Serbian Folk-lore

Transcriber's Note
The cover image was created by the transcriber for the convenience of the reader, and is placed in the public domain.
TRANSLATED FROM THE SERBIAN By MADAME ELODIE L. MIJATOVICH AUTHOR OF THE “HISTORY OF MODERN SERBIA,” “KOSSOVO BALLADS” ETC. ETC. ETC.
WITH AN INTRODUCTION By the late Rev. W. DENTON, M.A.
SECOND EDITION
1899 The Columbus Printing, Publishing and Advertising Company, Limited, Amberley House, Norfolk Street, W.C.
Preparing for Publication , SERBIAN POPULAR CUSTOMS, A Further Contribution to Serbian Folk-Lore , BY MADAME ELODIE L. MIJATOVICH.


The collection of Vuk Karadjich was gathered by him from the lips of professional story-tellers, and of old peasant women in Serbia and the Herzégovina. One of these stories, translated in the present volume, and here called ‘The Wonderful Kiosk,’ or ‘The Kiosk in the Sky,’ was however written out and contributed to this collection by Prince Michael, the late and lamented ruler of Serbia, who had heard it, in childhood, from the lips of his nurse. The Bosniac collection was made by young theological students from that country—members of the college at Dyakovo, in Croatia.
By means of these and similar collections, we are enabled to trace and compare the folk-tale in the various stages of its growth, and note its modifications, according to the religion of the people who have received it, and the climate of the countries in which it has been naturalised. In the pages of Professor Max Müller, of Mr. Baring Gould, and of Mr. Cox, we have attempts, more or less successful, to treat these stories scientifically, and to trace and explain the origin and motive of the various popular tales and legends which are comprehended under the name of folk-lore.
An examination of these collections leads to the conclusion that—apart at least from the legends of history—the number of strictly original folk-tales is but small; and that people, settled for ages in countries separated geographically, have yet possessed from remote antiquity a popular literature, which must have been the common property of the race before it branched into nations; but that the natural accretions, the growth of time, together with local colouring, fragments of historical facts, the influence of popular religious belief, and, above all, the exigencies and ingenuity of professional story-tellers, have so modified these primitive tales and legends, that an appearance of originality has been imparted to current popular tales, which, however, a larger acquaintance with folk-lore, and a more extended investigation, are now gradually dispelling. It is at length evident that various primitive legendary and traditionary elements have been combined in most of these tales; and that the only originality consists in such combination. They resemble a piece of tesselated work made up of cubes of coloured stone, the tints of which are really few in number, though they admit of being arranged into a variety of figures after the fancy of the artist.