[Glorantha] Collecting Folktales...

[Donald R. Oddy]

In message <43BD19EE.6040400 at falster23.freeserve.co.uk> CJ writes:

>  I here think of Andrew Lang collecting folklore in the last quarter of 
>the 19th century.  However two questions arise - what is the difference 
>between Myth and Folklore, if any?  Secondly in the real world as you 
>correctly note, folklorists often "improved" material, like much of th 
>Hebridiean prayers and poetry today associated with Celtic Christianity, 
>etc, and all the folklore that was recast to make it fit better Sir 
>James Frazer's ideas from The Golden Bough in the 20's and 30's.
>
>Now I wonder if we can differentiate between myth and folklore, and 
>whether attempting to not collect variants but to "correct" folklore 
>might open you to charges of being a Godlearner?

I'd suggest the difference is a matter of belief. Someone collecting
folklore doesn't usually believe it - they like stories and may
choose to analyse them to try and understand the culture that
created them. Myths are part of the culture of a group and are 
believed, not necessarily literally but at least symbolically by
members of that group. Unfortunatly in the modern world the word 
myth has become associated with improbable stories which the
rational person regards as too silly to be bothered with. It's
difficult to give examples of modern myth without risking turning
the discussion into a political or religious argument but much
of the production of Hollywood is based on modern myths.

So yes, in Glorantha a folklorist would be suspected of being
a Godlearner because they have no belief in what they are
trying to use. It could be that a folklorist is the definition 
of a Godlearner.

-- 
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/