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Cunning-folk were local practitioners of magic, providing small-scale but valued service to the community. They were far more representative of magical practice than the arcane delvings of astrologers and necromancers. Mostly unsensational in their approach, cunning-folk helped people with everyday problems: how to find lost objects; how to escape from bad luck or a suspected spell; and how to attract a lover or keep the love of a husband or wife.While cunning-folk sometimes fell foul of the authorities, both church and state often turned a blind eye to their existence and practices, distinguishing what they did from the rare and sensational cases of malvolent witchcraft. In a world of uncertainty, before insurance and modern science, cunning-folk played an important role that has previously been ignored.
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Popular magic, Owen Davies
- Language
- Released
- 2007
- Binding
- (Paperback)
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- Title
- Popular magic
- Subtitle
- Cunning-folk in English History
- Language
- English
- Authors
- Owen Davies
- Publisher
- Hambledon Continuum
- Released
- 2007
- Format
- Paperback
- Pages
- 246
- ISBN10
- 184725036X
- ISBN13
- 9781847250360
- Series
- Tags
- Non-Fiction, Historical Themes, History, Religion & Spirituality, Religious Topics, Religion, New Age & Spirituality, Magic, Spiritualism & Witchcraft, Folklore, Folk Culture, Pagans, Paganism
- Rating
- 4.15 out of 5
- Description
- Cunning-folk were local practitioners of magic, providing small-scale but valued service to the community. They were far more representative of magical practice than the arcane delvings of astrologers and necromancers. Mostly unsensational in their approach, cunning-folk helped people with everyday problems: how to find lost objects; how to escape from bad luck or a suspected spell; and how to attract a lover or keep the love of a husband or wife.While cunning-folk sometimes fell foul of the authorities, both church and state often turned a blind eye to their existence and practices, distinguishing what they did from the rare and sensational cases of malvolent witchcraft. In a world of uncertainty, before insurance and modern science, cunning-folk played an important role that has previously been ignored.