ABSTRACT
The jews-harp appears in humour and satire, stories and sayings and literature – in fact just about any part of popular culture. Some of it is undoubtedly anti-Semitic, particularly in England. Traditional tales have been identified from Northern European and Scandinavian countries, mainly from Norway. Most of these relate to unearthly beings or forest spirits and all bar one give the jews-harp magical properties. Tales from the British Isles and Ireland are few and far between, but there are, however, two English tales from Cornwall. 'The Giant of Towednack' tells how the giant goes home with presents, taking 'a large brass jew's harp from his pocket for Tom and several smaller ones and whistles for the children'. The dark side of fairy lore is covered by 'The Four Hunters and the Four Glastigs' from Scotland. There is a tradition that because the jews-harp is made of metal it can ward off evil spirits.
