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(PLEASE NOTE, WE WILL NOT BE PUTTING ACTUAL RECIPES, CURES AND HOW TO PERFORM FOLK CURES OR CURSES IN THIS BLOG POST, THIS IS AN INFORMATION BLOG POST AND WE ARE NOT MEDICAL DOCTORS)
Toads and their uses are found all over the world, for healing, blessing, prosperity and of course the usual thought… cursing, illnesses, etc. For example in Europe we see and hear tales In the folklore and folk magic of uses for healing and curing, China and eastern medicine for prosperity and good luck, in Haiti we have heard of its uses in “zombi” powders, and anywhere from good luck to illness and death in many cultures.
Let's Start here in the states, Appalachia, In parts of Appalachia, it is said that if you hear a toad croaking at midnight, then rain is on the way. However, in some cultures it’s just the opposite — a toad croaking during the day indicate coming storms. In British folklore and magic, it is said that carrying a dried frog in a pouch around your neck will prevent epileptic seizures. In some more country and rural areas, it’s just the frog’s liver that gets dried and worn. In other parts of Europe, it is said in the lore that toads could be used to cure thrush, and whooping cough and tuberculosis, or the rubbing of the toad on a wart and doing a certain thing will remove the warts and make them go away! Some cultures believe that if a toad comes into your house, it brings good fortune - others say it’s bad luck - the Xhosa tribe says that a toad in your house might be carrying a spell or a curse- where as the Māori believe that killing a toad or frog, can bring floods and heavy rains, but some African tribes say that the death of a toad or frog will bring drought.
The ancient Egyptians have the frog-headed goddess Heket, who is a symbol of fertility and birth. If you wish to conceive, the ancient Egyptians would say touch a frog. Whereas in Ireland, Frogs have only been in Ireland for a few hundred years, since students from Trinity College released them into the wild. However, there are still some frog folktales in Ireland, including that you can tell the weather by the color of a frog.
So, as we see various cultures view the toad or frog differently…
Now, let’s look some more at toads and frogs and their association with plants and used in herbal remedies or curses for that matter, to start, a fun point is in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, you have the three hags or old witches, mentioning toads and frogs as elements of the concoctions brewed by his witches in Act IV and seemingly referencing the events in an aside uttered by a witch regarding sending a storm against an enemy’s ship, the witches also call for a bit of toe of frog? Well, it is not really related to an actual frog to come to find out, it turns out that there’s a type of buttercup known in folklore as “frog’s foot.” Is it possible that Shakespeare was referring to the petals of this flower? Like numerous members of the buttercup variety, this genus is deemed toxic, and can cause skin inflammations. The Victorians associated it with selfishness and ingratitude. Also, many traditions, and religions believe a toad and frog has to do with rebirth, change and regeneration and major change… In some traditions, frogs and toads are associated with cleansing and rebirth - think, for a moment, about how a tadpole transforms into a frog or toad!
Now, looking at the western European traditions, as we stated toads were not really in Ireland, except for the past two hundred or so years, due to them being introduced by university students, but, north, Scotland, Germanic tribes, Denmark and Scandinavian traditions… there is a TON of lore and uses! So, in Scotland, poison allegedly brewed from a toad by the “wise wife of Keith,” Agnes Sampson, one of the accused in Scotland’s North Berwick witch trials in 1591-2. The poison was to have been used against Scotland’s James VI before he ascended England’s throne as James I. At the center of the trial was the accusation that Sampson and others had raised a storm to sink the ship bearing James home from Oslo with his new wife Anne of Denmark! So here we see a Scottish Cunning Woman using the venom, to try and poison... there is also a number of accounts from 16th and early 17th century England presenting toad familiars sent to torment the enemies of witches. We also hear of a toad exploding in a fire, and toads sustained on the blood of their witch mistresses, as well as a sad story from Newmarket, England, involving William Harvey, physician to Charles I, and an bruitish attempt to subject an alleged toad familiar to scientific scrutiny!
