The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Complete A-Z for the Entire Magical World - Judika Illes 2005

Cain
The Horned One and The Devil

God punished Cain by cursing him to a life of permanent wandering. Cain protests that this punishment is too great and fears that others will kill him. God relents, placing a magically protective mark on Cain. The Bible contains no description or identification of that mark, however many believe it was a set of horns. According to legend, Cain was eventually slain by his blind descendant Lamech, whose son Tubal-Cain saw Cain from afar. He thought he saw a horned animal and advised Lamech to let loose an arrow, which amazingly met its mark. Tubal-Cain is identified in the Bible as Earth’s first metalworker.

A Jewish legend suggests that Cain was really Lilith’s son by Adam, not the son of Eve. A Christian legend suggests that Cain was Eve’s son but that his father was that old snake Samael, equated in Christian folklore with Satan.

In medieval Europe, Cain was among those believed to lead the Wild Hunt, sometimes called Cain’s Hunt. Because he was identified as the ancestor of smiths, he was simultaneously associated with witchcraft, shamanism, and sorcery.

See ANIMALS: Corvids, Snakes; DIVINE WITCH: Lilith; MAGICAL PROFESSIONS: Metalworkers.