Joseph Jacobs (magician)

Joseph Jacobs (born August 29, 1854, died January 30, 1916) was an Australian folklorist, translator, literary critic, social scientist, historian and writer of English literature who popularized English and Celtic folklore. While not primarily known as a magician in the performance sense, Jacobs's work on folklore significantly influenced magical and occult practices in the 20th and 21st centuries, particularly in areas relating to storytelling, ritual, and the reconstruction of pre-modern magical beliefs. His collections of fairy tales, such as English Fairy Tales, Celtic Fairy Tales, More English Fairy Tales, and More Celtic Fairy Tales, became foundational texts for understanding and reinterpreting traditional narratives. These stories, sourced from oral traditions and historical documents, provided rich source material for magicians and those interested in esoteric traditions, often inspiring the creation of spells, rituals, and interpretations of mythological figures. Though not a practicing magician himself, the content he preserved and disseminated served as a crucial resource for the magical community.