Pócs Éva (szerk.): Magyar ráolvasások II.
Angol nyelvű összefoglalás /Hungarian Incantations/
705 The origin of Hungarian incantation texts can be summarized briefly as follows: the use of simple forms which can be regarded as the basic structure of incantations is present all over Europe - and even among "primitive" peoples. These spontaneous, improvised texts are created - within the framework of known structures - wherever incantations still function as the textual tool of magic. Texts on a higher level of organization show a wider range of connections, as if they were in a transitional position between the incantational practices of South-Eastern and Central-Western Europe. In many cases the East-West border of text types - or of rites to which the texts belong - lies in Hungary. This demarcation sets apart text types and structures only known in South-Eastern - Eastern and North-Eastern Europe; this means th^t Hungarian incantations belong more to the Eastern, SouthEastern block but have many connections with the Central-SouthWestern, Western European practice as well. This Eastern and Western duality is also connected with infulences of Eastern and Western Christianity on Hungarians and also shows the importance of those layers of incantations which were transmitted through the Church. In organizing the material I took the following points into consideration: Incantations are the textual tools of magic; their function is to exert influence on something, to reach a certain individual goal, satisfy a personal need. Incantation is the third factor of such an A-> B relationship in which A exerts influence on B. A is the person reciting the incantations, B can be a living being, object, natural or supernatural force, etc. I call this A^B relationship macjic relationshi p and the effect of A on B is regarded as the magic functio n. The magic function is expressed in the actual texts of incantations /"something should happen to somebody /something" /. Apart from these texts I take every text to be an incantation which is
