Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/87

There was a problem when proofreading this page.
CLASSIFICATION OF FOLK-LORE.
79

tional (Gemütvolle, as a German critic translates it) is objected to, I should be glad to have a better one suggested, to include, as Affectional does, what certainly ought to be included under one generic name — Erotic, Domestic, and Humoristic Folk-songs. Folk-music, alluded to by Miss Burne in a note (Journal, vol. iii. p. 103) would naturally, I think, in its three divisions — Metres, Melodies, and Instruments — come under the heading of, and be treated along with, Folk-songs. I shall only add that the place assigned to Sagas (Myths) implies that they are believed to be, for the most part, made up of, and from, Stories.

For the sake of greater clearness I may summarise the above-stated principles in the following systematic form :—

The Elements of Folk-life and Subjects of Folk-lore :

I. Folk-beliefs. II. Folk-passions. III. Folk-traditions.

The Expressions of Folk-life and Records of Folk-lore : I. Folk-customs. II. Folk-sayings. [(1) Religious. 1. Recipes. Festivals. |(2) Sexual. (1) Magical. (2) Medical. (3) Technical. . Saws. (1) Proverbs. (2) Jests. (3) Riddles. . Forecasts. (1) Omens. (2) Auguries. (3) Weathersigns.

(3) Social. i(l) Religious. (2) Sexual. (3) Social. |(1) Religious. (2) Sexual. (3) Social. 3. Usages.[1] III. Folk-poesy. . Stories. . Songs. (1) Mythological. (2) Affectional. (3) Historical. . Sagas. Folk-music. . Metres. . Melodies. . Instruments.

  1. Under the head of Social Usages would come Place-names, and generally Folk-nomenclature. In his Celtic Essays Mr. M. Arnold has shown how characteristically different are the place-names of Kelts and Saxons.