From the 12th-century, German mystic and theologian Hildegard von Bingen, a tale associated with the English boy-saint William of Norwich involving some prisoners and an unfortunate attempt at the use of toad poison. Toad’s venom, according to medieval folklore, could be neutralized by the toadstone, a particular mineral also assigned powers against stomach and kidney ailments. We hear of a peculiar method of obtaining this prized artifact and an obscure reference to the toadstone in the 1973 folk-horror classic The Wicker Man. In the same token and tales, we’re told a toad or frog is used in folk medicine to cure a sore throat. Superstitions about toads and their magical usefulness against various conditions continued into the 19th century, resulting in the phenomena of traveling “toad doctors” and “toad fairs.” The use of toad bones in a midnight ritual performed by English “Toadmen” in order to gain mastery of horses to be trained is also discussed as is the discovery of miniature frog coffins, stashed in Finnish churches, in a folk-magic practice similar to the British and American use of “witch bottles.”
Looking further inland, in Spain, in the Basque province of Navarre, home to the “Cave of Witches” at Zugarramurdi, witchcraft trial testimonies demonstrate a particular emphasis on toads. We hear of them raised by novice witches in the fields, used to poison the land, and dancing at the witches’ sabbath. And, in ancient Mexico, the toad symbolized the Earth, and of course St. Cipriano, the use of the toads to curse and kill if spells are done rite!
One of these toads that is poisonous, is the Cane toad (bufo rhinella) that invasive species best known for invading Australia, Florida and other southern states and native to South and Central America. In the Caribbean, it’s been identified by Harvard ethnobotanist Wade Davis as a possible ingredient in a drug administered in Haiti to transform an enemy into a zombie. Research into this subject was documented in Davis’ 1985 book The Serpent and the Rainbow, later serving loosely as inspiration for Wes Craven’s 1988 film of the same name (from which we hear a clip).
In other parts of Europe, in Scandinavian, and eastern European (Slavic mainly) we hear of toads head being used as a poison, and the use of the left toads eye to help cure blindness and vision, using both toads eyes, The left eye and right eye of the toad in Celtic or Eastern European and Scandinavian folklore and magic is said if prepared properly could cure some of the worst ailments… Powdered to harm, and parts listed for folk medicines as well… And, according to Pliny the Elder, certain bones prepared certain ways of a toad could be used in love work, discord, and strife; and a certain bone prepared properly and worn as an amulet, could be used as an aphrodisiac! (Naturalis Historia 32.18).
A famous story from Japan, famous story of a spectral toad comes from a tale retold by Lafcadio Hearn in his book ‘Kotto: Being Japanese Curios, with Sundry Cobwebs. In the story Chikagoro, a handsome young soldier is enticed into a nocturnal affair with a mysterious but beautiful woman. Each night she would take him to her palice beneath a lake. Despite being underwater the palace was warm and dry.
But his nights of love weakened him so his fellow soldiers summoned A doctor from China. The doctor determined that the woman was a giant shape shifting frog who had been drinking Chikagoro blood whilst he was under her spell. It was too late to save the victim who had most of his blood replaced with rancid lake water.
Gama was also the name of a sennin, a Taoist mystic who had a three legged, white toad as a companion.
Lastly, modern day toad… the Psychedelic Toad Venom Is The New Trendy Hallucinogen, however I do not recommend nor support trying this!
Hopefully this helps as a good resource and base to start some further research and working with and how to properly working with toads and frogs in your craft!
Keith Swift, Bhuitseacht Traidisiúnta Ceilteach/Tata Nsasi Kimbisa
Photo Credit: A woodcut illustration from a book published in 1579 of a witch feeding her ‘familiars’.
SOURCES:
Naturalis Historia 32.18
I Walked by Night: Being the Life & History of the King of the Norfolk Poachers (1935) edited by LR Haggard
1579 pamphlet "A Rehearsal both Strange and True" detailing the actions of 65 year old Elizabeth Stile from Windsor, England and three others accused of witchcraft
Macbeth and the Witches (Thomas Barker, 1830)
THE ETHNOBIOLOGY OF THE HAITIAN ZOMBIE by E. WADE DAVIS. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 9 (1983) 85-104
Paul Taylor of the London Natural History Museum
https://www.exploratorium.edu/frogs/folklore/folklore_2.html
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In Celtic mythology, the warrior goddess known as the Morrighan often appears in the form of a crow or raven. Typically, these birds appear in groups of three, and they are seen as a sign that the Morrighan is watching—or possibly getting ready to pay someone a visit.
