Spell Cake

The Spell Cake is a magical spell that takes the form of a small pastry. It has the ability to change one's fate if consumed. The Witch created the spell and gave one to Merida.

Brave
After Merida learned that the old woman in the cottage that the Will O' the Wisps led her to is a witch she asked her to give her a spell; to change her mother so she doesn't have to marry one of the lords' sons. The witch knew what might happen if she gave her one and the side-affect it would have if she had a fight with the one she wants to use it on or herself and tried to chase her out; but Merida told her that she'll trade her necklace for all of her bear carvings if she gave her the spell.

The witch agreed and used her magic to change her carving room into a conger room so she could make it. She told Merida that the last time she made such a spell was for a prince, so he could have the strength of ten men as he gave her his ring as payment. Merida wasn't sure why it took the form of a cake, but the witch told her that "it would do the trick". As Merida was leaving with it, the witch suddenly remembered something about the spell and as Merida turned to ask her about it, she and Angus were back in the Ring of Stones.

After Merida returned to the castle, she placed the cake on a plate and tray (with some barriers, a thistle and tea) before bringing it to her mother; but Elinor walked into the kitchen and told Merida that she was worried sick about her. Merida was starting to have second thoughts until her mother told her that "a decision still has to be made" and handed her the cake, by claiming that it was a peace offering that she made herself: nothing happened after the queen took one bite of it and stated to feel sick. Merida wasn't happy of the results as spell's magic kicked in and turned her mother into a bear, so the two headed to the Witch's Cottage so the witch could undo it, but not before leaving Harris, Hubert and Hamish in the kitchen with a half eaten tart. When the two got to the cottage, the witch was no longer there, but she did leave Merida a message about the spell in her cauldron: by the second sun rise Elinor will stay a bear forever if Merida doesn't "mend the bond, torn by pride."

Merida wasn't sure what it meant until the wisps led both her and the queen to the ruins of the "Ancient Kingdom" from the old legend and learned that the oldest prince was the same prince that the witch had told Merida about and that the spell had turned him into the demon bear, Mor'du. The ruins also had a split stone carving of the brothers: just like the Family Tapestry she 'split'. Merida knew what she must do: fix the tapestry and place it over her mother before the second sun rise and before she ends up like Mor'du, forever.

But after King Fergus saw Elinor's torn dress and the 'bear' in the castle, he locked his daughter in the tapestry room to keep her safe, while he and the lords went to kill 'it'. As Merida cried for Maudie to unlock the door, three bear cubs (walking on two legs) came up to the lock door and she knew right away that her brothers' sweet teeth got them to eat the rest of the 'spell'. But the three were still able to free their sister and help her save their mother. After Merida and Elinor defeated Mor'du and freed the prince's soul in the stone ring, the sun started to rise and Merida placed the fixed tapestry over her mother to change her back, but nothing happened and Merida started to cry. As Merida told her mother how much she loves her, that she was sorry for what she did and that she knew that she was always there for her, she stopped crying when she felt her mother's hand stroking her hair. Their forgiveness and love for each other undid the spell on both the queen and the triplets.

It may not look like it, but the spell did change Elinor and help Merida understand the true meaning of fate as it made the bond between them stronger than ever.

The Legend of Mor'du
When the strong prince felt the need to change his fate so he could have the throne all to himself, he found himself in a ring of stones and was led by the wisps to a cottage that is home to a witch. When he demanded for a spell that will give him the strength of ten men as he gave her his signet ring, the witch saw the torment in his soul and gave him the chance to for fill his dark wish or mend the bond he broken between him and his brothers as she placed the green liquid formed spell into a large horn.

The prince baited his brothers into the castle's throne room before clamming his kingdom in a fails trues and he drank the spell when his brothers protested. He felt the strength he asked for before the spell turned him into a great black bear, the witch had also given the "spell bracer" that would turn him back when he "mend the bond torn by pride", but he accepted his new form and defeated his brothers by slaying them in cold-blood.

When the prince returned to command his army, they only saw the beast and defended themselves as the monster took over their former leader's mind. As the surviving men fled from what remained of the kingdom, the ruins became the beast's domain as the former prince remained trapped in his hollow and scared shell, by choosing power over family he turned his changed fate into a grim one.

As the witch ended the story she asked Wee Dingwall if he "would challenge fate", before shoving the same kind of spell (in a different cake form) into his face, but he turned his head away from the cake as he told her that he only wanted a drink of water before running out of the cottage in terror.