So, who was Mad Mab ?

It's interesting indeed. There wasn't much social mobility in medieval England, so how a noblewoman ended up as a peasant hermit is fascinating.

It's intriguing also that while Lord Edgar doesn't recognise Mab (and is amazed at the fact that this rural recluse can read), she recognises him. And his appearance brings back traumatic memories of her husband's murder.

I'd also suggest that Mab might have developed her magical powers after she lost her noble position. If she'd had her magical powers then, she would have used them straight after her husband's killing to get revenge on Lord Edgar.

Where did Mab get her powers?  In the Swords of Wayland, Adam the Miller says that the Cauldron of Lucifer is "the most powerful coven in England", which means there's more than one coven. So Belleme's followers might be another coven, but what of the others? Maybe Mab was a member of one of the other covens, and that's where she learned her magical powers. And maybe Mab's coven was aligned with fairies or nature spirits, rather than Morgwyn's and Belleme's demon-aligned covens.

I have a theory that there are different levels of "magical power" among the RoS characters. Loxley, Huntingdon and Marion have "the Power of Light and Darkness" at a low level - they see prophetic visions, and Loxley is able to contact Herne telepathically in "The King's Fool".

Herne has "the Power of Light and Darkness" at a very high level. He has strong magical powers - he's able to call up mists in RHATS, teleport in TSOW and "Herne's Son", see events happening in another country in "The Prophecy", and even reverse time in "The King's Fool". He also has a supernatural patron, the "Horned One" who "possesses" Herne and grants him his magical powers. 

King Arthur also seems to have "the Power of Light and Darkness" at the strongest level   - Herne tells Robin that Arthur's "power is greater than mine and I am bound by it."

Belleme, Morgwyn, Gulnar and Guichard de Montbalm all have strong magical powers. They seem to derive them from demons or evil gods  - supernatural patrons. Herne tells Huntingdon that while the latter has the "power of light and darkness held in balance", Gulnar only has the power of "darkness" (which raises the possiblity that Huntingdon could theoretically cast spells like Gulnar if his "power" was much stronger).

Mad Mab....she's an anomaly. She has magical powers, but she doesn't seem aligned with good. She doesn't respond when Huntingdon tells her "Herne protect you", and Mab doesn't show up in the vision Herne grants Huntingdon. So it seems she has no connection with Herne and the forces of good he represents.

But she doesn't seem evil either - Belleme and Gulnar are hostile to the Merries because their leader is "Herne's Son", the enemy of the forces they serve. But Mab isn't hostile to "Herne's Son" - she's happy to eat with him and accept his help finding the pigs. 

We only see Mab using her magic for getting revenge on an enemy and escaping from prison. 

So maybe:

Good: King Arthur, Herne the Hunter, Robin I, Marion, Robin II

Neutral : Mad Mab

Evil: Belleme, Morgwyn, Gulnar, Guichard

Yes, it seems Mab might be enormously powerful. 

Here's a wild idea: what if Mab wasn't even human? What if she was a powerful supernatural being disguised as a human (think Tom Bombadil in the Lord of the Rings)? We know from TSoW that Lucifer tried to take on a human form, and failed. But what if another supernatural being in RoS tried to do that, and this time, succeeded? 

Maybe she was a fairy queen, or an "earth elemental" (think of Mab's association with animals, soil/mud and the forest). She disguised herself as a human, fitted into mortal society and fell in love and married a human husband. For some unexplained reason, Mab then forgot her true nature and thought she was a normal human. But after the death of her husband and her social downfall, she remembered enough of her true nature to avenge herself on Lord Edgar. 

Yes. Note how Mab's expression becomes determined and her voice becomes distorted when casting the spell, as if some other personality has taken her over. 

The "Sword, Table Antlers" page has an interesting review/analysis of Rutterkin, including some passages from Carpenter's novelisation:

candledance.wordpress.com/2014/08/03/ros-rutterkin/


"Vassago" is the name of a spirit or demon from the Renaissance book of ceremonial magic, The Lesser Key of Solomon. Carpenter also used names of demons from The Lesser Key for the other six Swords of Wayland.

Good thing Mary Whitehouse didn't know that, or Carpenter would have been in even more trouble! 

Yeah. Astrinde writes well about the series.

So we know from Mab's flashback, that Lord Edgar's always been a nasty piece of work. ISTR there was mention of Edgar being harassing a woman in the novel Mathilda's Legacy. 

Also, Mab's obsession with the pigs...was anyone reminded of the stereotypical "cat lady" who hoards cats for company? Of course Mab is a "pig lady", but she treats her pigs in similar way to a "cat lady". 

This is just pure speculation.

But I suspect 'Mab' (Name given her by villagers and is not her real name) and her husband were just minor nobles, similar in social standing to Richard of Leaford. I.e. lower status nobles, with land and some servants, but minimal influence and military resources.

My theory and thinking is they were struggling financially and maybe approached the charismatic Edgar for assistance. He may have loaned them some funds with their lands as security. Once he has the paperwork he duped them out of their funds they defaulted on their loan and he had Mab's husband murdered.

As far as Edgar was concerned Mab was beneath his notice and wasnt aware of her witnessing of him arranging the husbands death. As he didn't recognise Mab all those years later I assume either 'Mab' fled as the paperwork was done 'legally' and Mab couldn't prove Edgar's scheme to seize their lands. or Edgar just used his lackeys to clear out the castle and he could claim some degree of plausible denyability. Mab at the time was a sheltered Lady and didnt know where to turn.

Due to their dire financial and perhaps lower status , their servants were killed or scattered and Mab fled to Sherwood distraught.

The trauma seemed to awaken some powers within her, but also left her understandably a little 'unhinged' This made her relationship with neighbouring villages a little strained and she gained a new name 'Mad Mab'. Although do I remember her helping some villagers with mild ailments? EDIT: Upon reflection  I think confusing her with another character from MP'S  episodes. Nevertheless her ravings, stress from events, and the loss of status, husband and wealth left Mab in a very distressed state.

Over the years she sought solace with the woods, nature and animals particularly pigs and became a little of a recluse. (The typical 'cat' lady) Her eccentric nature gave a reputation of a 'mad' character. But helpful in curing of mild issues, hence the connection of 'witch' (similar to the concocted charges to Jennet of Elsdon). Edgar with designs on the Earldom heard of this character and used Mab as a device to further his plans.

Rutterkin a surrogate child, gosh well if 'Mab' lost a child that would explain her trauma even more. She had so many reasons to strike out at Edgar but if she lost a child as well that would have made her a foe indeed.

I think 'Mab' was basically a good person and in her previous guise would have been sympathetic to the lower social orders. She obviously was still fond of her husband, and RoS itself provides us of several nobles who are more reasonable and decent. She makes for an interesting character and I would love to know what others might think of Mab and her past.