A Witch's Guide to Fetch Work: Rituals, Spells, & Practices

By Blake Malliway

A Witch's Guide to Fetch Work provides an extensive collection of spells, rituals, and other magical workings designed to show you how to connect with your fetch, the etheric spirit helper found to manifest within the framework of several old witch traditions.
 
The witch’s fetch is the etheric spirit helper often found to manifest within the framework of old witch lore. Despite its popularity in myth, however, very little has been written about actively working with one’s fetch in magical practice. A Witch's Guide to Fetch Work seeks to bridge the gap between myth and lore and authentic magical practice. Part 1 of this book explores the mythological and folkloric origins of the fetch, while Part 2 presents a new grimoire of active and intense magical practice designed to help you weave a web of magic in partnership with your fetch.
 
This book delves into the heart of the witch’s fetch, encouraging readers to explore their relationship with their fetch to reveal the potent magic that resides therein. Through a blend of history, folklore, and personal narrative, A Witch's Guide to Fetch Work reveals the art of forging an intimate and fulfilling bond with one’s fetch, a relationship built on mutual respect, empowerment, and the sharing of ancient knowledge. Accessible to witches just starting on their path but serious enough to cater to the more seasoned practitioner, A Witch's Guide to Fetch Work will prove to be a fantastic and engaging resource.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crossed Crow Books
• Release date: Feb 25, 2025
• ISBN: 9781964537658

Book preview

The book cover for “A Witch's Guide to Fetch Work” by Blake Malliway features a central illustration of an owl with outstretched wings, symbolizing wisdom and mystery. Above the owl, a scroll displays the author's name. The background is adorned with intricate, swirling designs in contrasting colors, incorporating silhouettes of animals like a cat and a rabbit. The subtitle “Rituals, Spells, & Practices” suggests a focus on witchcraft and magical practices. The overall design conveys a sense of enchantment and esoteric knowledge.The image features the title “A Witch’s Guide to Fetch Work” in a stylized font. The words are arranged with “A Witch’s” at the top, “Guide to” in smaller text in the middle, and “Fetch Work” prominently at the bottom. The design suggests a focus on witchcraft and the magical practice of fetch work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BLAKE MALLIWAY, a Michigan native, has been a practicing Witch since childhood. As a self-proclaimed oddball, Blake has always had an affinity for the Otherworld and tends to incorporate his spirit allies into his practice whenever he can. When he’s not working magic, he can generally be found spending time at Malliway Bros, his Chicago-based Witchcraft shop that he co-owns with his brother, Wycke. Blake currently lives in Highland Park, IL with his spoiled black cat, Feens.

The image features the title “A Witch's Guide to Fetch Work” in a stylized font. The words are arranged with “A Witch's” at the top, “Guide to” in smaller text in the middle, and “Fetch Work” prominently at the bottom. The design suggests a focus on witchcraft and the magical practice of fetch work.

To Catch a Fleeting Shadow© 2025 by Blake Malliway. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from Crossed Crow Books, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-964537-02-3

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-964537-34-4

Library of Congress Control Number on file.

Disclaimer: Crossed Crow Books, LLC does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business transactions between our authors and the public. Any internet references contained in this work were found to be valid during the time of publication, however, the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific reference will continue to be maintained. This book’s material is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, ailment, or any physical or psychological condition. The author, publisher, and its associates shall not be held liable for the reader’s choices when approaching this book’s material. The views and opinions expressed within this book are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Published by:

Crossed Crow Books, LLC

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Chicago, IL 60626

www.crossedcrowbooks.com

Printed in the United States of America.

IBI

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For Wycke, the most amazing brother and banunu ever.

CONTENTS

Introduction

PART I

FOLKLORE & THEORY

Chapter One

The Fetch Unveiled

Chapter Two

Daimons, Fetches, Souls & Selves

Chapter Three

The Fetch in Folklore

PART II

BEGINNING MAGICAL OPERATIONS

Chapter Four

First Steps in Fetch Work

Chapter Five

Everyday Fetch Work

PART III

A GRIMOIRE

A Quick Note Before We Begin

Chapter Six

The Fetch in the Divinatory Arts

Chapter Seven

The Magic of Shapeshifting

Chapter Eight

Fetch Spells and Rituals

Conclusion

Go Boldly!

Bibliography

Index

INDEX OF MAGICAL WORKINGS

The Call

The Vision

The Meeting

The Compact

Daily Mindfulness

Daily Petitions

Daily Offerings

Daily Sending Forth

Daily Wards

To Protect Your Home

To Overcome Obstacles

To Vanquish an Opposing Force

To Curse an Enemy

To Find Lost Objects

To Conjure Signs and Omens

To Discover Magical Correspondences

To Obtain Magical Knowledge

To Read the Subtle Energy of Objects

To Read the Subtle Energy of Places

To Read People

To Find Power Spots in Nature

To Practice Telepathy

To Promote Compromise

To Balance the Elements Within

To Heal With Your Fetch

To Assimilate Experiences

To Confront And Destroy Your Demons

INTRODUCTION

I CONSIDER MYSELF INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE to be able to immerse myself in the magical world as deeply as I do. Not only am I a full-fledged practicing Witch, but my work as a Witchcraft shop owner and an occult book publisher grants me the rare privilege of being surrounded by magic and witchcraft every single day. Whether I’m chatting up the customers who come into our occult shop or talking with a few of our authors about magic, I am never too far away from others of a like mind.

