Charles Godfrey Leland Books

Its accuracy is disputed by some, while others consider it a vital resource for studying and understanding Italian witch folklore of the 19th century. What is certain is that this 1899 classic has become a foundational document of modern Wicca and neopaganism. Leland claimed his "witch informant," a fortune-teller named Maddalena, supplied him with the secret writings that he translated and combined with his research on Italian pagan tradition to create a gospel of pagan belief and practice. Here, in the story of the goddess Aradia, who came to Earth to champion oppressed peasants in their fight against their feudal overlords and the Catholic Church, are the chants, prayers, spells, and rituals that have become the centerpieces of contemporary pagan faiths. American journalist and folklorist CHARLES GODFREY LELAND (1824-1903) was editor of Continental Monthly during the Civil War and coined the term emancipation as an alternative to abolition, but he is best remembered for his books on ethnography, folklore, and language, including The Gypsies (1882), The Hundred Riddles of the Fairy Bellaria (1892), and Unpublished Legends of Virgil (1899).

This book is a reproduction of a historical work, published by Megali, a house dedicated to producing large print editions. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility for readers with impaired vision, ensuring that important texts are available to a wider audience.

Dedicated to accessibility, this publishing house focuses on reproducing historical works in large print, catering specifically to individuals with impaired vision. By enhancing readability, Megali aims to ensure that important historical texts remain available and enjoyable for a wider audience.

Die Genauigkeit wird von einigen angezweifelt, während andere sie als wichtige Ressource für das Studium und das Verständnis des italienischen Hexenfolklore des 19. Jahrhunderts betrachten. Sicher ist, dass dieses klassische Werk von 1899 zu einem grundlegenden Dokument der modernen Wicca und Neopaganismus geworden ist. Leland behauptete, seine "Hexen-Informantin", eine Wahrsagerin namens Maddalena, habe ihm die geheimen Schriften geliefert, die er übersetzte und mit seinen Forschungen zur italienischen heidnischen Tradition kombinierte, um ein Evangelium des heidnischen Glaubens und der Praxis zu schaffen. Hier, in der Geschichte der Göttin Aradia, die auf die Erde kam, um unterdrückte Bauern in ihrem Kampf gegen ihre feudalen Herren und die katholische Kirche zu unterstützen, finden sich die Gesänge, Gebete, Zauber und Rituale, die zum Mittelpunkt zeitgenössischer heidnischer Glaubensrichtungen geworden sind.