Real Medieval Superstition and Folklore

[alsih2o]

Find a book of slang and vernacular. The word origins in there can be extremely helpful in exploring the fundamental thought processes of the "natives."

I t will probably only add to the minutia (I am too lazy to spellcheck it too ) but it can be a great starting point

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

On the off chance that you can read German, I recommend Sagen, Legenden und Geschichten aus der Fränkischen Schweiz - 581 tales of witches, ghosts, superstitions, magic, fiery apparitions, big fish (really big fish!), the Wild Hunt, and little grey men, with the Devil as a frequent guest star. Most of them were told to the author by old locals who had been handed them down from their ancestors for many generations, and are thus quite authentic.

You can get this book from the German Amazon site, though I can make no gurantees if you can get the book in time for your paper...

Personally, I'm currently trying to do a RPG treatment of many of the creatures for a Pyramid magazine article.

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

On the off chance that you can read German, I recommend Sagen, Legenden und Geschichten aus der Fränkischen Schweiz - 581 tales of witches, ghosts, superstitions, magic, fiery apparitions, big fish (really big fish!), the Wild Hunt, and little grey men, with the Devil as a frequent guest star. Most of them were told to the author by old locals who had been handed them down from their ancestors for many generations, and are thus quite authentic.

You can get this book from the German Amazon site, though I can make no gurantees if you can get the book in time for your paper...

Personally, I'm currently trying to do a RPG treatment of many of the creatures for a Pyramid magazine article.

Ich kann nur ein bisschen Deutsch sprechen...(i think that's how you say it..)

I think it would be much harder to translate and gather any meaning from the book than would be worth my time. Thanks for the suggestion though!

And thanks to everyone...

and...

BUMP

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Thank you everyone! All of these responses have been tremendously helpful!

Keep them coming though. This thread has one, perhaps two selfish BUMPS left in it.

 

[Drifter Bob]

Fellow history buffs (snip) Do you know of any good historical sources that I could use in my essay? Primary and secondary sources are both more than welcome.

Jules Michelet : Satanism and Witchcraft


DB

 

[Azazyll]

If I've learned just one thing during this first year of college it's this: don't wait until a week before a 12 page research paper is due to start really looking for stuff. You'll find that the library is suddently checked out of all the books that you need.

Yeah, and believe me, second year it doesn't get any better. I'm writing a paper on, among other things, Chretien de Troyes' Romances (a great source of inspiration for what real medieval adventure stories were like), and behind me are twenty or so books for my twenty page research paper due the twenty third, which I have to start reading sometime. And people wonder why I don't have time to game.

Could be the ten or so D&D books under them...but I refuse to admit that possibility.

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Thanks so much for all of the help guys, it was absolutely instrumental in helping me get some extra sources for the paper. The first draft is done after a very...very... VERY. long night and I can breathe for a bit, so I think this will be my very last BUMP.

ENworld is truly one of the greatest places on the net, chock full of useful information on not only gaming, but other stuff too. I love you all!

 

[knitnerd]

There was a site mentioned on a knitting board today that is just what you need
http://www.endicott-studio.com/readingRoom.htm

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

There was a site mentioned on a knitting board today that is just what you need
http://www.endicott-studio.com/readingRoom.htm

thanks but the link doesn't seem to be workin...

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

I'm going to give this thread an early morning bump just because it's been a while and the final draft of this paper is due on Friday.

Thanks agian to all the helpful contributors!