A lady comes into the workshop carrying a holly log no more than 3" diameter and split to bugerness at both ends. The conversation went something like this....
Lady: Please can you make me something out of this log?
Me: I'm sorry but I loath commissions and, besides, the tree has been down too long and all these splits make it only fit for the fire.
Lady: Please can you try only my next door neighbour has quite frightened me.
Me: frightened you, How?
Lady: The holly tree was growing in my garden but blew down in the last gale and now my neighbour tells me if I don't keep a piece of the tree the witches will put a spell on me...… Yes, I have trouble believing it as well but I really don't want to take the risk.
Me, playing for time to digest this hogwash: There is no way I can guarantee anything will come of it but I will try cutting both ends off the log and see if we can find anything more solid nearer the middle.
Long story short.....
I landed up making a tiny, thin walled square bowl, with visible splits but no sanding, no finishing and no polish of any kind. I then buried the bowl within a paper bag filled with its own wettish shavings and passed all responsibility for its future treatment back to the lady, only asking for a donation to my favoured charity.
She went away delighted, leaving me to check the contents of the workshop vac for any signs of ruined witchcraft.
A strange world we Woodies inhabit!