The Folklore of Discworld

The Folklore of Discworld examines the real-world folklore behind Terry Pratchett’s imagined universe, pairing his comic observations with Jacqueline Simpson’s knowledge of British and European traditions. Legends, customs, superstitions and belief systems are considered alongside their Discworld counterparts, where witches, trolls, vampires, golems and gods may be active parts of everyday life.

The chapters range from dwarfs, elves, trolls and the Nac Mac Feegle to heroes, Death and the witches of the Chalk. Along the way, the authors consider cheese-rolling, treacle mining, hares, orcs and the folkloric idea that witches come in threes, with further reading suggested for those wishing to follow the traditions beyond the novels.