So the children are basically causing trouble (like the little tikes always do) and harrasing an old lady. The old lady assumes the chickens are a focus for the kids. Eventually one of the children has a fit. possibably epilectic? The gang of kids start accussing the old lady of causing the fit and further being a witch. Tension mounts and eventually the old lady grows tired of the accusations and admits guilt (of which crime it isn't clear) and is promptly lynched and hung by the locals. Including all her family.
This song is about the tribal "witch trials" that still go on to this day in remote countries. Obviously europe had the same outlook at some point in the past, but this is a comment on developing country's lingering superstitions. Unfortunately paranoia rules supreme in some isolated communities and occasionally the mob rules.
Every now and again you'll find an article in Fortean Times or the BBC.com news about villages plagued by fear and paranoia over witches. Classes of children will go into convulsions and those accused of "witchcraft" get dragged from their homes by mobs and set on fire in the street.
This isn't a fantasy subject. It's a real as Female Genital Mutilation. Personally, it's music like this that convinced me that the Resident are on the ball as they were in their heyday(70-81).
So the children are basically causing trouble (like the little tikes always do) and harrasing an old lady. The old lady assumes the chickens are a focus for the kids. Eventually one of the children has a fit. possibably epilectic? The gang of kids start accussing the old lady of causing the fit and further being a witch. Tension mounts and eventually the old lady grows tired of the accusations and admits guilt (of which crime it isn't clear) and is promptly lynched and hung by the locals. Including all her family.
This song is about the tribal "witch trials" that still go on to this day in remote countries. Obviously europe had the same outlook at some point in the past, but this is a comment on developing country's lingering superstitions. Unfortunately paranoia rules supreme in some isolated communities and occasionally the mob rules.
Every now and again you'll find an article in Fortean Times or the BBC.com news about villages plagued by fear and paranoia over witches. Classes of children will go into convulsions and those accused of "witchcraft" get dragged from their homes by mobs and set on fire in the street.
This isn't a fantasy subject. It's a real as Female Genital Mutilation. Personally, it's music like this that convinced me that the Resident are on the ball as they were in their heyday(70-81).
Articles follow:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4677969.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4609355.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4536683.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4608943.stm