The Hidden History of Elves and Dwarfs
The Hidden History of Elves and Dwarfs

Author: Claude Lecouteux

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2018-10-23

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13: 1620557169

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A comprehensive examination of the intertwined mythology, folklore, and literary history of the little people • Explores the pagan roots of dwarfs and elves and their evolution in myth and literature • Reveals the role the church played in changing them from fearless, shape-shifting warriors with magical powers into cheerful helpmates and cute garden gnomes • Traces their history from ancient Celtic and Germanic lore through their emergence in the literature of the Middle Ages to their modern popularization by the Brothers Grimm and Walt Disney Most people are familiar with the popular image of elves as Santa’s helpers and dwarfs as little bearded men wearing red caps, who are mischievous and playful, helpful and sly, industrious and dexterous. But their roots go far deeper than their appearance in fairy tales and popular stories. Elves and dwarfs are survivors of a much older belief system that predates Christianity and was widespread throughout Western Europe. Sharing his extensive analysis of Germanic and Norse legends, as well as Roman, Celtic, and medieval literature, Claude Lecouteux explores the ancient, intertwined history of dwarfs and elves. He reveals how both were once peoples who lived in wild regions as keepers of the secrets of nature. They were able to change their size at will and had superhuman strength and healing powers. They were excellent smiths, crafting swords that nothing could dull as well as magical jewelry, and often entered into the service of lords or heroes. They were a part of the everyday life of our ancestors before they were transformed by fairy tales and church texts into the mythical creatures we know today. Lecouteux shows how, in earlier folklore, elves and dwarfs were interchangeable, gradually evolving over time to express very different kinds of beings. “Dwarf,” “giant,” and even “elf” did not necessarily connote size but referred to races with different skills. Elves were more ethereal, offering protection and kindness, while dwarfs reflected a more corporeal form of spirit, often appearing as messengers from the underworld. Yet dwarfs and elves could be bargained with, and our ancestors would leave a broken object outside the door at night with the hope that a dwarf or elf (or other local spirit) would repair it. Revealing the true roots of these helpful and powerful beings, including an in-depth exploration of one of the most famous dwarf/elf/fairy beings of the Middle Ages, Auberon or Oberon, also known as Alberich, Lecouteux shows how the magic of dwarfs and elves can be rekindled if we recognize their signs and invite them back into our world.

Mysteries of the Werewolf
Mysteries of the Werewolf

Author: Claude Lecouteux

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-07-27

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 1644110792

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• Examines werewolf tales and stories from early Greece, Scandinavia, France, Germany, Eastern Europe, China, and Japan, as well as legends of other shapeshifting creatures such as were-tigers, were-jackals, and were-caribou • Looks at the various ways people become werewolves, including pacts with the devil, magic, and spells, and explores ways to identify, escape, and do away with werewolves • Includes the trial records from medieval Europe for individuals who were tried on suspicion of being werewolves and the personal records of people whose spouses could shapeshift into wolves An animal both mythical and real, a terrifying predator and the villain in many a fairytale, the wolf has haunted the human imagination since prehistoric times. Even more disturbing is the possibility that some individuals can change into wolves. These werewolves, or lycanthropes, are able to divest themselves of their human nature and transform into enemies that are all the more dangerous as no one knows who they are. Means of protecting oneself from this beast have been a concern for people since Classical Antiquity, and werewolf legends offer both fascinating tales of horror as well as advice for thwarting these creatures or breaking the werewolf curse. In this exploration of werewolf folktales, legends, and historical accounts, Claude Lecouteux examines werewolf beliefs and stories from early Greece to the post-medieval age, including the beliefs of the Norse and tales from France, Germany, Eastern Europe, China, and Japan. The author includes the trial records from medieval Europe for individuals who were tried on suspicion of being werewolves and the personal records of people whose spouses could shapeshift into wolves. He investigates the nature of the werewolf, how it can act as the double or lead to out-of-body experiences, and its counterparts in other parts of the world such as were-tigers, were-jackals, and even were-caribou in the Inuit regions of North America. Lecouteux also looks at the various ways people become werewolves, including pacts with the devil and spells, and explores ways to identify, escape, and do away with werewolves. Sharing werewolf mysteries from around the world, Lecouteux shows that by studying the legends of the werewolf we also gain insight into the psyche and ancient imagination of humanity.

