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The Old Magic of Christmas

Page 20

by Linda Raedisch


  tow: the shorter, coarser fibers left over from the working of flax into linen thread. If you are “tow-headed,” your hair resembles these coarser blond strands that were used to make rope, ship’s caulking, wigs, and false beards. See also flax.

  Turkish delight: a confection consisting of gluey hunks of rosewater and almonds or pistachios dusted with powdered sugar. Personally, I would be horrified to find a box of Turkish delight in my stocking no matter how prettily it was wrapped, but I may be alone in this. Slabs of Turkish delight form the roof of the witch’s house in Hansel and Gretel, and the confection is the principal means by which the White Witch gains Edmund’s confidence when he first arrives in Narnia. (When Father Christmas is finally able to make his way into that land, he conjures the humbler treat of a pot of tea with cream and lump sugar.)

  warp: the set of vertical threads that must be carefully assembled on the frame of the loom before weaving can begin. Once the loom has been “warped,” the weft (also “woof”), or horizontal threads, can be inserted to achieve the desired pattern.

  [contents]

  Bibliography

  Books

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  Boucher, Alan. Elves, Trolls and Elemental Beings: Icelandic Folktales II. Reykjavik, Iceland: Iceland Review, 1981.

  Branston, Brian. The Lost Gods of England. London: Thames and Hudson, 1957.

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  Briggs, Katharine M., and Ruth L. Tongue, eds. Folktales of England. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1965.

  Cagner, Ewert, ed. Swedish Christmas. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1959. (First published in Sweden in 1954.)

  Christiansen, Reidar, ed. Folktales of Norway. Translated by Pat Shaw Iverson. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1964.

  Crain, Mary Beth. Haunted Christmas: Yuletide Ghosts and Other Spooky Holiday Happenings. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press, 2010.

  Dasent, George Webbe. The Cat on the Dovrefell: A Christmas Tale. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1979.

  Davidson, Hilda Ellis. Gods and Myths of the Viking Age. New York: Bell Publishing Company, 1981.

  ———. Roles of the Northern Goddess. New York: Routledge, 1988.

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  Hall, John Oscar. When I Was a Boy in Norway. Boston: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1921.

  Halpert, Herbert and G. M. Story, eds. Christmas Mumming in Newfoundland. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1969.

  Hole, Christina. Haunted England: A Survey of English Ghost-Lore. London: B. T. Batsford, 1940.

  Horsfield, Margaret. Biting the Dust: The Joys of Housework. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.

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  ———. The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

  Keightley, Thomas. The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves, and Other Little People. New York: Gramercy Books, 2000.

  Klobuchar, Lisa. Christmas in Switzerland. Chicago: World Book, Inc., 1995.

  Kretzenbacher, Leopold. Santa Lucia und die Lutzelfrau. Munich, Germany: Verlag R. Oldenbourg, 1959.

  Larson, Katherine. The Woven Coverlets of Norway. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2001.

  Leach, Maria, ed. Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1949.

  Leather, Ella Mary. The Folklore and Witchcraft of Herefordshire. Church Stretton, England: Oakleaf Books, 2004. (Abridged from The Folklore of Herefordshire, first published in Hereford, England, by Jakeman and Carver, 1912.)

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  Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Macmillan, 1950.

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  Lindow, John. Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

  The Mad Pranks and Merry Jests of Robin Goodfellow: Reprinted from the Edition of 1628. With an Introduction by J. Payne Collier. London: C. Richards, 1841.

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  McLenighan, Valjean. Christmas in Austria. Chicago: World Book Encyclopedia, Inc., 1982.

  Magnusson, Magnus, and Hermann Palsson, trans. Njal’s Saga. London: Penguin, 1960.

  ———. Laxdaela Saga. London: Penguin, 1969.

  Manker, Ernst. People of Eight Seasons: The Story of the Lapps. Translated by Kathleen McFarlane. New York: The Viking Press, 1964.

  Maple, Eric. The Realm of Ghosts. New York: A. S. Barnes and Company, 1964.

  ———. Supernatural England. Abbey Chambers, England: Fraser Stewart Books, 1977.

  Marboe, Ernst. Das Österreichbuch. Vienna, Austria: Verlag der Österreich
ischen Staatsdruckerei, 1948.

  Masefield, John. The Box of Delights. New York: New York Review of Books, 2007. (“This text, newly corrected from the manuscript by Philip W. Errington.” First published in 1935.)

