Sexy hexes

Magic Rose, from Nicola de Pulford's The Book of Spells, p.52

An old Germanic spell to attract the man or woman of your dreams.

You will need: a red and a white rose, a scroll of paper, a lock of your hair, a short piece of pink ribbon.

This spell originates from old Germany, where roses were emblems of silence. A white rose, or sometimes simply a symbol of a white rose, was worn by those wishing to speak secretly to each other. In Germany and other parts of the Low Countries, a rose was often sculpted or painted over the banqueting tables; words spoken beneath it were not to be revealed. Amorous chatter, in particular, would remain secret as the rose was sacred to Venus, the goddess of love. She is said to have blushed when Jupiter caught sight of her bathing, hence the idea of turning a white rose to red. Perform this spell in June at the time of a waxing moon.

Method

Obtain a red and a white rose; they should not be fully open. Older varieties with a luscious scent are preferable, such as 'Mme Hardy' or 'Boule de Neige' white roses, and 'Souvenir de Docteur Jamain' or 'Cardinal de Richelieu' red roses. On the scroll of paper, write a description of the ideal lover you would like to attract. Wrap the scroll around the lock of your hair. Take the two roses and cut them both in half. Place a white half to a red half, enclosing both the scroll and the lock of hair between them. Bind the two halves together with the pink ribbon, kiss each half, then cast them into running water, such as a stream or a fountain. Bury the remaining halves of the roses together in the earth, asking Venus to bless your spell.