John Fiske - Myths and Myth Makers Old Tales and Superstitions (514.0 Kb)
Book downloads: 194
IN publishing this somewhat rambling and unsystematic series of papers, in which I have endeavoured to touch briefly upon a great many of the most important points in the study of mythology, I think it right to observe that, in order to avoid confusing the reader with intricate discussions, I have sometimes cut the matter short, expressing myself with dogmatic definiteness where a sceptical vagueness might perhaps have seemed more becoming. In treating of popularlegends and superstitions, the paths of inquiry are circuitous ... More >>>Book can be downloaded.
Note that, unfortunately, not all my books can be downloaded due to the restrictions of copyright. However, most of the books on this site do not have copyright restrictions. If you find any copyright violation, please contact me at 
. I am very attentive to the issue of copyright and try to avoid any violations, but on the other hand to help all fans of magic to get access to information.
If you are having difficulty downloading books, or you are looking for a book that is not on the site (but maybe it is in my home library), please write me a email to
and I will try to help, I can send the book by e-mail
✦ A Call to the Kind-Hearted ✦
Since the dark moon of early 2008, darkbooks.org has endured as a sanctuary for those who seek forbidden knowledge and sacred fire. I give freely of my time to keep this library breathing — but time, like flame, is not without its fuel.
The keeping of this archive, the tending of the digital hearth, and the answering of messages from kindred spirits — all these I do between the labors of earthly survival. My days are divided between devotion and the demands of coin, for the mortal world does not pay in candles and dreams.
Should you find it within your heart to make a contribution, know that your gift lightens my burden and lengthens the hours I may spend among the tomes. Even the smallest coin, placed upon the altar of this work, helps keep the servers breathing and the gates open.
Let this work endure.
Let the library grow.
Let knowledge remain free as fire and as ancient as bone.
IN publishing this somewhat rambling and unsystematic series of papers, in which I have endeavoured to touch briefly upon a great many of the most important points in the study of mythology, I think it right to observe that, in order to avoid confusing the reader with intricate discussions, I have sometimes cut the matter short, expressing myself with dogmatic definiteness where a sceptical vagueness might perhaps have seemed more becoming. In treating of popular
legends and superstitions, the paths of inquiry are circuitous enough, and seldom can we reach a satisfactory conclusion until we have travelled all the way around Robin Hood's barn and back again. I am sure that the reader would not have thanked me for obstructing these crooked lanes with the thorns and brambles of philological and antiquarian discussion, to such an extent as perhaps to make him despair of ever reaching the high road.
I have not attempted to review, otherwise than incidentally, the works of Grimm, Muller, Kuhn, Breal, Dasent, and Tylor nor can I pretend to have added anything of consequence, save now and then some bit of explanatory comment, to the results obtained by the labour of these scholars but it has rather been my aim to present these results in such a way as to awaken general interest in them. And accordingly, in dealing with a subject which depends upon philology almost as much as astronomy depends upon mathematics, I have omitted philological considerations wherever it has been possible to do so. Nevertheless, I believe that nothing has been advanced as established which is not now generally admitted by scholars, and that nothing has been advanced as probable for which due evidence cannot be produced. Yet among many points which are proved, and many others which are probable, there must always remain many other facts of which we cannot feel sure that our own explanation is the true one and the student who endeavours to fathom the primitive thoughts of mankind, as enshrined in mythology, will do well to bear in mind the modest words of Jacob Grimm, - himself the greatest scholar and thinker who has ever dealt with this class of subjects,--"I shall indeed interpret all that I can, but I cannot interpret all that I should like." PETERSHAM, September 6, 1872.