In some tales of the Welsh myth cycle, the Mabinogion, the raven is a harbinger of death. Witches and sorcerers were believed to have the capability to shape shift themselves into ravens and fly away, thus enabling them to evade capture.
The Native Americans often saw the raven as a trickster, much like Coyote. There are several tales regarding the mischief of Raven, who is sometimes seen as a symbol of transformation. In the legends of various tribes, Raven is typically associated with everything from the creation of the world to the gift of sunlight to mankind. Some tribes knew the raven as a stealer of souls or the bringer of death.
In the Norse pantheon, Odin is often represented by the raven—usually a pair of them. Early artwork depicts him as being accompanied by two black birds, who are described in the Eddas as Huginn and Munnin. Their names translate to “thought” and “memory,” and their job is to serve as Odin’s spies, bringing him news each night from the land of men.
Crows often appear as a method for divining. For the ancient Greeks, the crow was a symbol of Apollo in his role as God of prophecy. Augury—divination using birds—was popular among both the Greeks and the Romans, and augurs interpreted messages based on not only the color of a bird but the direction from which it flew. A crow flying in from the east or south was considered favorable.
In Christianity, ravens hold a unique significance. While they are referred to as “unclean” within the Bible, Genesis tells us that after the flood waters receded, the raven was the first bird Noah sent out from the ark to find land. Also, in the Hebrew Talmud, ravens are credited with teaching mankind how to deal with death; when Cain slew Abel, a raven showed Adam and Eve how to bury the body, because they had never done so before.
In my experience, the crow and raven have come to me from an early age, and they signify many things for me from messages, warnings, and guidance! Though the crow and raven may signify all these other cultural meanings, they can also have interpersonal meanings as a spirit animal or guide, The raven is one of mine, and some of the aspects I wrote of here are a part of that, including protection, she comes to me in other personal ways and reasons as well!
References:
Before Christianity came to the Celtic folk, the people of Ireland practiced a druidic religion, and other forms of traditions and religions, which provided them a strong sense of their connection with the innate, natural world. Like with many earlier peoples around the world, the winter solstice of December 21st was very important to the Gaelic Irish. The winter solstice is the shortest day/longest night of the year. However, for the Celts it marked the turning point in the year. In the dark and cold of winter, at solstice the sun begins the long journey back towards its midsummer peak.
Throughout this time, the Celts celebrated the turning point of the sun with fires in sacred, consecrated places such as the Hill of Tara, and the New Grange site which dates back over 5k years. The utilization of fire to mark the winter solstice could have influenced the more recent Irish tradition of setting a candle in the window of your house throughout the twelve days of the Christmas season. The candle in the window marks the way to warmth and hospitality to anyone who finds themselves, like Mary and Joseph in the New Testament, without a place to stay at Christmas time.
The druids of the ancient Celtic world utilized evergreen branches to be a symbol of the eternal nature of the human soul. In Christian times, the practice of taking evergreen branches into an Irish home has remained as a sign of the eternal life brought about by Christ’s resurrection. In Celtic countries, evergreen branches like holly and yew are more customary than the German tradition of placing the entire tree inside the home. In Christian times, the custom of taking evergreen branches into an Irish home has continued as a symbol of the eternal life brought about by Christ’s resurrection.
Then of course, there is the ancient, but old tradition that has almost, but not all vanished, the killing of the wren, which is thought to be an unlucky bird, due to an old legend, that on St. Stephen’s Day (26th December), young men would wander the countryside simultaneously hunting wrens with their slingshots. If a wren were killed, it is to be mounted on a pole and carried from house to house. Although this tradition has all but disappeared, it was once an important part of the Christmas season in rural Ireland. Instead, the habit of visiting each other’s houses on 26th December has continued, without hunting small birds!
The Winter solstice was seen by the prehistoric Celts as one of the most important times of the year. The Neolithic monuments of Newgrange in Éire, Maes Howe in Orkney, Scotland and Bryn Celli Ddu in Ynys Môn, Wales are examples of burial chambers scattered throughout the Celtic nations constructed to capture the full impact of sun’s rays during the solstices.
