The Relationship of Legend and Folk Belief
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2781839 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Patrick B Mullen (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1971 |
| Volume | 84 |
| Issue | 334 |
| Pages | 406 |
| Publication date | 1971-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of American Folklore (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0021-8715 • E-ISSN: 1535-1882 |
| Publisher | University of Illinois Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2307/539634 |
| OpenAlex | W2319235809 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
FOLKLORISTS HAVE LONG RECOGNIZED relationship of and folk belief. Reidar Christiansen in his study of legends states, the main function of such legends is to serve as evidence needed to keep belief alive and therefore new evidence is continually required.' Wayland Hand makes a similar point, legend does not lead an independent literary existence . .. but is a part of folk belief.2 The relationship is basic, and several studies have attempted to define and establish patterns of interplay. Linda Degh in discussing relationships of and belief says that, In its natural existence, so-called local or belief is inseparably interwoven with other manifestations of live folk belief.3 Lauri Honko has done an extensive comparison of memorates and folk beliefs.4 However, certain questions are still open to study: How does a function to support belief? How much does core belief depend on context of legend? What differences exist between and memorate in their relationship to folk belief? I shall attempt to answer these questions by analyzing interaction of genres within a specific context. The traditional legends I use for examples were collected from fishermen along Gulf coast of Texas in 1967.5 Some of legends contain a generalized folk belief and others contain a specific superstition. The distinction between a generalized belief and a superstition is based on structure of superstition as formulated by Alan Dundes: Superstitions are traditional expressions of one or more conditions and one or more results with some of conditions signs and other causes.'6
Art · Legend · Literature · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · History
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.29 |
| Citation span | 2005 - 2025 (21) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |