"The author undertook an archival study of Inquisition trials for peasants of northeastern Italy who called themselves "benandanti." They claimed to protect the coming harvest by battling warlocks at night; however, the judges at their trials found them guilty of witchraft. The author reinterprets the inquisitors verdicts by connecting themes found in the trial transcripts to other cultural phenomena of Europe outside a Christian worldview"-- Provided by publisher.