The boundaries between legend and folktale: «The devil as bridge builder» in the Catalan tradition

Identifier:  imarina:5874140

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina5874140

Authors:  Oriol C

Abstract:
© 2019 Universidad de Jaen, Departamento de Filologia Espanola. The theme of the Devil offering to build a bridge in one night in exchange for the soul of the victim has a considerable presence in folk narrative and is internationally widespread. An analysis of the twenty seven Catalan versions featuring the devil as a bridge builder» as the main character shows that these stories vary in nature and can be ascribed to genres related to the legend and the folktale, such as the satanic legend, the explanatory tradition, the comic tale and the religious (pious) story.