EXHIBITS

Heckada 

Heckada.jpg
Portrayal of the Hecate (Heckada) Legend
(Illustration by Mikkel Skinner)

 

If you go up Logan Canyon to 3rd dam and across the bridge into Spring Hollow area or go to the Quarry up Providence Canyon, you can summon the Devil’s wife, her name is Heckada. My friend’s brother’s girlfriend’s brother [friend of a friend] had a friend that did this very thing. He and a date went up to the Spring Hollow area, for some romancing. After being turned down he got out of the car and yelled the phrase “Heckada, come get me” this was the saying that you needed to say to get Heckada to appear. After saying it a few times he returned to the car. His date was scared, which was his main intention for doing the little prank, or so he thought. After a few minutes of sitting there they began to hear dogs barking, they looked up and saw a green glowing chariot pulled by six wolves, and a mistress with long flowing hair at the reins. At about the same instance the doors locked, the boy and date was pretty scared by this time so the boy tried to get the car started but it seemed like the battery was dead, nothing would start or no lights would come on. By this time the wolves were on the hood of the car clawing at it and growling. The mistress stared into the boy’s eyes and said “I have come for you.” The boy freaked out and didn’t know what to do, the girl was screaming and crying. Then the boy remembered to say “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave,” at the very instance of saying that, the mistress and her wolves disappeared. The boy then started the car and returned to Logan. Upon returning to his date’s house they looked at the hood and saw scratches that the wolves left (Fife Folklore Archives, Group 7: Box 11, Folder 2: L2.3.1.15.9). 

Analysis:

In the above example of a teenage courtship scene, the male confirms his status and role as dominant male, legend-tripping through ostension to maintain and confirm the importance and continuation of his role as male in his culture. Male dominance is established in legend as initiator of courtship; protector against evil by averting evil with power of priesthood.