The following is an excerpt from my draft Introduction to Folklore, which I will e-publish in September. This section, which draws heavily on the Introduction (1966) by Sven Liljeblad, my mentor (1899-2000) is based on ethnographic work with Scandinavian peasants in the nineteenth century.

The Germanic world of northern Europe imported the idea of an alphabet before conversion to Christianity. Germanic cultures were free to develop a system of writing independent of the Roman Empire. The Germanic letters are called runes, the order of which is known as the “futhark” (fuþark) after the first six letters. Runes were particularly well adapted for engraving. Indeed, the English word “written” derives from the Old English word writan meaning etched or engraved. The runic letters of the futhark had magical significance related to words associated with each letter and their numerical order. Thus, the third letter, called “thorn” (a voiceless “th” written “þ”) was important in the practice of magic, particularly with negative intention. In a Christian context, the thorn represented the Devil. The “n” rune symbolized necessity and magical compulsion. The “I” rune signified coldness and death. The “e” rune represented Odin, the god of wisdom. Letters could be linked in sequence to procure a desired effect.

When Christian missionaries spread north from the Roman Empire beginning in the fourth and fifth centuries, they brought the Roman alphabet. Although the Roman alphabet replaced runes for most writing after Christianization, people performing magic retained runes as the best tools to draw on the power of the supernatural.