Curious Myths of the Middle Ages

"Curious Myths of the Middle Ages" by S. Baring-Gould is a wide-ranging exploration of captivating legends and traditional stories from the Middle Ages. Written in the late 1800s, the book examines a variety of well-known myths, such as the story of the Wandering Jew and Prester John, and seeks to find their roots and what they meant during that time in history. The story starts with the myth of the Wandering Jew, a story that combines Christian beliefs and thought-provoking ideas about living forever and making up for bad deeds. Baring-Gould paints a picture of a legendary man forced to roam the earth until the return of Christ as punishment for what he did during the Crucifixion; highlighting the character's eternal suffering and endless travels, enhanced by pictures that stir feelings. This beginning lays the groundwork for the chapters that follow, promising to unpack more interesting myths from the Middle Ages and how they affected what people believed and how they acted.