Sounds like heaven, doesn’t it?

For the most part, it truly is as wonderful as it sounds. I love what I do, and I cherish the opportunity to connect with other Witches. I’ve even had the incredible honor of meeting some of my childhood magical heroes and collaborating with them to bring their books to life—a deeply rewarding experience.

However, there is a drawback to living in a world where magic is always present. It makes the magic, at times, feel routine. When magic is your work and your passion, there’s a risk that its wonder starts to feel a bit…ordinary, for lack of a better word. The enchantment that once sparked awe slowly fades into the background when having to deal with all the mundane issues that are associated with running a business. For example, the State of Illinois doesn’t care that we’re Witches—they still expect us to reconcile sales tax and remit our payments every month. (Sounds magical, doesn’t it?)

This whole idea of mundane chores rudely entering my world of magic is what propelled my deep exploration into the spirit world, and undoubtedly why this book came into being. It seemed to be a natural progression from my first chapbook, Death’s Head, which dealt with conversing with spirits by using an animal skull as a medium. (I do have plans to update and re-release that book at some point.) Despite long days at work, I would stay up late, carving out what few precious moments I could to experiment with my fetch and refine many of the techniques I share in the following pages.

In this book, I will share with you the practices, insights, and experiences that have shaped my relationship with my fetch. This is not intended to be a book about abstract theory or distant lore, although we will certainly touch on various aspects of these. Instead, I intend for this book to be a practical guide grounded in real, lived experiences. Whether you are just beginning your journey with your fetch or seeking to deepen your existing connection, the following pages will offer you tools, techniques, and magical wisdom to enhance your magical practice and restore that sense of awe that magic brings.

Together, we will explore the nature of the fetch, its role in Witchcraft, and how it can serve as a powerful ally in your spiritual and magical work. By the end of this book, I hope you will have a deeper understanding of the fetch and its unique place in your own personal craft—a reminder that, no matter how routine the world may seem, magic is always just a few footsteps away, waiting to be rediscovered.

While I encourage you to read the entire book to really understand my perspective on fetch work, you shouldn’t feel locked in to following my instructions as holy writ. Take from these exercises, spells, and rituals those things you find of value and allow them to be integrated into your personal practice, creating a system of magic that is the most perfect manifestation of your relationship with your fetch.

PART I

FOLKLORE & THEORY

The illustration depicts an elderly person draped in a flowing cloak, extending an arm outward. The figure stands beside an owl perched on a stone wall, suggesting a scene related to spirit work or magical practices. The setting appears to be ancient or rustic, with detailed stonework forming the background. The owl, often associated with wisdom and the occult, adds to the mystical atmosphere of the image.

CHAPTER ONE

THE FETCH UNVEILED

THE EXACT DEFINITION OF A FETCH is a mystery, but so many Witches today have found themselves drawn to work with this figure. Perhaps they’ve found what folklore and mythology they could to incorporate a system in their practice that allows the concept of the fetch to fit nicely into their magical routines. Others may find themselves even more confused after trying to create their own definition by piecing together the often convoluted and contradicting stories. Whatever your case might be, if you’re holding this book, then it’s probably safe to say that both the concept and figure of the fetch is something that has undoubtedly been tugging at you, calling you to work with it.

Before we begin building a magical practice with our fetch, I find it necessary to share three lessons that I have learned throughout my time thus far immersed in the study and practice of Witchcraft. Expanding on these points now will help all of us reach a starting point from which we may better realize how the scope of this work can fit within the construct of each Witch’s individual practice.

First, nothing is absolute. In other words, what is true today may be irrelevant or downright wrong tomorrow. This lesson serves as a reminder that we need to allow our rigid beliefs and perceptions on things to change. If we try to force the world to operate within the constructs of what we define as absolute truth, then we are limiting ourselves as individuals and as Witches. Give yourself permission to evolve and try not to feel bad letting go of beliefs that no longer serve you.

Second, everything is true. This is a hard lesson for many to grasp, mainly because we exist in a world ruled by rational thought, but the possibilities of magic are exponentially increased for the Witch who can free their mind of linear thought. Just because you can’t access something (yet) doesn’t mean that the thing doesn’t exist. Allow yourself to believe that everything is true, and you’ll find your entire self opening up to so much more.

Third, experience creates reality. I honestly believe that skeptics make the best Witches because we are never going to be okay just accepting something at face value. The drive to prove it creates experiences that give us new truths to explore. These experiences, in turn, allow our sense of reality to expand based more on what we perceive and less on faith. Faith—the Witch’s ultimate antagonist.

