Medieval Folklore: A Guide to Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs (Paperback)

Over a decade in the making, Medieval Folklore offers a wide-ranging guide to the lore of the Middle Ages--from the mundane to the supernatural. Definitive and lively articles focus on the great tales and traditions of the age and includes information on daily and nightly customs and activities; religious beliefs of the pagan, Christian, Muslim, and Jew; key works of oral and written literature; traditional music and art; holidays and feasts; food and drink; and plants and animals, both real and fantastical.

While most books on medieval folklore focus primarily on the West, this unique volume brings together an eclectic range of experts to treat the subject from a global perspective. Especially remarkable are the surveys of the major medieval traditions including Arab-Islamic, Baltic, English, Finno-Ugric, French, Hispanic, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Scandinavian, Scottish, Slavic, and Welsh.

For anyone who has ever wanted a path through the tangle of Arthurian legends, or the real lowdown on St. Patrick, or the last word on wolf lore--this is the place to look.

The contributors:

Ulrich Marzolph -- Arab-Islamic

Thomas A. DuBois -- Baltic

John McNamara & Carl Lindahl -- English

Thomas A. DuBois -- Finno-Ugric

Francesca Canadé Sautman -- French

Samuel G. Armistead -- Hispanic

Éva Pócs -- Hungarian

Joseph Falaky Nagy -- Irish

Giuseppe C. Di Scipio -- Italian

Eli Yassif -- Jewish

Stephen A. Mitchell -- Scandinavian

John McNamara -- Scottish

Eve Levin -- Slavic

Elissa R. Henken & Brynley F. Roberts -- Welsh