I think this was actually earlier (between the wars). It was Millman Perry as I
recall who first drew the attention of classical scholars to this phenomenon in
eastern Europe, and in his mind they represented cultural analogues for Homer and
possible parallels for the composition and pre-written transmission of the Homeric
poems. There was a semi-popular book on the topic (again I am dredging from my lost
youth in Classics (-;) called _Tellers of Tales_ or _Teller of Tales_, something like
that; the author's name was Lord, I think, but not Walter!
One of our Classics professors used to regale his class with stories of Millman Perry
who (according to Professor Morgan) had constructed an epic tale for his own children
about Mickey Mouse in the Paris sewers. According to Morgan, any man who put Mickey
Mouse in the Paris sewers couldn't be all bad, whatever his views on the Homeric
question!
But I am not sure this gets us any forwarder on the oral transmission of saints'
legends.....
A.
Christopher Crockett wrote:
>
> "B.M.COOK" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> >....The intelligent illiterate usually have an excellent and accurate memory
> for aural input.
>
> wasn't there something about some folklorists who went to some remote region
> of Montenegro or Albania (in the '50's?) and found some local
> bards who went around reciting homeric-length poems from memory?
>
> cc
>
> ____________________________________________________________________
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--
Abigail Ann Young (Dr), Associate Editor/Records of Early English Drama/
Victoria College/ 150 Charles Street W/ Toronto Ontario Canada
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