The broom is a cleaning instrument with bristles at its lower end.
A broom is an instrument used to sweep : that is, to clean a surface by dragging dirt . Brooms have an elongated stick that functions as a handle , at the lower end of which there are fibers or branches .
Cleaning instrument
The broom is used to sweep a surface, that is, to clean it of dust and other elements that cover it against the will of its owner. To sweep, the person must hold the stick and move the fibers or branches along the ground. In this way, the filaments push dust , lint , etc., which can pile up in one place and then be collected with a shovel . Another possibility is to simply drag the waste out of the environment.
Brooms occupy an important space in culture and traditions . Many times in fiction, brooms are items used by female characters who are forced to perform household chores, such as Snow White and Cinderella .
The card game
Broom , on the other hand, is the name of a card game that can play between two or four players. The objective is to reach fifteen points , which is why the game is also known as broom fifteen .
To play broomstick, the Spanish deck is usually used, removing cards 8 and 9 from the deck. Each card is worth the number on it, except the jack (with a value of 8 ), the knight ( 9 ) and the king ( 10 ).
Players are dealt three cards , while four cards are left face up on the table. In turn, the participant must put one of his cards on the table, trying to score fifteen points with that card plus the ones he can take advantage of from those that are exposed. If the sum is fifteen, pick up those cards and leave the rest. If you cannot add fifteen, you have to get rid of a card that you must place face up.
The witches
Brooms are also linked to witches . In this case, it is usually said that they use magic brooms as a means of flying transportation . The relationship between witches and brooms has its roots in mythology, superstition, and popular culture, particularly European tradition.
Throughout history, witches have been depicted in the collective imagination as evil women who practice magic and the occult, and one of the most iconic images associated with them is that of flying on broomsticks. This association dates back to the time of the witch persecutions in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries . People accused of witchcraft were subjected to trials that usually resulted in a death sentence. It was believed that these women made pacts with the devil and used magical objects to carry out their spells and night flights.
The witches fly around on their magic brooms.
The idea of flying on broomsticks is believed to have originated in ancient Europe, where women participated in pagan rituals that included the use of hallucinogenic drinks made from herbs and plants. They would smear a mixture of these substances on the palms of their hands, soles of their feet, and other sensitive spots on their bodies, and then rub them with brooms to allow the substances to be absorbed into their skin. This was often done in remote locations at night, leading to the belief that witches flew on broomsticks to attend their secret meetings.
Additionally, the broom became a symbol of witchcraft due to its association with cleansing and purification . It was believed that witches flew on their brooms to cleanse their souls or free them from evil influences. Although these images have now been largely popularized and demystified, the connection between these elements has endured in popular culture and in iconography related to witchcraft. Today, witches and broomsticks remain recurring themes in fairy tales, movies, television series, and Halloween costumes.