Silver Bough
Silver Bough

Author: Amy Dyer

Publisher: eBook Partnership

Published: 2021-02-03

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 1839522526

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The Silver Bough is a journey into a forgotten Otherworld of hollow hills, glass mountains and fabled islands. With over twenty myths and folktales arising from the rich traditions of the world, from ancient Egypt and Iceland, to New Zealand, Siberia and the Celtic lands, among the stories are Gwyn and the Lady of the Lake, The Shipwrecked Sailor, Galahad's Quest for the Grail and Apples of Immortality. Each of the five accompanying sections is woven from the threads of each tale. Rich in symbolism, shamanic traditions and esoteric wisdom, The Silver Bough traverses ancient cosmologies, from the kingdom of the dead and the starlit realm, to the domain of the flood and the land of the hidden folk.

Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder
Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder

Author: Claude Lecouteux

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-09-28

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1644111713

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• Offers commentary for each story, revealing its historical context, cultural and esoteric associations, and hidden pagan beliefs • Explores how the tales transformed over the ages and their origins in Classical Antiquity, the Middle East, and India • Includes stories never-before-translated from their original Latin and many purposely left in obscurity due to scandalous depictions of popes and other notables The Middle Ages witnessed the blossoming of oral traditions whose echoes can still be found in many legends, fables, and tales today. In this collection of medieval tales of witchcraft, wonder, and the supernatural, Claude and Corinne Lecouteux explain how many of these stories arose in Classical Antiquity while some made their way into Dark Ages Europe from the Middle East and India. Offering commentary for each tale, the authors place them in historical context and analyze their cultural and esoteric associations. They include stories never- before-translated from their original Latin or demotic versions and show how, unlike the well-known fairy tales made popular by the Brothers Grimm, many stories were purposely left in obscurity because they presented scandalous depictions of popes and other notables. Additionally, for many of the tales, the authors scrupulously peel back the Christian veneer to show how the stories were instrumental in assuring the survival of age-old pagan beliefs across the centuries. These beliefs are explored through tales of animals with magical powers and the ability to converse with humans, including the tale of the Grateful Lion made famous through Aesop’s fables; stories of individuals with supernatural or otherworldly powers, like the Venomous Maiden who poisons all men who have relations with her; legends of miracles and wondrous things that violate the laws of nature, such as people returning from the dead to help a descendant; and stories of witchcraft, magic, and demonic apparitions, including the pope who was a disguised demon. The authors also explore tales of supernatural spouses and illicit love affairs, wisdom teachings and parables of fools, and heroic legends.

Atlantis Rising Magazine - 134 - March/April 2019
Atlantis Rising Magazine - 134 - March/April 2019

Author: J. Douglas Kenyon

Publisher: Atlantis Rising LLC

Published:

