Folklore and Supernatural Beings in the Middle Ages

Description

LECOUTEUX (Claude). Démons et Génies du terroir au Moyen Age. Imago, 1995, 8vo, 218 pp., preface by Régis Boyer, 9 illustrations in the text, bibliography, index, paperback, illustrated cover. In a wild and untamed nature, man, exposed to invisible dangers, has long felt like an intruder, an usurper. Any settlement, any colonization, was first a conquest over a primitive and supernatural presence - most often threatening - that of demons and local spirits. Scrutinizing popular traditions, sagas, and tales, Claude Lecouteux, an eminent specialist of the Middle Ages, traces the archaic fear of countless nameless creatures haunting pristine spaces. He identifies the desire to ward off dangers and fears, to win the favor of spirits, and to organize coexistence with man at specific sites. This remarkable work illuminates the primary role of places in shaping many beliefs and reveals the roots of an ancient respect for nature that resonates with our current ecological concerns.