Fortune Telling: Can Towns Go Crazy (Edited)

Foreword

This concise treatise about fortune telling consists of selections from a wide variety of documents, most of them primary sources, many of them hitherto unpublished unless otherwise noted, we have rendered them into English ourself. They are written by men close to fortune telling; often by eyewitnesses; frequently by active participants.

We have the temerity to believe that this essay can be used as a supplementary reader in high schools and colleges. However, it has been put together primarily for the enjoyment of those who are curious about what fortune telling is all about.

Since it is an essay primarily for the youth, there will be inevitably be many who will violently disagree with our choice of topic. If someone becomes sufficiently enraged to resolve to suggest a better topic rather than fortune telling, we shall consider our essay amply rewarded.

The sources from which the essay presented is derived are indicated in the "reference" located at the latter part of this treatise.

English: A fortune telling storefront on the board...

English: Chart of the Hand.

Gipsies Fortune-telling.--Fac-simile of a Woodcut ...

Our most sincere thanks are due to the Sociology for enabling the people, regardless of their race and colour, especially the youth, to be critical observer, thus putting his observation to writing which could probably be used as a source of hope in our future lives.

Marlon Jesus E. Vasquez

Raymond M. Ugalino

Maria Cristina Mondares

University of Santo Tomas

Espana, Manila

Acknowledgements

Our sincere thanks are due to the following persons and institutions that help us make this paper possible:

To the University of Santo Tomas Library for making their resources available for our use.

To the University of the Philippines Library for lending Cristina Mondares their books, although she is a UST student, for the use of this paper.

To Prof. Froilan Alipao, for giving us the opportunity to practice our writing skills and...