On the Verge of Lunacy

Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine is a collection of myths and legends about the Rhine and the communities it fosters. Some of these are myths fused with real stories. Lewis Spence  first provides an introduction of the topography of the Rhine. To better understand the pervading beliefs and temperament of the people living near the famous river, the author provides a background and brief history of Germany. There is also a section about the folklore and literature of Rhine in general. The author cited examples of the type of stories that are usually produced or become popular. Readers do not have to immerse themselves in the stories right away but are given a proper introduction. Although Spence did not write an exhaustive comparative study of the folktales, he was able to provide some background of and explanation for most of the stories. The section on Nibelungenlied in particular was very informative and clear-cut. Spence's writing is easy to understand an...

The book is divided into nine parts. The introduction by Lewis Spence provides some information on how the cults and religions of ancient Egypt might have started. He briefly discussed animism, fetishism and totemism. He also discussed the different versions of the creation myth and introduced the importance of the pyramids and mummification. It is important to note that Spence has already stressed at this part of the book that the burial is important for the Egyptians. The last part of the introduction differentiated the ka and ba, meaning the spirit and the soul, respectively. The second and third parts introduces life in ancient Egypt in general and the different concepts the Egyptologists used in classifying information. The third part gives us a glimpse on how the sacred places look like and what encompassed the duties of the priests. Chapters four and five are the most important parts of the book. Part four is about the cult of Osiris. It retells the journey of Osiris and i...