Book Description

Published in two volumes, the purpose of Jersey Folklore & Superstitions is three-fold: To bring all the previously published and any non-published material on Jersey folktales and superstitions together in one publication, to expand on the detail of this material and to place it in context by comparing it with similar or more complete traditions from the Gulf of St. Malo as a whole (Guernsey, Normandy and Brittany) and to consider its functions and origins. To this end they are further compared with traditions from Europe generally, with some examples from further afield and with mythologies worldwide. For Jersey readers this work will give an overview of their oral tradition, its significance and how it relates to the body of such traditions within Europe as a whole. For general readers the use of the Island’s traditions as a template for those elsewhere, the process of comparison with those from other regions and the attempt to outline the broad range of sources from which they are drawn, may give an insight into particular areas of folk tradition generally, such as fairy-lore, indigenous sorcery (witchcraft), domestic superstitions and the roles and origins of spectral animals and other beings. For this purpose, most chapters are broadly divided into four main sections. The Jersey material is presented first, followed by that from Guernsey, Normandy and Brittany, followed by an analysis using examples from further afield and from mythology. Each chapter concludes with a review and summary of this material. Liberal quotations of related ‘ditons’ or sayings in Jèrriais (the Jersey Language) are included with each chapter. The author has four previous publications; Jersey Superstitions in Etching & Poetry (hardcover 1981), An Introduction to Channel Islands’ Pewter (softcover 1993), Jersey Maritime Folklore (M/S format, 1996) and Sunbonnets in the Channel Islands & worldwide (CD-R 2005).