James R. Foster

Books: Folktakes

The World's Great Folktales (1994)

This collection is apparently a compendia of two separate collections The World's Great Folktales and Folktales of Wit and Humor (1953 and 1955) The tales are arranged not by nation of origin, but by theme. I'm still not sure how I feel about this, but we'll see. This is a much rougher collection than most I have. The tales are not as polished, which isn't bad, it's just different. What has struck me most, and is something about which I am still not sure, is the one chapter on tales about women. The feminist in me is terribly offended, and the reader in me can't decide if the feminist part is over-reacting or right on. I think I'm coming to the conclusion that these may be folklore, but I'm not sure we are far enough away from these beliefs for them to be amusing and quaint. There is still a bit too much sting to make them entirely enjoyable.

Publisher: Galahad Books