"Dreams" (cf. Eddic Lays of Attila, and the Border ballads) are
prophetic (as nine-tenths of Europeans firmly believe still); thus the
visionary flame-spouting dragon is interpreted exactly as Hogne's and
Attila's dreams. The dreams of the three first bridals nights (which
were kept hallowed by a curious superstition, either because the dreams
would then bold good, or as is more likely, for fear of some Asmodeus)
were fateful. Animals and birds in dreams are read as persons, as
nowadays.

A "curse" is powerful unless it can be turned back, when it will harm
its utterer, for harm someone it must. The "curse" of a dying man on his
slayer, and its lack of effect, is noted.

Sometimes "magic messengers" are sent, like the swans that bore a token
and uttered warning songs to the hero.

"Witches and wizards" (as belonging to the older layer of archaic
beliefs) are hateful to the gods, and Woden casts them out as accursed,
though he himself was the mightiest of wizards. Heathen Teutonic life
was a long terror by reason of witchcraft, as is the heathen African
life to-day, continual precautions being needful to escape the magic of
enemies. The Icelandic Sagas, such as Gretter's, are full of magic and
witchcraft. It is by witchcraft that Gretter is first lamed and finally
slain; one can see that Glam's curse, the Beowulf motif, was not really
in the original Gretter story.

"Folk-medicine" is really a branch of magic in old days, even to such
pioneers of science as Paracelsus.