Druids, the priestly class in ancient Celtic society, celebrated the festival of Alban Arthuan (also known as Yule) at the time of the Winter solstice. It was on this day that they ceremonially gathered mistletoe from oak trees. A practice described in the writings of Roman historian Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus AD 23 – August 25, AD 79).
It is also important to notice that many ancient celebrations did and do have the influence of the Norse peoples in Ireland and other Celtic societies…During the times of the Vikings there were many popular spots they docked on the isle including Dublin! With them came their traditions and beliefs as well, which is why in some parts of Ireland, and Gaelic/celt societies you see such things as Yule celebrated, and the yule time log! This, is also why many of Irish and Celtic decent also find Norse, Icelandic, Swedish and Denmark DNA markers in DNA test.
So when commemorating Christmas the traditional trappings that go with this celebratory season, the roots that go back to ancient Celtic history. The Mistletoe collected by the Druids for its magical and health-giving properties. The Yule log burnt by the Celts to counter the darkness of mid-Winter when they believed the sun stood still for twelve days and to bring good luck. The Holly and Ivy; evergreens that Celts saw as important to keep evil spirits at bay. The Tree decorated with symbols of solar objects and gifts to Celtic gods and goddesses.
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The toad is a powerful symbol of change and transformation, as symbolized in its growth from a tadpole to a toad. It has strong associations with fertility, magic, fairies, alchemy, folklore and Witchcraft.
The Toad Bone amulet was said to give a variety of strange magical powers to those that carried it. It is related to the toadstone, a stone said to rest in the head of a toad. The toadstone could grant invisibility to its bearer.
And it is believed that other Toad bones, if collected properly, and certain rites performed such as the “ toad bone rite” could give you power over animals, nature and your enemy. The left eye and right eye of the toad in Celtic or European folklore and magic is said if prepared properly could cure some of the worst ailments...
And according to Pliney, certain bones prepared certain ways of a toad could be used in love work, discord and strife; and a certain bone prepared properly and worn as an amulet, could be used as an aphrodisiac! (Naturalis Historia 32.18).
And according to LR Haggard, “There was one charm she told me of witch was practiced when any one wanted to get command over there fellow creatures. Those that wished to cast the spell must search until they found a walking toad. It was a toad with a yellow ring round its neck, I have never seen one of them but I have been told they can be found in some parts of the Country. When they found the toad they must put it in a perforated box, and bury it in a Black Ant’s nest. When the Ants have eaten all the flesh away from the bones it must be taken up, and the person casting the spell must carry the bones to the edge of a running stream the midnight of Saint Mark's Night, and throw them in the water. All will sink but one single bone and that will swim upstream. When they have taken out the bone the Devell would give them the power of Witchcraft, and they could use that power over both Man and Animals.”
from I Walked by Night: Being the Life & History of the King of the Norfolk Poachers (1935)
edited by LR Haggard
In alchemy, the toad signifies the dark side of Nature. In ancient Mexico, the toad symbolized the Earth, and of course St. Cipriano, the use of the toad to corse and kill if spells are done rite!
There is a bunch I purposefully left out here, mainly due to time constraints and don’t want to give a novice to much info because, well, they’ll be inclined to try it and hurt themselves or others...
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Why is folk lore and history of witchcraft, ATR/ADR religions and traditions of all types so important? I can just google what I’m looking for and find the answer. To which I respond this is true, you can... but is that source you googled correct? Is it true information on what and how to do something? 9 times out of 10 the answer is no. I then go onto explain that the folk lore and history of these religions and traditions is important because in the stories and history it can often be found on how ancient practices were done, and why they are still done the same ways today and the power it holds behind it.
I then go on and ask myself, if people’s teachers, spiritual leaders and god parents are not teaching this to them, then how can they expect their student to troubleshoot and find answers for themselves, and properly work within a tradition and religion? The answer to me is apparently not very well as many American covens, Ile and Munanso’s are driven by the dollar and not fully about tradition. The bigger issue is if one does not understand their foundation, and building blocks of its past, how strong will the walls be you try to build with a weak foundation?
