i.e., large kitchen strainer.

Along with a bubbling cauldron, toads, eye of newt, and an occasional family of apes (be sure to read Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust), one would find a sieve in the kitchen of every competent witch. Using their brooms as oars, witches would set sail in sieves and journey over rough waters. A text written in 1591, Newes from Scotland, reports 200 witches at one time traveling across the sea in their sieves.

Back to Macbeth (1.3)

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How to cite this article:

Mabillard, Amanda. Macbeth Glossary. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays
/macbeth/macbethglossary/macbeth1_1/macbethglos_sieve.html >.