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Tales and Legends of the Devil
The Many Guises of the Primal Shapeshifter
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Tales and Legends of the Devil
$5299
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book will appeal to readers interested in folklore, mythology, European cultural history, and the study of belief systems. It is suited for those fascinated by the intersections of pagan traditions and Christian legend, as well as enthusiasts of supernatural and occult narratives.
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See moreExplores the many forms and abilities of the devil in stories from around the world.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Tales and Legends of the Devil explores the many forms and abilities of the devil in stories from around the world.
It draws on folk traditions from all over Europe, including Transylvanian Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Switzerland, Italy, France, Scandinavia, and the Baltic countries. It traces the devil’s shapeshifting powers back to their Vedic origins in ancient India and looks at his connections with witches and storm magic. The book reveals how many of the qualities and magical powers attributed to the devil were once those belonging to pagan gods.
The devil has many more guises than the cliché red boogeyman named Lucifer or Satan who haunts Christianity. In some traditions, the devil is sinister and cunning, while in others he is an oaf who can easily be conned and evaded by anyone with an ounce of cleverness. In other tales and legends, he is the primal shapeshifter, and the Roma, also known as the gypsies, claimed his talents of metamorphosis were so strong he could even assume the appearance of a priest.
Drawing on folk traditions from all over Europe, including Transylvanian Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Switzerland, Italy, France, Scandinavia, Moravia, Bohemia, Lapland, and the Baltic countries, Claude and Corinne Lecouteux explore the many forms and abilities of the devil in stories, tales, and legends throughout the ages. They trace the devil’s shapeshifting powers back to their Vedic origins in ancient India and examine his connections with witches, storm magic, and other magical events. They explore the symbolic implications of the devil's appearance in these tales, such as how he is often either limping or disfigured with the legs or feet of a goat or other animals traditionally linked to the lower powers or passions. The authors explain how the devil’s limp or his goat-like feet reflect the prevalence in world mythology of the sacred nature of crippling injuries.
Peeling back the Christian veneer embedded in many tales and legends about the so-called Evil One, the authors ultimately reveal how many qualities and magical powers attributed to the devil were once those belonging to pagan gods, like the Lithuanian thunder god Perkūnas or the Titan Chronos, as well as to playful woodland spirits and the sometimes helpful, sometimes fearful fauns and satyrs of Greco-Roman mythology.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised by Mitch Horowitz as a 'forbidden feast' revealing timeless archetypes found in cinema and mythology, this collection is celebrated for unearthing hidden treasures of European tradition. Arthur Versluis commends the authors as masters of folklore, highlighting how their stories teach readers the value of outsmarting adversity. The book offers profound insights into humanity's enduring relationship with the figure of the devil.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781644116852
Publisher: Inner Traditions Bear and Company
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 28 September 2023
Country: United States
Imprint: Inner Traditions Bear and Company
Illustration: 5 b&w illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 23.0mm
Width: 152.0mm
Height: 229.0mm
Weight: 522g
Pages: 240
About the Author
Claude Lecouteux (1943–2025) was a professor emeritus of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne and author of numerous books on medieval beliefs and magic, including Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder.
Corinne Lecouteux is a translator specializing in tales and legends. She is the coauthor of Travels to the Otherworld and Other Fantastic Realms and lives in Paris.
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