Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 27, 1916.djvu/475

 Reviews. 447

Anthropology and Folk-lore in West Africa.

Specimens of Language from Sierra Leone. By N. W. Thomas, M. A. London: Harrison & Sons. 1916.

Law and Custom of the Timric and other Tribes. Same Author and Publishers. 1916.

Timric Grammar and Stories. Same Author and Publishers. 1916.

Timric-English Dictionary. Same Author and PubHshers. 1916.

Mr. Northcote Thomas has collected in these works a large amount of information on the linguistics, customs and folk-lore of West Africa. The stories comprise "The Sleepy Men," "The Man who is left alone on account of his Amorousness," " The Marriage of Pa Spider," "Sheep and the Cat," "The Heat Walker," "The Old Woman and the Old Woman," "Why the Chimpanzees do not Brush (Farm)," " Konisava, the Most Sensible Man beyond the Wise Kings," "The Woman and her Female Child," "Why Persons must not find wives and love one and hate one." These tales are recorded in the original language, with an interlinear translation, and deserve attentive study.

Journal of the Folk-Song Society, No. 20, November, 1916. Published by the Society, 19 Berners Street, London, W.

The Folk-Song Society is carrying out an admirable work in the collection of folk-songs and ballads in Great Britain and Ireland. The last issue of the Journal is of exceptional interest to all students of folk-lore. One of its prominent features is the investigation of the folk ideas and customs on which many of the songs and ballads are based. The most important contribution is that of Miss Lucy E. Broadwood, in which she supplies a full version of the Padstow May Songs, and discusses their significance. The legend of St. Ursula and her magic ship is traced back to early pagan rites, and she is recognised as a Christianised form of