19 h 28 minAudiobook4 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What do old stones, stormy seas and long winter nights mean to an island steeped in legend?
In Guernsey Folk Lore, Edgar MacCulloch gathers the stories, superstitions and customs of his island home. He listens to what his neighbours believe and records traditions before they fade. Rather than a single plot, this collection offers many small accounts of a place with its own French-based speech, laws and habits.
Witchcraft holds a strong place in these accounts. Islanders tell of witches who spoil milk, harm cattle and raise storms. Other traditions place fairies and spirits in fields, wells, lanes and ancient stone monuments. Alongside these tales, MacCulloch records charms, cures and customs that connect old beliefs with birth, marriage, death and the farming year.
What you’ll discover
- An island's distinct character Explore Guernsey's own speech and customs, close to France yet long tied to the English crown.
- Witches and gathering storms Discover beliefs about witchcraft that place cattle, milk and household health under threat.
- Spirits among old stones Meet the fairies and lesser spirits that Guernsey tradition links to familiar island places.
- Charms for daily life Explore cures and signs of luck that show how belief shapes everyday habits.
- Customs through the seasons Trace traditions surrounding life's milestones and the farming year through these small accounts.
Who will love it
For readers who love folklore, island history, local customs and old beliefs, and anyone curious about the Channel Islands.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A small island keeps its old beliefs
- Witches and their gatherings haunt the island
- Fairies, spirits and haunted stones
- Charms, customs and how to read it
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 19 h 28 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 4 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
eBooks and audiobooks open right away. Download EPUB or PDF, or send the book to your Kindle. Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then 0,14 USD a day in your first year on the yearly plan and 0,27 USD a day after, or 0,66 USD a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
25 languages, side by side
Read and hear Folclore de Guernsey in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Folclore de Guernsey
by Sir Edgar MacCulloch · 1903
Guernsey's witches, fairies, ghosts and haunted stones reveal an island community's fears, hopes and customs.
Challenging10–20 hours to read25 languages
Excellent
- Read or listen
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then 0,14 USD a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
In short
Guernsey Folk Lore gathers the superstitions, legends and customs of Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands. Its author, Sir Edgar MacCulloch, was a Guernseyman of the nineteenth century who held high office on the island.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A small island keeps its old beliefs
Guernsey lies in the English Channel, close to France but long tied to the English crown. Its people spoke a form of French of their own, and its laws and habits grew apart from both neighbours. That separateness helped old beliefs survive. Farmers, fishermen and their families passed down stories by word of mouth, season after season.
MacCulloch belonged to this world. He was born on the island and knew its parishes, its lanes and its families. This gave him something an outside visitor could not easily gain, which was the trust of the people who told him the tales. Folklore of this kind is usually shared only with those who are seen as belonging.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
Free gifts
580 USD in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
170 USDFREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
120 USDFREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
60 USDFREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
60 USDFREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
170 USDFREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about Folclore de Guernsey
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is Guernsey Folk Lore about?
It collects the superstitions, legends and customs of Guernsey, including tales of witches, fairies, ghosts, charms and haunted places, as told by island people and recorded by Sir Edgar MacCulloch.
Who was Sir Edgar MacCulloch?
He was a Guernseyman of the nineteenth century who held high office on the island and loved its history and traditions. He died in 1896, and his folklore book appeared afterward.
Is Guernsey Folk Lore a true story?
It is not a single story. It is a record of what islanders believed and told. The tales are folklore, so they show belief and custom rather than proven events.
The author
Edgar MacCulloch
1808–1896 · Guernsey antiquarian and folklorist
Sir Edgar MacCulloch (1808–1896) was an antiquarian who lived in Guernsey and served as its Bailiff. He collected material on the island’s folklore. His work was published after his death as Guernsey Folk Lore in 1903. Edith F. Carey edited the book and added material of her own.
More like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
