[decimon]

Caption: The 17th century's closest equivalent to modern day pulp fiction, the "Volksbuch/Volksbücher"(chapbook), was packed with exciting material.

Credit: University of Gothenburg

Usage Restrictions: None

[decimon]

Old chap ping.

[ClearCase_guy]

"The idea of having long titles and summaries that reveal the whole tale in advance seems alien to us,

I generally read things backwards. Drives my wife crazy. Magazine? I flip from the back every time. Mystery novel? I need to know the outcome before I start on page 1. Non-fiction? I start at the back, jump around a lot, and if it seems worth it, I'll read it from the beginning. By then, it's almost a second reading.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Chapter 1

Spoiler Alert

[Sacajaweau]

Beans??? What do you mean you sold the cow for a bunch of beans.

Think ethanol mom!! It's an investment.

Corn... you doofus....corn

[Beowulf9]

Well, I’m prob the only person you’ll ever hear of that read Saducismus Triumphatus, written in 1681.

Was not a page turner. However the last chapter is the only one worth reading, entitled “True Account of What Happen’d in the Kingdom of Sweden In the Years 1669, 1670” and here is part of that chapter:

Blockula (Blåkulla in modern Swedish) was a legendary meadow where the Devil held his Earthly court during a witches’ Sabbat. This meadow could only be reached by a magical flight. It was described as “a delicate large Meadow, whereof you can see no end”.

There was said to be a large gate located in the meadow that led to a smaller meadow. In the smaller meadow there stood a house. In an enormous room in this house: “[…] there stood a very long Table, at which the Witches did sit down: And […] hard by this Room was another Chamber, where there were very lovely and delicate Beds.”

The Devil was dressed “in a gray Coat, and red and blue Stockings: He had a red Beard, a high-crown’d Hat, with Linnen of divers Colours, wrapt about it, and long Garters upon his Stockings”. The Devil then “would go with them that he liked best, into a Chamber, where he committed venerous Acts with them: and this indeed all confessed, That he had carnal knowledge of them, and that the Devil had Sons and Daughters by them, which he did Marry together, and they did couple, and brought forth Toads and Serpents.”

Yes, ladies and gents...it’s all true;)