The power of words : studies on charms and charming in Europe

Introduction . . 1

Part I GENRE, CLASSIFICATION, TERMINOLOGY

CHAPTER I A Genre in the Making. The First Study of Charms in Norway . . 15
CHAPTER II The Making of a Charm Collector. Alexander Carmichael in Uist, from 1864 to 1882 . . 27
CHAPTER III Charm Indexes: Problems and Perspectives . . 71
CHAPTER IV Medieval Narrative Charms . . 101
CHAPTER V The Historical Development of "Charm" Terminology in Hungarian . . 117

Part II HISTORICAL AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES

CHAPTER VI The Marginality of Charms in Medieval England . . 135
CHAPTER VII Church Benedictions and Popular Charms in Hungary . . 165
CHAPTER VIII Benediction and Exorcism in Early Modern Hungary . . 199
CHAPTER IX Baltic and East Slavic Charms . . 211

Part III CONTENT AND FUNCTION OF CHARMS

CHAPTER X The Najit Between Prayers and Charms: A Study of the Romanian Manuscript Tradition . . 239
CHAPTER XI Charming The Moon: Moon Charms for Sick Children in Portuguese Ethnography . . 257
CHAPTER XII 'Dear Merciful Mother": The Virgin Mary in Finnish and Karelian Birth Incantations . . 265
CHAPTER XIII The Power of Words in Miracles, Visions, Incantations and Bewitchments . . 281

About the Editors . . 305
About the Contributors . . 307
Index . . 311