Magic Books
legends from Germany
selected and translated by
D. L. Ashliman
© 2003-2008
- The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses
(Chemnitz).
- The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses
(Rügen).
- The Black Book (Rügen).
- Faust's Book of Hell's Charms
(Zellerfeld).
- Links to related sites.
Return to D. L. Ashliman's folktexts, a library of folktales, folklore,
fairy tales, and mythology.
Chemnitz, Germany
There is no longer any magic or witchcraft. That is because the sixth and
the seventh books of Moses can no longer be used. Witchcraft, magic, and
incantations were all exactly described and recorded there. These two
books are now secured at Wittenberg. They can still be seen as
curiosities, but can no longer be used.
- Source: A. Kuhn and W. Schwartz, "Das sechste und
siebente Much Mosis," Norddeutsche
Sagen, Märchen und Gebräuche aus Meklenburg
[Mecklenburg], Pommern, der Mark, Sachsen, Thüringen,
Braunschweig, Hannover, Oldenburg und Westfalen (Leipzig: F. A.
Brockhaus, 1848), no.
100, p. 90.
- Kuhn's and Schwartz's source: "Oral from Chemnitz."
- Return to the table of contents.
Rügen, Germany
Many years ago there lived in Trent an old master tailor whose wife had
inherited an unusual book from her mother. They say she had the sixth and
the seventh books of Moses. Whenever the woman read in the book, deer,
wolves, hares, and other animals would come to her, lie down at her feet,
and play with her children. All these animals would disappear as soon as
the book was closed.
One day while the woman was reading the book, she was surprised by her
husband. He grabbed the book and threw it into the stove. But behold! The
fire went out, and the book remained undamaged. The tailor did not want to
have this book in his house any longer, so, acting on the advice of some
old people, he had a boy who was born on a Sunday during the sermon throw
the book into the stove. That worked, for the book was immediately
consumed by the flames.
Rügen. Germany
In Sabitz near Bergen there formerly lived a number of peasants who, it
was said, possessed a black book. With its help they were able to acquire
substantial wealth, and if they did anything bad to a neighbor, they
always went unpunished. Whoever wanted to use the black book had to read
the text forwards and backwards. The devil gained control of anyone who
failed to read it backwards. It was no longer known where the book came
from. The oldest people knew only that they had come into its possession
through an inheritance. Sometimes the book caused its owners much grief,
so finally they tried to dispose of it. For a long time these attempts
were to no avail, until they sought the advise of a pastor. He freed them
from the book by nailing shut the drawer in which it was being stored.
Zellerfeld, Germany
The Book of Hell's Charms is in the church at Zellerfeld, secured
by an iron chain. It was written by Doctor Faust. Only a few people can
read it, and it is extremely dangerous to read it. To read it without
losing one's life, one must be able to read it forwards and backwards.
If one reads it forwards, the devil will appear. If one reads it
backwards, he will leave. If anyone has read the Book of Hell's Charms
forwards and cannot read it backwards, then the devil will do the rest.
- Source: Hermann Harrys, "Fausts Höllenzwang," Volkssagen,
Märchen und Legenden Niedersachsens, vol. 2 (Celle: Verlag von E.
H. C. Schulze, 1840) no. 13, p. 20.
- Harrys' source: "Oral."
- The magic book in this legend is called the Höllenzwang,
which translates literally as "hell's compulsion," i.e. a book of charms
that will compel hell to do one's bidding.
- This legend's final statement "The devil will do the rest" is somewhat
ambiguous. Although it could be interpretted "The devil will read it
backwards," a more logical conclusion is "The devil will take possession
of the careless reader."
- Return to the table of contents.
Targets open in new windows.
- The Black School.
Migratory legends of type 3000, in which a wizard in training escapes from
his satanic teacher, albeit with the loss of his shadow.
- Faust Legends. Stories about
mortals who enter into contracts with the demonic powers.
- Foolish Wishes. Tales of
type 750A and other stories about the foolish use of magic wishes.
- Goethe's ballad "Der
Zauberlehrling." The original German text with English translations.
- The Sorcerer's
Apprentice. Folktales of Aarne-Thompson-Uther type 325* and migratory
legends of Christiansen type 3020.
- Why the Sea Is Salty.
Folktales of type 565.
Return to D. L. Ashliman's folktexts, a library of folktales, folklore,
fairy tales, and mythology.
Revised December 11, 2008.