Author Description

"This is an encyclopedic presentation and discussion of the most basic thematic elements universally found in folklore and literature, namely archetypes and motifs. The work provides an in-depth analysis of approximately 175 of the most common archetypes and motifs found in the folklore of selected communities around the world. Each entry is written by a noted authority in the field and includes reference citations. Entries are keyed to the six-volume Motif Index of Folk Literature by Stith Thompson and grouped according to the Index's scheme, Included in the Introduction is a discussion of the concepts of archetypes and motifs, as well as an overview of the scholarship in folklore and literature that has treated these topics, and the history of the study of folklore in general."--Jacket.