Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/327

 Reviews. 315

Catalonian dialect and folklore. Of the latter, M. Chauvet says, only the proverbs and the songs had been collected. He has set himself to collect some of the folktales. " Puisqu'on restaure les vieux monuments," he asks, " pourquoi ne reconstituerait-on pas les pittoresques legendes qui nous sont parvenues a travers les revolutions?" This, however, is the spirit of the literary man, rather than that of the scientific collector. Consequently, pleasant as M. Chauvet's collection is to read, and delightfully told as are some of the legends, they are not transcripts of " oral literature." Most of them seem to have real folktales at their base, and that of Peau d'Ane is translated from Lo Rondallayre of M. Francisco Maspous of Labros. Incidentally, especially in the notes, useful information is given. The formulas of witchcraft are doubtless likewise genuine. The introduction contains a lifelike sketch of a veillee d'hiver, which bears testimony to M. Chauvet's sympathy with the " folk." I can only wish that he had preserved more of the true savour of the folktale in the body of his work, though, in spite of this serious defect, it will have its value as the only repre- sentative of the legendary lore of that part of the ancient province of Catalonia situate on the northern side of the Pyrenees.

E. Sidney Hartland.

The Talking Thrush and other Tales from India. Col- lected by W. Crooke and retold by W. H. D. Rouse. Illus- trated by W. H. Robinson. London : J. M. Dent and Co. 1899.

Mr. Crooke collected in India a large number of folktales. Some of them were published by him in North Indian Notes atid Queries, a publication which is, or ought to be, known to every student of folklore. Many of them, however, still remain in manuscript. The Talking Thrush is a selection from the entire collection of some of the stories of the lower animals, recast by Mr. Rouse for children. Very charming and very amusing they are. It would be difiicult to have retold them more suitably or more wittily.

The notes record any changes made in retelling, and occasion- ally refer to parallels. They will thus be of use to students of the apologue. Short explanations of superstitions and other pecu- liarities are also given where necessary. The story of the Cat and