Total Pages: 215

ISBN-13: 0999509586

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ANCIENT MYSTERIESJESUS & THE GNOSTICS The Quest for Historical Reality Takes Some Startling New Turns BY MARTIN RUGGLES LOST HISTORY OAK ISLAND: THE INCA/SPANISH CONNECTION Following the Evidence to South America BY FRANK JOSEPH UFOs ROSWELL TO THE 33RD DEGREE A Former Air Force UFO Investigator Makes Some Startling Observations BY WILLIAM B. STOECKER LOST HISTORY DENISOVANS IN AMERICA? A Closer Look at DNA and the Coming of the "Thunder People" BY ANDREW COLLINS ANCIENT MYSTERIES PYRAMIDS & THE GODS OF WEATHER An Electrifying New Take on Possible Lost Ancient Technology? BY KONSTANTIN BORISOV, Ph.D. LOST HISTORY PYGMIES & DWARFS Is There More Truth to the Legends than We Realized? BY CLAUDE LECOUTEUX POPULAR CULTURE THE MANY FACES OF "SKEPTICISM" Taking a Closer Look at Where All the Noise Is Coming from BY MICHAEL E. TYMN ANCIENT MYSTERIES PROPHECIES AND THE THIRD TEMPLE Are We About Due for the Apocalypse? BY JONATHON PERRIN ANCIENT MYSTERIES JESUS IN KASHMIR? Did the Bible Tell the Whole Story? ARCHAEOLOGY SEARCHING FOR EGYPTIAN ORIGINS IN NIGER Could the "Zinder Pyramid and Sphinx" Hold Clues to Zep Tepi? BY ROBERT M. SCHOCH, Ph.D. THE FORBIDDEN ARCHAEOLOGIST A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ROBERT SALAS BY MICHAEL CREMO ASTROLOGY THE "LONG ZODIAC" OF DENDERA Unlocking the Mysteries of Cancer BY JULIE LOAR PUBLISHER'S LETTER ON THE TRAIL OF OSIRIS AND THE "FIRST TIME" BY J. DOUGLAS KENYON

Pantheon - The Norse
Pantheon - The Norse

Author: Morgan Daimler

Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Published: 2022-04-29

Total Pages: 156

ISBN-13: 1789041422

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Pantheon - The Norse explores the beliefs and practices found within Heathenry including a look at cosmology and various celebrations. It also discusses the gods and spirits that are acknowledged within the belief system giving brief descriptions of each and how they were and are understood. Designed as an introduction to the Norse pantheon, this book will guide beginners into a basic understanding of the beliefs and offer further suggested resources for those who want to dive deeper.

Travels to the Otherworld and Other Fantastic Realms
Travels to the Otherworld and Other Fantastic Realms

Author: Claude Lecouteux

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2020-08-04

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 1620559439

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A collection of tales from the Middle Ages that reveal voyages to Heaven and Hell, the realm of the Faery, mystical lands, and encounters with mythic beasts • Shares travelers’ accounts of voyages into the afterlife, alarming creatures of unparalleled strangeness, encounters with doppelgangers and angels, chivalric romantic misadventures, and legends of heroes • Explains how travelers’ tales from the Middle Ages drew on geographies, encyclopedias, travel accounts, bestiaries, and herbals for material to capture the imagination of their audiences • Includes rare illustrations from incunabula and medieval manuscripts Heading off to discover unknown lands was always a risky undertaking during the Middle Ages due to the countless dangers lying in wait for the traveler--if we can believe what the written accounts tell us. In the medieval age of intercontinental exploration, tales of sea monsters, strange hybrid beasts, trickster faeries, accidental trips to the afterlife, and peoples as fantastic and dangerous as the lands they inhabited abounded. In this curated collection of medieval travelers’ tales, editors Claude and Corinne Lecouteux explain how the Middle Ages were a melting pot of narrative traditions from the four corners of the then-known world. Tales from this period often drew on geographies, encyclopedias, travel accounts, bestiaries, and herbals for material to capture the imagination of their audiences, who were fascinated by the wonders being discovered by explorers of the time. Accompanied by rare illustrations from incunabula and medieval manuscripts, the stories in this collection include voyages into the afterlife, with guided tours of Hell and glimpses of Heaven, as well as journeys into other fantastic realms, such as the pagan land of the Faery. It also includes accounts from travelers such as Alexander the Great of alarming creatures of unparalleled strangeness, encounters with doppelgangers and angels, legends of heroes, and tales of chivalric romantic misadventures, with protagonists swept to exotic new places by fate or by quest. In each story, the marvelous is omnipresent, and each portrays the reactions of the protagonist when faced with the unknown. Offering an introduction to the medieval imaginings of a wondrous universe, these tales reflect the dreams and beliefs of the Middle Ages’ era of discovery and allow readers to survey mythic geography, meet people from the far ends of the earth, and experience the supernatural.