This is why knowing the folklore and history is so important, it is your building blocks, and many answers to questions are often found their as well. Just jumping into witchcraft, ATR/ADR or any tradition and religion just wanting the power and work magic is a bad idea... this is why starting at the very beginning, learning your core foundation, lore and history is so important, because I guarantee you google does not know a lot of the key lessons and fundamentals found in history and lore, especially the ones that require initiation.
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If you are a novice, have not worked with spirits for very long or at all, only read a few books on conjure, conjurations and that of summoning or conjuring of spirits... please do not think you’re a pro just because a few articles on google or a few books made it easy... please have a professional or a known person with experience help and teach you...
What these articles, links on google and the books do not tell you is the precautions needed, protections needed, and how to deal with certain spirits, deities, etc. With that said, what you gonna do when you try calling one up and you piss it off or offend it... yeah that book, article and link didn’t cover that did it, or how to protect yourself because it decides to turn on you. See, this is where and why learning from experienced practitioners is important.
Here is an example I have seen recently... and honestly I am not sure what this person was thinking or why... but it happened! A person is mad at someone, enraged and pissed to no end... wants revenge so they decide they’re gonna turn to use a spirit, a mean one that’s a scary and inflicts harm all out of anger (a bad idea and reason to try and curse someone).
Said person googles and reads books on spirits and finds Santa Muerte, she looks mean and scary and is known to mess with people good, but wait there is another aspect of her called La Negra!!! Supposed to be meaner... said person looks up La Negra and finds an online ritual to call and curse... boy ohhhhh boi!
Now said the person isn’t as pissed a few days later and decided they’re just gonna do it out of fun anyways because this isn’t really that serious or real anyway, right???👀👀👀
Well, said person learns very fast that Santa Muerte is no Joke, especially in the form of La Negra! And La Negra does not find this funny or a joke, and said person finds out just how serious and dangerous she can be because she turns on the said person... because it was not divined on, nor justified, and sure as hell ain’t no joke!!!
Now said person is under attack, the same attack said person tried to throw as a joke and has cursed herself with a very dangerous aspect of Santa Muerte... is very sick and getting worse, and their entire life is falling apart... all out of anger, disrespecting a spirit and non-divination, but, most importantly should never had tried this with no experience or training how to do so.
Now, this is a small example of why I say divine, and know your spirits and know how to, and have someone help if you dunno how.
The sad part is the example I just gave, is a true story... a very real, true story... I am not a devotee of Santa Muerte, let alone La Negra... my pots kept telling me to send to a very experienced devotee... as they will have to help... so I did... to a long time friend in Mexico City who is a very experienced devotee...
I hope this message reaches some who need to hear and see it... some of you are playing with real fire and do not realize it... and will get burned very badly!
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So, what is manifestation? How does it work? Why does it take time? And, why must the client or worker be patient? Outcomes, and results... plain and simple... really all these things are needed for this to happen.
We will look at this, and I will discuss it here to hopefully be of use to the new bees and experienced, hopefully, to help better explain it to clients and the new workers to understand it better.
The mystical and debated word “Manifestation”. What is it? Well, simply put, it is the exhibition of emotion or feeling or something hypothetical and or imaginary made real. The thought is that of visualizing something we want or need, and attracting it to us, is an ancient principle of life. Some choose to pray, while others chant, meditate, visualize or create confirmations. Manifestation's origins are in religion and spirituality because if something spiritual becomes real, it is said to be a manifestation. Often, tools are used, Spirits are conjured and summoned up, deities called down, and offerings made to achieve a goal and create real manifestations.
So how does one take this and apply it to manifest wants and needs, and how does it work? Well, that depends on the person, how they want to manifest, the path or religion they may follow. Like I mentioned above, some pray, while others chant, meditate, visualize or create confirmations, this all depends on one’s beliefs and path and or religion. The use of tools is popular, summoning and conjuring spirits is common, as well as calling down the deities of certain paths. See, it is all about what you believe, and that is key here... you must believe, have faith and think positive for this to happen. So, lets put it this way for the new age people...If you put your thoughts and energy into the universe, you must believe what you are asking the universe for will be real, become real, and that it is real and believe all this before a materialization or result is seen.
