Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/86

78 (1) Customs, (2) Sayings, and (3) Poesy; these are, therefore, the Natural Headings for the registration of the Facts of Folk-life; and these Facts, when so registered, form the three Natural Classes of the Records of Folk-lore.

I am thus unable to agree with Mr. Gomme (Journal, vol. iii. p. 5) in putting Superstitions and Beliefs in the same line with Traditional Narratives, Traditional Customs, and Folk-speech. Beliefs and Customs appear to me to belong to two different logical categories. In the Classification of Folk-lore here proposed the distinction is capital between the Elements of Folk-life and the Records of Folk-life. How do we know anything about Folk-beliefs save from the records of them which we find in Customs, Sayings, and Poesy? And are not Beliefs to be put in line with the other subjective elements of Folk-life, rather than in line with Customs and the other objective expressions of Folk-life?

V. Folk-customs, as expressions of Folk-life, may be more especially expressive of Folk-beliefs, or of Folk-passions, or of Folk-traditions; and hence Folk-customs may be classified as—(1) Festivals; (2) Ceremonies; and (3) Usages (Religious, Sexual, and Social). For the same reason Folk-sayings may be classified as—(1) Recipes (Magical, Medical, and Technical); (2) Saws (Proverbs, Jests, and Riddles); and (3) Forecasts (Omens, Weather signs, and Auguries, &c.) And similarly Folk-poesy may be classified as—(1) Stories; (2) Songs (Mythological, Affectional, and Historical); and (3) Sagas.

By this I mean that, if the Genera and Species of Folk-customs, Folk-sayings, and Folk-poesy can be determined by any general principle—which may perhaps be questioned—the best principle may be that of reference to those psychological Elements of Folk-life by which our Classes are distinguished. Thus in Folk-poesy, for instance, more of Folk-beliefs are, perhaps, found in Folk-stories; of Folk-passions, in Folk-songs; and of Folk-traditions, in Folk-sagas. Carrying this principle of Classification still further, it suggested my division of Greek Folk-songs into Mythological, Affectional, and Historical— a division which may, perhaps, also aptly classify Folkstories and Folk-sagas. And if the somewhat new-fangled term