Dictionary of Norse and Germanic mythology

Du Moyen Âge à nos jours, s’appuyant notamment sur les Eddas, les Sagas, les légendes et les traditions populaires, ce dictionnaire nous invite à arpenter des espaces enchantés où foisonnent dieux, fées, elfes, lutins, revenants, nains et géants… Il nous décrit, par exemple, les cultes rendus aux sources et aux arbres, maints rituels magiques, nous conte l’éternelle errance du Chasseur maudit, l’étrange aventure de Peter Schlemihl et de nombreuses autres histoires fabuleuses.

This dictionary draws upon a wealth of well-known and rare sources, such as the Poetic Edda, the Saga of Ynglingar by Snorri Sturluson, and The Deeds of the Danes by Saxo Grammaticus. Beyond the famous and infamous Norse gods and goddesses, Lecouteux also provides information on lesser-known figures from ancient Germanic pagan tradition such as the Elf King, the Lorelei, the Perchten, land spirits, fairies, dwarves… The author describes the worship of the elements and trees, details many magical rituals, and shares wild folktales from ancient Europe, such as the strange adventure of Peter Schlemihl and the tale of the Cursed Huntsman. He also dispels the false beliefs that have arisen from the Nazi hijacking of Germanic mythology and from its longtime suppression by Christianity.