In Mary Bradbury’s case, witnesses claimed she had transformed into a blue boar.
The allegation came from testimony during the 1692 Salem witch trials. One account described a blue boar darting from the gate of Bradbury’s home and rushing at a horse’s legs, causing the animal to stumble. Such stories were presented as evidence that an accused person could appear in animal form or send an animal spirit to harm someone.
Mary Bradbury was a respected elderly woman from Salisbury, Massachusetts, and the accusations against her included harming people and animals through witchcraft. She denied the charges, and her husband, Thomas Bradbury, defended her character and family life. She was convicted in absentia after supporters helped her avoid arrest and remained a fugitive until the panic subsided.
The story is sometimes confused with other Salem accusations involving dogs, cats, or specters. In Bradbury’s specific case, the unusual animal named in the testimony was a blue boar—not a literal proven transformation, but an allegation recorded in the trial-era evidence.