Mankind has always attempted to know the unknowable and control it by his own actions.   At the same time, it was recognized that there were powers beyond his ability to control. Throughout history, certain people have been accepted as being better at controlling the powers that represent natural forces such as earthquake, wind, flood,fire and disease. 

In some cases, these powers were named as gods or goddesses, at other times the forces themselves were named and summoned and controlled by the will of humans known as witches in modern day language.  Over the years, they've also been known as shamans, medicine man or woman, sorcerers.  The witch was seen as the conduit to the gods who ruled the world.  Different cultures had different rituals and practices to learn the lessons which needed to be shared in order to make sure the harvests were good and the people were healthy.

The power possessed by a witch or shaman skilled in the art and working of witchcraft was assumed to be almost limitless.  By saying certain words or power names in the correct manner and correct tone of voice, the witch could heal the ill, and cast out the evil spirits which caused pain and suffering in those who were diseased.  The witch could restore the dead to life and call upon the powers of nature who acknowledged his might.   Rain and wind, tempest and storm, sea and river and death and disease all attacked his enemies and the enemies of all those whom he helped with his knowledge of the words which were wrenched from the various gods of heaven and earth and the underworld as well.

Inanimate nature also obeyed the words of witchcraft and even the creation of the world itself was through a spoken word.  The words could tear the earth apart and make water pile up in a heap and even the sun could be stopped in its course by a word uttered in witchcraft.

The gods, spirits, fiends or devils could not resist power words.  The shaman used them to assist in the greatest and smallest happenings of their life.  Witchcraft allowed them to know the future as well as the past.  Neither distance nor time caused a limitation of the words of power. The practitioner of witchcraft knew secrets that ordinary mortals could not comprehend.