Charms as a Means of Coping

Abstract

In her 1965 overview of Nordic folklore, Folklig diktning, Anna Birgitta Rooth stated that the function of charms is magical, for their aim is to fulfil the wishes and needs of the person who pronounces them.¹ Obviously, Anna Birgitta Rooth was inspired by the classical Frazerian perspective which holds religion to be the opposite of magic. Magic was said to express man’s will and power, whereas religion was said to be performed as an expression of man’s submission to supernatural powers.² But consider the following:

Mot modstulenhet:

J[ungfru] Maria gick sigh uth på en grönan lööth, mötte hon sin wälsignade son så sööth. ‘Huad leethe I, min wälsignadhe moor?’ — ‘Jag leetar min miöhumbla, ty min koo ähr blifuin miölkstulin och mostulin, lefuerstulin, lungstulin, hiärttstulin och all illa fahrin.’ J[esus och?] Maria mille mor ginge bådhe om rådh: ‘Will wij botha henne bådhe tuå. Will wij taga malt och salt och lätha i hennes munn, thet skall blifua booth i samma stundh.’ … [Fader vår.]

The Virgin Mary went out into a green meadow, and met her blessed sweet son. ‘What are you looking for, my blessed mother?’ — ‘I look for my honey bumble-bee, for my cow has become milk-stolen and courage-stolen, liver-stolen, lung-stolen, heart-stolen and all over in bad condition.’ Jesus and Mild Mother Mary looked for a way out: ‘We will cure her together. We will take malt and salt and put into her mouth, there will be a cure at the same time.’ … [Our Father.].³