Paper short abstract

This paper explores the in-tale of the griffin in the ‘Conall Gulban’ story. This is a humorous interlude in an otherwise intense and violent narrative. It portrays both nature and quasi-magical beings in a comical way, broadening our understanding of the role of the natural world in folktales.

Paper long abstract

‘Conall Gulban’ is a standalone heroic narrative which was very popular with nineteenth- and twentieth-century Irish and Scottish storytellers. The Conall story is full of travel, adventure and encounters with the natural and supernatural world. A discussion of the importance of seafaring in this story, and its connections with men’s identity, has recently been published by the author. However, the lighter side of the sea and its environs, as depicted in the tale, is also worth highlighting. The comic in-tale of a secondary character’s encounter with the taloned griffin appears in many versions. This incident takes place in the sea, in a bird's nest on the side of a cliff and sometimes includes a beach scene as well. The wild setting of the interlude makes for an interesting contrast to the royal court where the in-tale is recounted and its light humorous tone makes for significant comic relief in a narrative which is often intense and sometimes very violent. The inclusion of this interlude – with its flashback element – adds to the structural complexity of the narrative, and gives it depth and variety. Conall’s relationship with secondary characters, who often start as enemies and end up being recruited by him, is also of interest. By looking at different versions of the in-tale, the paper discusses how this part of the story demonstrates that the natural world and the marvelous beings which inhabit it can function as a source of humor, while maintaining a richness of imagery and atmosphere.

Paper short abstract

Water, as an ambiguous element, relates to the Welsh narrative traditions of the Tylwyth Teg. Water-related motifs describe otherness and liminality. In social discourse, these motifs are projected onto marginalized or foreign groups. Evidence is provided from folklore collections and literature.

Paper long abstract

Water is an element indispensable for life, yet it can also appear in life-threatening ways. It can both unite and separate. It can manifest in the most lovely and wondrous forms, but also in terrifying ones. Given this ambiguity, it plays a central role in Welsh narrative traditions connected with the Tylwyth Teg (the Welsh fairies) and the appearances of otherworldly realms.

This paper will provide examples of how water and its various forms—such as rivers, wells, rain, mist, clouds, and inundation—are used to describe the supernatural character of otherworldly realms and their denizens. It will also demonstrate that liminality is a key characteristic of these realms and explain how an understanding of liminality is created through references to water. Moreover, the relationship between water and the Tylwyth Teg serves as a key characteristic of otherness.

However, this otherness does not remain confined to an imagined landscape, nor do the narrative motifs. Appearances of the supernatural relate to the physical landscape. Furthermore, these narrative motifs are transported into social discourse and projected onto marginalized social groups and perceived threats from foreigners. Evidence will be provided from both folklore collections and the literary use of narrative motifs connected with the Tylwyth Teg. The literary examples span a broad range from the Middle Ages to the present time and encompass various genres.

Paper short abstract

The paper analyses linguistic representations and discursive strategies expressing the unfounded belief in changelings in the Šariš dialects of Slovak, comparing them with motifs in other traditions, and examines how such culturally embedded beliefs are reinforced and transmitted.

Paper long abstract

This paper examines the unfounded belief in changelings, known in the Šariš dialects of Slovak as odmeňec, prečiraňec, or vimeňec. It situates local practices within a broader comparative framework, drawing parallels with similar motifs recorded in other cultural traditions (cf. Ashliman 1997; Goodey & Stainton 2001; Radenković 2002; Navrátilová 2004; Renner 2016). Historically, belief in changelings was most prominent when scientific explanations for illness or disability were unavailable or inaccessible. Attributing a child’s condition to supernatural substitution offered families a more comprehensible ‒ if drastic ‒framework for coping with distressing circumstances and for justifying them to themselves, their relatives, and the wider community. The analysis addresses perceptions of who was responsible for the substitution, the circumstances under which it occurred, and the measures taken to prevent it in the Šariš dialects of Slovakia. It also considers narratives of the child’s miraculous return and the perceived benefits of the belief for both mother and child. Special attention is given to discursive strategies employed by speakers to persuade others of the reality of changelings, illustrating how Šariš dialects of Slovak functioned to reinforce and transmit culturally embedded yet unfounded beliefs. Although such explanations appear today as irrational relics, they reveal how unfounded belief in the existence of changelings provided psychological relief and social justification in contexts of limited knowledge.

Paper short abstract

This paper investigates narratives used in the societal discourse relating to the electrification of society and harnessing of light for human use. It inspects counter-narratives of the Christian figure Lucifer, who in late modernity was known as light bringer as well as the devil.

Paper long abstract

Lucifer is commonly known as a representative or synonym of the devil in Christian grand narratives. However, during the Enlightenment period, a counter-narrative tradition challenging this perspective emerged within the Christian cultural sphere, where the character was presented as a misunderstood bringer of light instead of the devil. Thus, Lucifer became a symbol of resistance used from the 17th to the 20th century in movements opposing papal authority and patriarchy, as well as in movements promoting religious freedom and workers' rights.

In early 20th-century Finland, Lucifer was well enough known specifically as a bringer of light that matches were successfully marketed under this name. Lucifer is also mentioned in press discussions when electric lighting arrived in Finland. In my presentation, I will introduce the discourse relating to the great societal change brought on by the arrival of electrical networks and demonisation of this new technology. I focus on the use of vernacular narratives of Lucifer as light bringer, and how Christian narratives were reinterpreted in the discourse relating to electrification of society. This dialogue relating to the developing relationship between humans and nature reflects both the fears of people coming to terms with the “unholy” harnessing of light as well as the more tongue-in-cheek references used in marketing.

Paper short abstract

In interviews from northern Sweden 1955-1980, people went a long way in discussing personal experiences of encounters with vittra (fairies). Their reasoning, explanation and rhetorical strategies in negotiating traditional knowledge and modernity’s rationality will be examined in this presentation.

Paper long abstract

In the period of ca 1955-1980, the recently established dialect and folklore archive in Umeå built a large collection, focusing on audio recordings made across northern Sweden rather than questionnaires. Popular beliefs was a favoured topic, and the notion of vittra, the parallel people living underground or in nature (comparable to fairies, elves, trolls, Wittmännchen), was often discussed. Rather than telling well-shaped variants of legends learned from the elders (as folklore then was conceptualised), many spoke of personal experiences with or without distinct narrative closures and took time to discuss the ontological status of this. They negotiated between the traditional knowledge of hearsay and the rational reasoning of modernity proclaimed as proper knowledge in elementary schools, trying out positions, sometimes changing attitude in the course of their speech, rejecting “old fables” but still claiming the existence of the diffuse “something” in the face of the studied representatives of official society. This presentation will give a close examination of reasoning, explanation and rhetorical strategies in making vittra encounters comprehensible.