  Metzger, Christine, ed. Culinaria Germany. Cologne, Germany: Koennemann, 2000.

  Miles, Clement A. Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance. New York: Dover Books, 1976. (Unabridged republication of the work originally published by T. Fisher Unwin in 1912 under the title Christman in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan.)

  Moore, Clement. ’Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Visit from St. Nicholas. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1912.

  Neumuller, Anders. God Jul: A Swedish Christmas. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2009.

  Ojakangas, Beatrice. The Great Scandinavian Baking Book. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1988.

  Poole, Gray Johnson. Mistletoe: Fact and Folklore. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1976.

  Porteous, Alexander. The Forest in Folklore and Mythology. New York: Macmillan, 1928.

  Potter, Beatrix. The Tailor of Gloucester. New York: Frederick Warne & Co., 1903.

  Purkiss, Diane. At the Bottom of the Garden: A Dark History of Fairies, Hobgoblins, and Other Troublesome Things. New York: New York University Press, 2000.

  Raetsch, Christian, and Claudia Mueller-Ebeling. Pagan Christmas. Translated from the German by Katja Lueders. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2006.

  Rieti, Barbara. Strange Terrain: The Fairy World in Newfoundland. St. John’s, NL: Institute of Social and Economic Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1991.

  Riis, Jacob. The Old Town. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1909.

  Roback, Charles W. The Mysteries of Astrology and the Wonders of Magic. Boston: Published by the author, 1854.

  Ross, Corinne. Christmas in Britain. Chicago: World Book Encyclopedia, Inc., 1978.

  ———. Christmas in Italy. Chicago: World Book Encyclopedia, Inc., 1979.

  ———. Christmas in Scandinavia. Chicago: World Book Encyclopedia, Inc., 1977.

  Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2005.

  ———. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York : Arthur A. Levine Books, 1999.

  Russ, Jennifer M. German Festivals and Customs. London: Oswald Wolff, 1982.

  Rydberg, Viktor. The Christmas Tomten. Freely adapted by Linda M. Jennings from a translation from the Swedish by Lone Thygesen Blecher and George Blecher. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1981.

  Saxo Grammaticus. The History of the Danes: Books I–IX. Edited by Hilda Ellis Davidson, translated by Peter Fisher. Rochester, NY: D. S. Brewer, 2008.

  Scherf, Gertrud. Zauberpflanzen, Hexenkraeuter: Mythos und Magie heimischer Wild- und Kulturpflanzen. (Enchanted Plants, Witches’ Herbs: Myth and Magic of Indigenous Wild and Cultivated Plants.) Munich, Germany: BLV, 2003.

  Seymour, John. The Forgotten Arts and Crafts. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2001.

  Shoemaker, Alfred L. Christmas in Pennsylvania: A Folk-Cultural Study, 50th Anniversary Edition. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2009.

  Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas, Spanning 50,000 Years. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, 1997.

  Simpson, Jacqueline. Icelandic Folktales and Legends. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1972.

  Spicer, Dorothy Gladys. Festivals of Western Europe. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1958.

  Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, Lives of the Norse Kings. Translated by Erling Monsen and A. H. Smith. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1990.

  ———. The Prose Edda. Translated by Jesse L. Byock. New York: Penguin, 2005.

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  Thorsson, Onolfur, ed. The Sagas of the Icelanders: A Selection. New York: Viking, 1997.

  Tolkien, J. R. R., edited by Baillie Tolkien. Letters from Father Christmas. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999.

  Tongue, R. L. Somerset Folklore. London: The Folk-Lore Society, 1965.

  Westwood, Jennifer, and Jacqueline Simpson. The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends, from Spring-Heeled Jack to the Witches of Warboys. London: Penguin, 2005.

  Wullschlager, Jackie. Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001.

  Other

  “Czech Christmas.” Prague Information Service 2009. www.praguecityline.com.

  Fox, Amanda. “Christmas Traditions and Celebrations in Iceland.” Helium, 2002–2010. www.helium.com.

  “Hansel and Gretel: a Fairy Opera in Three Acts.” The Internet Archive. www.archive.org/stream/hnselgretelfai00humpvoft_dvjv.txt.

  Haslam, Garth. “The Green Children.” www.anomalyinfo.com.

  Ilic, Erin N. “Creepy Christmas,” Early American Life, Christmas 2010.

  Kiefer, Thomas J. “Wienechts-Chindli.” www.fotocommunity.de.

