Mágia cover art

Mágia

Hungarian Myth, Magic, and Folklore

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Mágia

By: Margit Tóth
Narrated by: Ann Richardson
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About this listen

Explore the world of Hungarian Paganism with this book's impressive collection of history, lore, and traditions from the Carpathian basin. The Hungarian people, also known as the Magyars, fused pre-Christian and Christian beliefs into their identity, and that fusion remains today. Exploring mythology, daily life, magic, and life passages, this book reveals the old ways of Hungarian practitioners.

Margit Toth introduces you to many aspects of the Magyar cosmos, from the creation story to homestead practices. Among many other topics, you will learn how to aid a restless spirit, what magical properties the Summer Solstice bonfire has, and why you should never wash clothes on a Tuesday. This book provides insight on ancestors, nature spirits, sacred foods, healing magic, divination, and even death.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Margit Toth (P)2024 Tantor Customs & Traditions Social Sciences Magic Mythology
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I’m only an hour into this audiobook, but I’ve decided to submit my review now as I’m unsure whether I will finish it. As a native Hungarian speaker, I have to say that, given the large number of Hungarian words in the text, the narrator should really be bilingual in Hungarian and English. Unfortunately, the Hungarian pronunciation is so poor that it’s painful to listen to. Imagine a non-English speaker reading an English book—it wouldn’t sound right at all. Not only is this unpleasant to hear, but it could also mislead listeners who don’t speak Hungarian. My second observation is that this book seems to align with the narratives promoted by institutions—past and present—that have worked hard to bend or obscure the truth. Much of what’s presented here consists of unsubstantiated hypotheses, the same ones you can find on Wikipedia or even in Hungarian school textbooks. If, like me, you are on a journey to explore evidence that challenges these accepted and promoted theories, you may find this book of little value. If I manage to finish it, I’ll update my review with more thorough feedback—hopefully including some positive aspects.
I would also like to add that this book was written through Christian dogmatic lenses, which distorts and devalues the immense cultural and spiritual knowledge the Hungarians once possessed and practiced. For hundreds of years, the brutal inquisition systematically suppressed and destroyed everything that was good and precious, in order to force their own false religion upon the people. Despite more than a thousand years of extreme, violent suppression of the old ways, some traditions survived by mutating under pressure from the Christian tyranny. The people did not freely practice “both ways” side by side; they followed Christianity only because it was the sole choice left if they wished to stay alive.

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