIRD TALES, Dennis McHaney, November 2021 (excerpt only)
- CÒNAN. LA CANÇÓ DE BELIT, Laertes, June 2022 (Catalán)
L. Sprague de Camp's edited version appears in:
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Gnome Press, 1954
- CONAN THE FREEBOOTER, Lancer, 1968
- THE MIGHTY BARBARIANS, Lancer, 1969
- CONAN DER FREIBEUTER, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1970 (German)
- 狂戦士コナン (KYŌSENSHI KONAN) (BERSERKER CONAN), Hayakawa Bunko, June 1971 (Japanese)
- コナンと荒鷲の道(KONANTO ARAWASHI NO MICHI),Sōgen Suiri Bunko, December 1971 (Japanese)
- CONAN EL PIRATA,Editorial Bruguera, June 1973 (Spanish)
- CONANTHE FREEBOOTER, Sphere, 1974
- CONANTHE FREEBOOTER, Prestige, 1977
- CONAN DE VRIJBUITER, Zwarte Beertjes, 1977 (Dutch)
- CONANIL PIRATA, Editrice Nord, March 1979 (Italian)
- CONANTHE FREEBOOTER, Ace, 1981
- CONAN LE FLIBUSTIER, Jean-Claude Lattès, June 1982 (French)
- CONAN DER PIRAT, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, June 1982 (German)
- CONAN DER PIRAT, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1982 (German, 2nd edition)
- CONAN DER PIRAT, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1983 (German, 3rd edition)
- CONAN EL PIRATA, Ediciones Forum, 1983 (Spanish)
- CONAN LE FLIBUSTIER, J’ai Lu, September 1985 (French)
- KONAN: CRNI KOLOS,Niro Dečje Novine,1985 (Part 1,Serbo-Croatian)
- KONAN: DRVO SMRTI,Niro Dečje Novine,1985 (Part 2,Serbo-Croatian)
- THE CONAN CHRONICLES Volume 1, Sphere, August 1989
- LA LEGGENDA DI CONAN IL CIMMERO, Editrice Nord, October 1989 (Italian)
- CONAN PIRATEN, Target Games, 1989 (Swedish)
- CONAN LE FLIBUSTIER, J’ai Lu, May 1990 (French, 2nd printing)
- CONAN BARBAR, AFSF, 1991 (Czech)
- CONAN: MEČ S FÉNIXEM, Nezávislý novinář II,1991(Czech)
- CONAN PIRAT,Wydawnictwo PiK, 1991 (Polish)
- CONAN LE FLIBUSTIER, J’ai Lu, March 1993 (French, 3rd printing)
- CONAN IL CIMMERO, Editrice Nord,June 1993 (Italian)
- CONAN DER PIRAT, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1994 (German)
- CONAN, AFSF, 1994 (Czech)
- LA SAGA DI CONAN IL CIMMERO, Editrice Nord, 1994 (Italian)
- CONAN EL PIRATA,Ediciones Martinez Roca, 1995 (Spanish)
- CONAN FRIBYTTEREN,Semic / Nordisk Forlag A/S, 1995 (Norwegian)
- CONAN I: BARBAR, AFSF, 1997 (Czech)
- CONAN II: DOBYVATEL, AFSF, 1997 (Czech)
- CONAN: ESPADA & MAGIA VOLUME 3,Unicórnio Azul, 1995 (Portuguese)
- CONAN, Claude Lefrancq Editeur, October 1998 (French)
- KONANAS, Eridanas, 2000 (Lithuanian)
Bill: Fantastic, powerful writing in the crucifixion scene, for sure, it almost made me squirm. And it goes beyond the mere outlining of pain, we also see the indomitable spirit of Conan win through — a man that fights to the last breath, with his teeth if needed. Here is what a barbarian is all about, with his “life nailed to his spine” as he later tells Constantius, after turning the tables on him. Olgerd Vladislav’s torments as he rescues Conan only heighten the whole thing — Conan doesn’t just survive being crucified, he’s cut down like a tree, pulls out the nails himself once he gets his hands free, and then mounts and rides through ten miles of desert without a drink of water. Holy Crom!
The prophecy of a born witch also implies a sense of power and significance. The person born under this designation is believed to have exceptional abilities that set them apart from others. They may possess the power to cast spells, communicate with spirits, and manipulate the elements. This potential for extraordinary power draws both fear and admiration from those who encounter them. However, it is important to note that the concept of a born witch is not universal across all cultural beliefs and folklore. Different traditions may have their own interpretations and explanations for the existence and origins of witches. Some may believe that anyone can become a witch through learning and practice, while others may reject the idea of witches altogether. In conclusion, the notion of "a witch shall be born" is a fascinating and intriguing concept that invokes thoughts of destiny, power, and the supernatural. Whether one believes in the prophecy or not, the idea of a witch's birth offers a window into the rich tapestry of folklore and mythology that has captivated human imagination for centuries..
Reviews for "The Intricacies of Female Empowerment in "A Witch Shall He Born"
1. Mary - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to read "A Witch Shall He Born" as I love fantasy novels, but I was sorely disappointed. The plot was confusing and poorly developed, with too many subplots that didn't seem to go anywhere. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, and I couldn't connect with any of them. The writing style felt forced and stilted, making it a struggle to get through the book. Overall, I found it to be a lackluster read and not worth the hype.
2. John - 2/5 stars - "A Witch Shall He Born" was a major letdown for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and it took forever for anything interesting to happen. The world-building felt lackluster, with little explanation or depth. The dialogue was flat and unnatural, making it hard to believe in the characters or their motivations. The romance aspects were forced and felt irrelevant to the main storyline. Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming and would not recommend it.
3. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I'm sorry, but "A Witch Shall He Born" was one of the worst books I've ever read. The writing style was so convoluted and confusing that I couldn't understand half of what was going on. The characters were unlikeable and had no redeeming qualities, making it hard to root for anyone. The plot was all over the place and lacked a clear direction. I struggled to finish this book and felt it was a waste of my time. I would not recommend it to anyone.