If you are in a negative place emotionally, you will need to fix this and get yourself in the right mindset before you can successfully manifest anything. You cannot focus on negativity, and negative thoughts like “I hope”, “Hopefully”, “If” and the sort and expect to attract good things into your life. Now, this is very important when you or your worker are working on manifesting your dream, you need to make sure you or no one else is holding you back. People who don't believe in you or their worker, always criticize you or your worker and/or complain about everything are blocks that will keep you from your best work and make the manifestation a slower process. This part is especially true if you have hired or employed a worker or spellcaster to do work for you.
Also, not taking the advice of your worker, and following what they suggest will also hamper, slow down or destroy the work altogether. For example, let's use love and a scenario that could really destroy the work or slow it down. Let’s say you hire a worker to do love work, everything is a go, the said worker is all set up and got it all in order and then does the work. You get your loved one, but it last on a few weeks, and you go to your worker and blame them... you better believe a good one will divine on it... and see what happened. Well, the worker sees through the divination that you have slept with another person since the work has been done, none the less on the night the work was completed and more since then. UMMM... you destroyed the work. You really expect the targets spirits and ancestors to keep them bound to you in love while you sleep with another person? NOPE! This is a clear example of what NOT to do.
So, as if what I have already explained has not been enough there are the age-old questions of why does it take time, and why do you have to be patient to see results? Isn’t this supposed to happen fast and like overnight? This is my favorite part... cuz the response I usually get, especially with the newer and younger generations is priceless, and quotes from millennials from Harry Potter that are mind-blowing, and not in a good way.
In an age of cyber-everything, and Google for answers, it is a pity that most of the information online about certain religions, and aspects of them like manifestation are 90% wrong and way off, and T.V. shows like Originals, Supernatural, to movies like the Hobbit and Harry Potter, has given many people the wrong idea about spell casting, and manifestation.
In such shows and movies, a spell is cast, a chant is said and BOOM, Wala! Results...Ummmm... NOPE! Not even close to reality! And sadly, and this has happened to me, people of misunderstanding or of no knowledge of the subject quote Professor Gryffindor to me as if what he has said in the movie is reality!!! Oye... the surprise on their face when I relay the truth...lol.
So, what is the reality? Why does it take time? And why do we need to be patient?
When we use the law of attraction, it seems the things you do not care about manifest quickly, you simply think about it, wish for it, forget about it and in a short time it is there, and you have it. But, yet, the things you really want to manifest and attract take forever. So, why is this... well, that all depends on you, and if you have hired a worker, it still also depends on you, your thoughts and actions. The things that come quickly is because you do not care about it, so it comes easily, but the things you want most tend to hit bumps in the road that slow them down. These things are like you worrying about it, and losing faith it will happen, saying things like If it comes, I hope it comes, etc. Even if you have hired a well-seasoned worker... you doing these things will slow the manifestation process down...why, because the work is for you, and linked to you.
Your thoughts and words are your reality, and we literally create these with our thoughts and words... why? Because the spirits, ancestors and dead are always listening as is the universe! If you say something, and really mean it with a ton of emotion... well... they all are listening... so if you get impatient and negative... and start thinking and saying, I have not got the job yet so it is not working or thinking and saying I do not have the new house, you can create not having them. You think and say with conviction and frustration it is taking forever to manifest my soulmate or loved one, you are creating a delay in timing and manifestation, no matter how good or strong you or your worker are, you are working against yourself with this. This is where and why patience is a must and virtue in manifestation!
Lastly, there are the spirits, the ancestors, the dead and universe and a whole multitude of things involved here, but if it is not the right time or if it is not meant to be, no matter how hard you try, no matter how far you go or what you do, they will not let it happen, because it is not meant to be. This is where knowing how to ask and see if the work should be done in the first place before you even try, or you could be wasting your time, energy and money. This is also why I do and have turned down multiple possible new clients...spirits simply said no way, or it is not the time or not meant to be.
Sometimes you just need to be patient. Everything you want will happen. but it will happen at the right time and for the right reasons. So, if something isn't happening for you right now, it doesn't mean it never will. Keep believing and keep working on your goal.
Sit back and think about how your manifestation process is going now, look at the bright side of where it is at, and be grateful for what you do have and do get, and no matter how long it takes, when the manifestation happens, it will be a happy day!
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