Books · Question
In Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel 'Wyrd Sisters', which of these are not one of the three main witches?
Answer
Winny Hathersham
The story behind the answer
Winny Hathersham is not one of the witches in Wyrd Sisters. The central coven is Granny Weatherwax (Esme), Nanny Ogg (Gytha), and Magrat Garlick—Pratchett’s take on the classic “crone, mother, maiden” trio. They anchor the story’s Macbeth-inspired plot in the kingdom of Lancre, using practical magic and sharp “headology” rather than flashy spells.
A handy memory tip: “Hathersham” sounds like “Havisham,” the jilted bride from Dickens’s Great Expectations—another famous literary character, but not from Discworld. Remember the trio by their roles: Magrat (maiden, earnest and new), Nanny Ogg (mother, bawdy and sociable), and Granny Weatherwax (crone, formidable and wise). Their dynamic fuels the novel’s humor, satire, and commentary on power and storytelling.