Dictionary of Gypsy Mythology
Dictionary of Gypsy Mythology

Author: Claude Lecouteux

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2018-07-10

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 1620556685

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A comprehensive A-to-Z reconstruction of the oral tradition of the Rom--gypsies--based on sources never before available in English • Presents the origin myths and magical traditions of the gypsies, including their legendary ties to Egypt, animal ancestors, and tree spirits • Examines the three major settings of gypsy folktales--the forest, the waters, and the mountain--and shows how their world is full of spirits • Shows how the religious concepts of the Rom testify to a profound syncretism of the pagan traditions and Christianity Although their own myths and their common name point to Egyptian origins for the gypsies, the Rom, as they call themselves, originated in India, as evidenced by studies of their language. They arrived in Europe in the ninth century and spread across the continent from East to West, reaching England in the 15th century and Scandinavia by the end of the 16th century. A nomadic people, these wanderers were reviled by local populaces wherever they went and regarded as misfits, intruders, foreigners, and thieves. Drawing on a number of sources never before available outside of Eastern Europe, Claude Lecouteux reconstructs the gypsy oral tradition to provide a comprehensive A-to-Z look at gypsy mythology, including their folktales, rites, songs, nursery rhymes, jokes, and magical traditions. His main source is material collected by Heinrich Adalbert von Wlislocki (1856-1907), an ethnologist who lived with gypsies in Romania, Transylvania, and Hungary in the latter half of the 19th century. He presents the origin myths of the gypsies, legends which form the ancestral memory of the gypsy tribes and often closely touch on their daily life. Lecouteux explores the full range of supernatural beings that inhabit the gypsy world, including fairies, undines, ogres, giants, dog-people, and demons, and he examines the three major settings of gypsy folktales--the forest, the waters, and the mountain, which they worshiped as a sacred being in its own right. He also reveals how coexisting with peoples of different religions led the gypsies to adapt or borrow stories and figures from these groups, and he shows how the religious concepts and sacred stories of the Rom testify to a profound syncretism of pagan traditions and Christianity. Complete with rare illustrations and information from obscure sources appearing for the first time in English, this detailed reference work represents an excellent resource for scholars and those seeking to reconnect to their forgotten gypsy heritage.

The Pagan Book of the Dead
The Pagan Book of the Dead

Author: Claude Lecouteux

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2020-09-01

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1644110482

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An extensive look at the cartography and folklore of the afterlife worlds as seen by our ancestors • Examines how ancient European cultures viewed the beyond, including the Blessed Isles of early Greek and Celtic faith, the Hebrew Sheol, Hades from Homer’s Odyssey, Hel and Valhalla of the Norse, and the Aralu of Babylon • Shows how medieval accounts of journeys into the Other World represent the first recorded near-death experiences • Connects medieval afterlife beliefs and NDE narratives with shamanism, looking in particular at psychopomps, power animals, the double, the fetch, and what people bring back from their journeys to the spirit realms Charting the evolution of afterlife beliefs in both pagan and medieval Christian times, Claude Lecouteux offers an extensive look at the cartography and folklore of the afterlife worlds as seen by our ancestors. Exploring the locations and topographies of the various forms taken by Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, he examines how ancient European cultures viewed the beyond, including the Blessed Isles of early Greek and Celtic faith, the Hebrew Sheol, the pale world of Hades from Homer’s Odyssey, Hel and Valhalla of the Norse, and the Aralu of Babylon, the land where nothing can be seen. The author also explores beliefs in Other Worlds, lands different from our own that are not the afterlife but places where time flows differently and which are inhabited by fantastic or supernatural beings such as fairies or dwarfs. Sharing medieval tales of journeys into the beyond, Lecouteux shows how these accounts represent the first recorded near-death experiences (NDEs) and examines how they compare with modern NDE narratives as well as the work of NDE researchers like Raymond Moody. In addition, he also explores tales of out-of-body experiences, dream journeys, and travels made by a double or fetch and connects these narratives with shamanism, looking in particular at psychopomps, power animals, and what people bring back from their journeys to the spirit realms. Analyzing the afterlife beliefs of the Middle Ages as a whole, Lecouteux concludes with a collection of medieval afterlife-related traditions, such as placing polished stones in the coffin so the departed soul can find its way back to friends and family at those times of the year when the veil between the worlds grows thin.