On the Verge of Lunacy

Charles John Tibbits wrote a brief introduction of the origin of myths and legends. He traces it back to animism. He wrote that investing life in all things, living or inanimate, probably arose from the language used to describe or name things. Some words are expressive of gender and because the items have genders, there is a possibility that qualities were given to the object as time passed. This a collection of 30 of those stories which originated from that concept. They are listed below: Gaffer Death The Legend of Paracelsus Hans in Luck The Grey Mare in the Garret The Water Spirit Peter Klaus The Legend of Rheineck The Cellar of the Old Knights in the Kyffhauser The Fisherman and his Wife The Mouse Tower The Dancers The Little Shroud The Arch Rogue Brother Merry Fastrada The Jew in the Bush The Elves The Conclave of Corpses Legends of Rubezahl, or Number-Nip The Hunter Hackelnberg and the Tut-Osel The Alraun The Goose-Girl Hans Jagenteufel The Waits...

Edited and translated by Charles John Tibbits This book is a collection of 29 stories, some of which are from the Edda. Readers will also find stories about the Norse gods although this book does not include the tales leading to Ragnarok. Included are a few stories about Thor and Loki. The following are the myths and legends included in this volume: The Wonderful Plough (Isle of Rugen) How a Lad stole the Giant's Treasure (Sweden) Tales of Cats (Denmark) The Magician's Daughter (Sweden) The Hill-man invited to the Christening (Denmark) The Meal of Frothi (Norway) The Lost Bell (Isle of Rugen) Maiden Swanwhite and Maiden Foxtail (Sweden) Tales of Treasure (Denmark) Holger Danske (Denmark) Tales from the Prose Edda      The Gods and the Wolf      The Strange Builder      Thor's Journey to the Land of Giants     ...