So, how does all of this relate to our initial question? In truth, the exact definition of a fetch is shrouded in mystery. Remembering that experience creates reality, various cultures have their own sets of stories and folklore surrounding the fetch, each interpretation bearing some semblance to the others but still seemingly independent enough to stand on their own. So, it would be impossible for us to create one definition that everyone holds as the truth. Instead, our goal here will be to find an answer that will allow us to have common ground for the duration of this book. You may already have your own truths surrounding the fetch. If that’s the case, then by all means—allow your truth to work its way through the spells and rituals I have provided here. However, if you have never been exposed to fetch work before, then I suggest starting here and allowing your experiences from the workings herein to guide and influence your personal truth.

Perhaps one of the earliest manifestations of the fetch—although not necessarily confined to the practice of Witchcraft—comes to us from Irish legend. In John O’Hanlon’s (1821–1905) book Irish Folklore: Traditions and Superstitions of the Country, we are given a straightforward definition of the fetch:

The Fetch—a well-known Irish superstition—claims some affinity with the Highlanders’ belief in ‘second sight.’ The Fetch is supposed to be a mere shadow, resembling in stature, features, and dress, a living person, and often mysteriously or suddenly seen by a very particular friend. If it appear in the morning, a happy longevity for the living original is confidently predicted.; but if it be seen in the evening, immediate dissolution of the prototype is anticipated. Spirit-like, it flits before the sight, seeming to walk leisurely through the fields, and often disappearing through a gap or lane. The person it resembles is usually known to be labouring under some mortal illness at the time, and quite unable to leave his or her bed. When the Fetch appears agitated or eccentric in its motions, a violent or painful death is indicated for the doomed prototype. This phantom is also said to make its appearance, at the same time, and in the same place, to more than one person.¹

It is very clear from this recounting that the fetch is an omen of death. Interestingly, the fetch’s operations outlined above bear a striking resemblance to another Irish legend: the banshee, or bean sidhe. The name roughly translates to woman of the fairies or fairy woman. Folklore asserts that the banshee is also an omen of death for old Irish families, usually appearing in the windows of a home where one of the residents was soon to die. Once there, the banshee would let out a loud, mournful wail which was thought to serve as a warning to the family that death was not too far away.

Perhaps we can determine the difference between these figures by exploring their origins a little closer. In her 1935 book entitled Dreams in Old Norse Literature and their Affinities in Folklore, author Georgia Dunham Kelchner attempts to shed some light on the fetch. In its simplest terms, she defines fetches as the inherent soul, the accompanying counterpart or representation, of a living person. She goes on to say that in most cases, the fetch manifests within the dreamworld and often takes on the form of some animal.² If this interpretation is accurate, then it would stand to reason that the fetch is already an aspect of ourselves and likely has always been. (As we will come to discover later in this book, this is one of the hallmarks many Witches subscribe to.)

Banshees, on the other hand, seem to be derived from the old Irish tradition known as keening. This was a form of ritual that relied heavily on the voice, much akin to the banshee’s wail. The keening women, usually elderly, would pay their respects to the departed by expressing grief on behalf of the mourning family. An online resource known simply as The Keening Wake effectively summarizes the mystical associations of this practice:

Keening was an integral part of the whole process of undertaking and was performed either at the wake, funeral procession or interment. It was a skilled ritual artform at the meeting point between life and death, and received due respect, including payment. Keeners were generally experienced elder women. Many believed the act of keening enabled the deceased soul to leave the body, and that keening was required, thus giving the role huge importance.³

The connection to life and death as shown here, as well as the belief that the keening process was needed to help the soul exit the body post-mortem, gives us a good understanding of how the folklore of the banshee could have evolved over time.

The Norse have their own version of a spiritual figure that often gets grouped into the idea of the Witch’s fetch: the fylgja. The word fylgja means one who follows but has some interesting connections with the word for afterbirth. It was thought that when a baby was born, some mystical, spiritual part of the child stayed behind in the womb, later emerging as the afterbirth. This left-behind essence was thought to possess the fylgja. Legend goes on to tell us that while the fylgja remained within the afterbirth, it would be given a shape or form that mirrored the first creature, human or beast, that either stepped over or ate it. Naturally, in places where this belief was strong, the family would take great care to ensure the protection of the afterbirth. In a translated portion of Sigfús Sigfússon’s book Íslenskar þjóðsögur og sagnir by John Rogers, we are told that prudent parents and attending women would bury the afterbirth, ideally under the threshold or where the mother would pass over it so that the fylgja would take on her shape. It stands to reason that the child could also be passed over the afterbirth for a similar purpose.⁴

Other Norse folk beliefs suggest that the fylgja in its animal form would reflect the characteristics and temperament of the person they represent. This detracts from the idea that whatever animal ate the afterbirth would become the fylgja, and further complicates the notion that the fylgja is something that we are born with. Is it possible for a newborn baby to have developed characteristics solid enough to manifest as an animal? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Still, this theory suggests that a person with a calming and tame demeanor may find their fylgja manifesting as an animal that would normally possess these traits, such as a cat. On the other hand, a person with a firecracker-like personality may find their fetch manifesting as a squirrel.

It is worth mentioning here that in Norse beliefs, the fylgja is generally viewed as only one part of an individual. There are four layers that make up the self:

The Hamr: The body. Hamr translates to skin and is the part of the self that is shape and form.

The Hugr: A person’s personality. Also associated with their mind