One of the most important features of Romanian popular spirituality, that greatly differentiates it from the cult one is orality, or the way that information is passed on to future generations through speech. The lack of access to modern culture and in some regions, even the lack of education, allowed all mentions of learning and the educational process in popular legends to lack, specially in fairy tales.

These focused more on orality, while the books were showing up as a variety of symbols in legends and tales, sometimes even with evil attributes or magic ones. Such "diabolical tools" (the books) were deemed as something that people should beware of, or at least they should keep their distance, in order no to be contaminated.

However, in more modern literature, the new creators of popular culture use the advantages of reading and writing extensively, sometimes blending the cult and popular genres. It's interesting to notice that in most Romanian legends you'll find a "solomonar" (wizard), an evil character that's skilled in magic and his talents are developed through initiation and schooling, that will enhance its birth-given gift. This way, the "initiation" and "secret training" of heroes, wizards and even dragons can be associated with schooling or the period of being an apprentice.

The devil also appears as the "master" of those who want to get acquainted with dark arts and the demon is shown as a creature living beneath the ground, where his evil school exists, also known as "solomanta" or "solomonarie". It's surprising when you find out that dark arts aren't everything that a young boy is taught, when he reaches the dark realm. He'll learn all the languages of living beings, the secrets of nature and all the magic, charms and wizardry that one being can perform (solomonii).

Such a concept tells us that "knowledge is bad" or even evil, an unfair advantage over those who are untrained. Orality spreads these legends, that include mysterious books, unavailable to normal men and women and allowing the apprentices to summon beasts and change the weather. Legend has is that 7 pupils are schooled in hell by the demons for 7 years and only 6 of them come back, wielding a book, a rod, a hook and other magic items. Coincidence or just a metaphor for the years of modern schooling?

This kind of image comes from the habit of having the village's priest as the teacher (and sometimes doctor) of the settlement, even the mayor and basically the wisest man of all. His asset? The Book… the Holy Scripture, respected and feared by the people. Biblical writings portray a "book" used by angels, who write all the good or bad deeds of each and every man in it.

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