Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 31.djvu/309

Rh of the classic period above mentioned, there are numerous compositions similar to the Porto-Rican types B, D, etc.

As regards subject-matter, the décimas taken from modern oral tradition differ greatly from those of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In fact, one can say that the décima is traditional as a poetic type only. The old décimas of the classic period are of a religious character, and are called canciones sagradas or glosas sagradas. Some are incorporated, as we have already said, in Nativity plays, such as "Los Pastores de Belen" of Lope de Vega, and also in the "Autos Sacramentales" of Calderon. The décima of modern oral tradition may not be very modern in its development, although it is certainly very old as a poetic form; but as regards subject-matter it is certainly quite different from the religious composition of the classic period. The modern décimas from New Mexico, Chile, and Porto Rico, are composed on love-themes; they are of a lyric character. There is a notable exception in the Porto-Rican décimas of class II; but these are not in the traditional octosyllabic metres, as already stated, but in hexasyllabic metre. Just how the conventional type of the old décima came to treat of an entirely different material, and the hexasyllabic type continued the old traditional material, is not easy to say. In Porto Rico we have the extraordinary condition of having the octosyllabic décima in its most popular and conventional form in full vigor, but employed for themes of love and adventure, for the most part lyric in character; while the hexasyllabic décima, a type not common in other Spanish countries or in old classic tradition, continues the subject-matter of the older octosyllabic décimas, the themes of a religious character, having to do for the most part with the Nativity. In New Mexico, Chile, and also in Porto Rico, some of the décimas also continue the ballad themes.

The fact that a great majority of the décimas from modern tradition are comparatively recent as regards subject-matter, and of a lyric character, — the important theme being love, and the old biblical material has not been continued (at least in the octosyllabic décimas), — makes comparative studies almost impossible. There seem to be very few décimas that are actually traditional in form and context. Some of these are on general and abstract subjects, or riddle décimas, as we shall see later.

The Porto-Rican décimas in octosyllabic metre are published in the order of the various types. A, B, C, D, E, already given.

A. OF THE TYPE CUARTETA OR REDONDILLA, PLUS FOUR REGULAR DÉCIMA STROPHES.

This is the traditional and conventional type of décima as found in New Mexico, Chile, Porto Rico, California, etc., and the most popular literary type of the classic period.