e formed. Cf. _liber_
and +biblos+.

[2] "Russische Volksmaerchen in den Urschriften gesammelt und ins
Deutsche uebersetzt von A. Dietrich." Leipzig, 1831.

[3] "Russian Popular Tales," Chapman and Hall, London, 1857.

[4] "Die aeltesten Volksmaerchen der Russen. Von J. N. Vogl." Wien,
1841.

[5] Such as the "Orient und Occident," "Ausland," &c.

[6] Professor Reinhold Koehler, who is said to be preparing a work on
the Skazkas, in co-operation with Professor Juelg, the well-known
editor and translator of the "Siddhi Kuer" and "Ardshi Bordschi Khan."

[7] In my copy, pt. 1 and 2 are of the 3d, and pt. 3 and 4 are of the
2d edition. By such a note as "Afanasief, i. No. 2," I mean to refer
to the second story of the first part of this work.

[8] This book is now out of print, and copies fetch a very high price.
I refer to it in my notes as "Afanasief, _Legendui_."

[9] This work is always referred to in my notes as "Afanasief,
_P.V.S._"

[10] There is one other recent collection of skazkas--that published
last year at Geneva under the title of "Russkiya Zavyetnuiya Skazki."
But upon its contents I have not found it necessary to draw.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.
PAGE.
The Folk-tale in general, and the Skazka in particular--Relation
of Russian Popular Tales to Russian Life--Stories about
Courtship, Death, Burial and Wailings for the Dead--Warnings
against Drink, Jokes about Women, Tales of Simpletons--A rhymed
Skazka and a Legend 15

CHAPTER II.

MYTHOLOGICAL.

_Principal Incarnations of Evil._

On the "Mythical Skazkas"--Male embodiments of Evil: 1. The
Snake as the Stealer of Daylight; 2. Norka the Beast, Lord of
the Lower World; 3. Koshchei the Deathless, The Stealer of Fair
Princesses--his connexion with Punchkin and "the Giant who had no
Heart in his Body"--Excursus on Bluebeard's Chamber; 4. The Water
King or Subaqueous Demon--Female Embodiments of Evil: 1. The Baba
Yaga or Hag, and 2. The Witch, feminine counterparts of the
Snake 75

CHAPTER III.

MYTHOLOGICAL.

_Miscellaneous Impersonations._

One-eyed Likho, a story of the Polyphemus Cycle--Woe, the Poor
Man's Companion--Friday, Wednesday, and Sunday personified
as Female Spirits--The Leshy or Wood-Demon--Legends about
Rivers--Frost as a Wooer