practicable, so that it has seemed wise rather to concentrate on one important
group--the North American Indians--and thus afford sufficient comparison
with the tales of Europe and Asia.

In the fourth part of the book I have attempted to see what students have
thought about the folktale and to evaluate some of these theories. I have also
detailed the methods employed by folktale scholars during the past half
century and have suggested their further development. Such methods have
involved the organization of scholars, on an international basis, for collecting,
classifying, making local surveys, studying the life history of tales and
considering the tale as an art and as a function of various societies. Much of
this theoretical material and most of the practical procedures studied are
difficult of access and too little known by students of related fields, in which
work touching the folktale is often carried on in ignorance of the real accom-
plishments of folklorists in Europe and America.

The goal of this book is therefore (1) to present the folktale as an impor-
tant art, vital to most of the race and underlying all literary narrative forms;
(2) to acquaint the reader with most of the great folktales of the world, not
only for their own interest as stories but also as important elements of culure;
and (3) to indicate the goals of the student of the narratives and the methods
by which he works.

STITH THOMPSON
Bloomington, Indiana

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