nterest in them. And accordingly, in dealing
with a subject which depends upon philology almost as much as astronomy
depends upon mathematics, I have omitted philological considerations
wherever it has been possible to do so. Nevertheless, I believe that
nothing has been advanced as established which is not now generally
admitted by scholars, and that nothing has been advanced as probable for
which due evidence cannot be produced. Yet among many points which are
proved, and many others which are probable, there must always remain
many other facts of which we cannot feel sure that our own explanation
is the true one; and the student who endeavours to fathom the primitive
thoughts of mankind, as enshrined in mythology, will do well to bear in
mind the modest words of Jacob Grimm,--himself the greatest scholar and
thinker who has ever dealt with this class of subjects,--"I shall indeed
interpret all that I can, but I cannot interpret all that I should
like."

PETERSHAM, September 6, 1872.

CONTENTS.

I. THE ORIGINS OF FOLK-LORE

II. THE DESCENT OF FIRE

III. WEREWOLVES AND SWAN-MAIDENS

IV. LIGHT AND DARKNESS

V. MYTHS OF THE BARBARIC WORLD

VI. JUVENTUS MUNDI

VII. THE PRIMEVAL GHOST-WORLD

NOTE

MYTHS AND MYTH-MAKERS.

I. THE ORIGINS OF FOLK-LORE.

FEW mediaeval heroes are so widely known as William Tell. His exploits
have been celebrated by one of the greatest poets and one of the most
popular musicians of modern times. They are doubtless familiar to
many who have never heard of Stauffacher or Winkelried, who are quite
ignorant of the prowess of Roland, and to whom Arthur and Lancelot, nay,
even Charlemagne, are but empty names.

Nevertheless, in spite of his vast reputation, it is very likely that
no such person as William Tell ever existed, and it is certain that the
story of his shooting the apple from his son's head has no historical
value whatever. In spite of the wrath of unlearned but patriotic Swiss,
especially of those of the cicerone class, this conclusion is forced
upon us as soon as we begin to study the legend in accordance with the
canons of modern historical criticism. It is useless to point to Tell's
lime-tree, standing to-day in the centre of the market-place at Altdorf,
or to quote for our confusion his crossbow preserved in the arsenal at
Zurich, as unimpeachable witnesses to the truth of the story. It is in
vain that we a