Flutes and Protective Power

This chapter discusses tales about the protective power of flutes. Protection, as suggested by folklore/mythology, is often “magical” because it usually involves powers that are greater than normal powers. Fluteloric protection appears to be mostly magical, although some flutetales emphasize the beauty of the flute music in itself. In other words, either the flute or flute music conjures up some type of divine help to ward off danger or evil powers, or the sweet sound of the flute and its music themselves soothe the savage beast or dangerous human beings. The chapter describes four categories of protection: “magical protection,” “aesthetic protection,” “practical protection,” and “physical protection.”