Malcom Jones, who asked about this, may already know about R. Emmerson,
Antichrist in the Middle Ages:A study of Medieval Apocalypticism, Art, and
literature (Seattle, 1981). It's very hard to track down, but there might
be something of use in it. I should think that the quoted reference refers
to something closer to the folkloric end of the spectrum rather than the
patristic - I can't see a learned Catholic divine like Christopherson
referring to writings in that area as 'olde men's tales'. I suppose that
the tree-roots story is, in general, part of the reversal of normal order,
in Nature as elsewhere, to be expected when Antichrist comes.
Similarly, the listmember who asked about Bestiaries probably already knows
about the on-line Aberdeen Bestiary Project. But if not, the last URL I
have for it is www.clues.abdn.ac.uk:8080/besttest/firstpag.html. That was
in 1996, so it might be out of date, but the project is still active as far
as I know.
Anne Marshall
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