Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford · Episode 43 · October 23, 2026 · 39 min

The Pedlar and the Witch | Halloween Season

In 1612, a young woman encounters a pedlar in the British countryside. A seemingly trivial quarrel spirals into chaos when the pedlar is struck down by an unknown force, leading to one of Britain's most notorious witch trials. Justice for Witches Campaign:  https://charlottemeredith.co.uk/the-campaign/ For a full list of sources see the show notes at timharford.com Cautionary Tales is celebrating Halloween with a full month of paranormal themed episodes. If you have a spooky story or a skeptical question, get in touch at [email protected]. If you want access to an extra Halloween episode about the strange world of radio telepathy, alongside plenty of other benefits, check out the  Cautionary Club on Patreon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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