The Dictionary of Demons by Michelle Belanger

Author:Michelle Belanger
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: demons, dictionary, michelle belanger, monsters, occult, demonic, grimoire, demonology, paranormal
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2010-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

The Devil’s Work

During the Middle Ages, the Devil seemed to be everywhere in Europe. If one credits the Witchcraze, Satan himself spent a great deal of time touring the countryside and seducing hapless old women into flying off with him to have wild orgies in the woods. Through a liberal application of torture, witch-finders would pull colorful, elaborate, and wholly incredible confessions from suspected witches, and many of these detailed the varied and devious ways in which the Devil and his many demons sought to corrupt and obtain human souls.

According to some folklore, however, demons weren’t always a nuisance to humanity. Occasionally, the Devil, or one of his cohorts, could be put to productive use. Grillot de Givry, in his lavishly illustrated collection Witchcraft, Magic and Alchemy, recounts a number of tales that attribute feats of great industry to demonic beings. A variety of bridges and other building projects were supposedly constructed with the help of the Devil, including sacred structures such as chapels and cathedrals. His traditional payment? Old Nick would request the soul of the first living being to make use of his work. Wily villagers would apparently take the Devil’s help, but then find a way to trick him out of the agreed-upon price. This gave rise to the tale of the Wolf’s Door at the cathedral in Aachen, Germany, where a wolf was supposedly driven into the new cathedral upon its inauguration, so that this wild beast could fall prey to the Devil in place of some righteous soul. A similar folk belief is recorded in the stained glass at the old church in Saint-Cado, France. Here, the Devil reportedly finished construction on a local bridge. Accordingly, he requested the soul of the first living being to walk across as payment for his efforts. Saint Cado showed up the day that the bridge was finished with a cat from the village. The terrified feline crossed the bridge first, thus cheating the Devil of his due.

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