  Kodratoff, Yves. “Voluspa: The Predictions of the Prophetess, Old Norse and English Versions with Commentary.” Nordic Magic Healing: 1998. www.nordic-life.org.

  “Lapland.” The Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. XVI. New York: The Encyclopedia Britannica Company, 1911.

  “Lithuanian Customs and Traditions.” http://ausis.gf.vu.lt/eka/customs/tradc.html.

  Rumpf, Marianne, Anthony Hellenberg, and Elizabeth Tucker. “Legends of Bertha in Switzerland,” Journal of the Folklore Institute, volume 14, no. 3. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1977.

  “Tales of the White Lady.” Tales and Legends of Český Krumlov Castle, 2006–2007. State Castle Český Krumlov.www.castle.ckrumlov.cz.

  Velinger, Jan. “Perchta of Rozmberk—The White Lady of Bohemia.” Radio Prague: February 4, 2004. http://www.radio.cz/en/section/czechs/perchta-of-rozmberk-the-white-lady-of-bohemia.

  Vilnius-Life.com. “A Royal Romance.” www.vilnius-life.com/vilnius/barbara-radziwill.

  [contents]

  Night of the Witches

  Folklore, Traditions & Recipes

  for Celebrating Walpurgis Night

  Linda Raedisch

  Witches, goblins, and ghosts in the warm springtime: what could be more fun? The roots of Walpurgis Night reach deep into the Pagan past, and modern Europeans celebrate it with as much abandon as their ancestors did. Walpurgis Night, in Germanic tradition, is a dark night at the end of April when witches are out celebrating and causing mischief. This charming book explores the history of this frightful night and explains how to celebrate it with seasonal activities, simple crafts, and tasty recipes.

  Readers will learn about the sacred rites of spring and the thirteen herbs that correspond with the Night of the Witches. They’ll discover how this “lost” holiday has changed from a lusty fertility festival to a children’s night of fun and treats, learn a bit about brooms and how to make one, and meet a collection of old-time Witches, from Ash Wives to Wolf Crones.

  978-0-7387-2058-6, 240 pp., 53⁄16 x 8

  To order, call 1-877-NEW-WRLD

  Prices subject to change without notice

  Order at Llewellyn.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

  Make Merry in Step and Song

  A Seasonal Treasury of Music, Mummer’s Plays

  & Celebrations in the English Folk Tradition

  Bronwen Forbes

  “See the blazing Yule before us…” This is just one of the many ancient British folk songs we all know and love. Other tunes and symbols that tug on our memories have similar historical roots, hearkening back to a shared Pagan past. Some of these dances, songs, and theatrical plays in the English folk tradition ar
e now little known, and reviving these vital traditions can bring new life to Renaissance festivals and community events.

  Introducing the lively music and homegrown entertainments of times long past, this descriptive how-to is designed for twenty-first-century joviality. The songs, dances, and plays of old are explained in their mythical, seasonal, and historical significance and outlined for easy reenactment. Simple-to-follow instructions detail six dances, including the popular Abbots Bromley Horn dance, six full scripts for dramatic performances of mummer’s plays (folk plays of death and rebirth), and over thirty songs with lyrics and music. Kick up your heels, hold high your skirts, and make merry the year through.

  978-0-7387-1500-1, 264 pp., 71⁄2 x 91⁄8

  To order, call 1-877-NEW-WRLD

  Prices subject to change without notice

  Order at Llewellyn.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

  Field Guide to the Little People

  A Curious Journey into the Hidden Realm of Elves, Faeries, Hobgoblins & Other Not-So-Mythical Creatures

  Nancy Arrowsmith

  Welcome back one of the most revered introductions to the lineage, appearance, general characteristics, and case histories of seventy-nine elf folk, including White Ladies, Red Caps, Church Grims, Hobgoblins, English Fairies, Leprechauns, Sirens, Hey-Hey Men, and all of their strange and mythical kin.

  For many years, this charming illustrated guide has been as elusive as a Will-o’-the-Wisp. This is the first opportunity for elven fans to once again own an English-language edition—featuring more than eighty new illustrations by Sabrina the Ink Witch.

  978-0-7387-1549-0, 336 pp., 6 x 9

  To order, call 1-877-NEW-WRLD

  Prices subject to change without notice

  Order at Llewellyn.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

  Rituals of Celebration

  Honoring the Seasons of Life through the Wheel of the Year

  Jane Meredith

 

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