Page:Folklore1919.djvu/87

treated very summarily, and the author is in most cases satisfied with adducing parallels from the modern popular literature among less civilized races, often without drawing conclusions as to the primitive origin of these tales and the priority of one over the other. Herein lies the real crux of the whole problem, which however can only be lightly touched upon here, viz., what value is to be attached to the parallels of those backward races. Are they to be considered as of independent origin, springing from the primitive mind of man, or are they also the result of migration, starting from one common centre, and being communicated to the other nations in various ways, and especially through the migration and mixing of these races. The possibility of the dissemination of legends and tales from one centre is now being more and more recognised, and the results of such comparative studies would then become a truer chapter in the history of civilisation than by adopting the theory of independent primitive origins, which does not always satisfactorily explain the similarity. Sir James has probably felt this difficulty, and with the true insight of the great scholar that he is, he has often been satisfied with recording the facts without drawing the conclusions. Needless to say that the bibliographical notes and literary references are as full as possible, and will prove of invaluable assistance to the student who wishes to continue these investigations. It cannot be passed over, however, that in the case of many of these stories and incidents there is room for divergence of opinion and fuller treatment than has been accorded to them by Sir James Frazer. Some of them belong to the cycle of ancient magic, and have been treated from that point of view by the present writer in Hastings’ Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics, in the article s.v. Magic (Hebrew). Under this heading come Joseph’s Cup, the Witch of Endor, and some portions of the chapter on Oak and Terebinths, all found in the present work. Poorest of all