Folktales about the Plague and Healing Practices against It in Narrative Folklore

Abstract

The contribution discusses the narrative folklore about the plague, most notably how it spread, how people tried to protect themselves against the disease and how they treated it in Slovenian territory and, to some extent, within the wider European framework. The first part presents the analysis of folktales in which the Plague, personified as a demonic figure, roams from place to place, from one land to another. The second part focuses on steps taken to prevent the disease from spreading and means of protection against it, as well as healing, charms, incantations, and other vernacular practices during the epidemic.