Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/392

384 parative mythologists examine the names of the story-heroes, and come to several different conclusions, Mr. Max Müller, for instance, seeing a myth of sun and dawn, Kuhn a fire-myth. Mr. Lang takes for his text the incident in the story where in the Sanskrit version Urvasi says to her mortal husband, "Never let me see you without your royal garments, for this is the custom of women." He then proceeds to examine this "custom of women" among savage people, and explains the story from the results hereby obtained. Of course, the answer of the comparative mythologists to this reasoning may be that they might explain the story by a totally different set of customs from those chosen by Mr. Lang, and that hence the same fatal objection will apply to this method as to theirs, namely, that scholars disagree even when using the same method of research; but we are content to leave this to them, and in the meantime to accept Mr. Lang's exposition of custom and myth as the ablest yet extant.

The Council have decided to issue the Folk Lore Journal quarterly instead of monthly. The days of issue will be January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and October 1st. As the first number to be issued in January will give so little time for preparation, it is probable it may not be ready until about the 15th January. Members may have the Journal yearly by giving notice of such a wish to the Honorary Secretary, Mr. Granger Hutt.

We have sincere pleasure in announcing that in consideration of his distinguished services on behalf of folk-lore. Dr. Pitrè, of Palermo, has just been made a knight (cavaliere) by King Umbert. As the Doctor has so many admirers in England, this royal act cannot fail to give much satisfaction here as well as in Italy. It is certainly the first instance of a folk-lorist having been knighted for his special studies.

Some delay has unfortunately occurred in the issue of the Society's volume for 1884, Magyar Tales, by the Rev. W. H. Jones and Mr. Lewis Kropf. It is hoped, however, that the volume may now be in the hands of members shortly.