Editorial Satement


 

 

89 

 

REVIEWS 

 
Bronislava Kerbelyte, Tipy narodnykh skazanii. Strukturno-semantycheskaia klassifikacia 

etiologicheskikh, mifologicheskikh i istoricheskikh skazanii i predanii [Folk Legend Types. The 

Structural-Semantic Classification of Lithuanian Etiological, Mythological and Historical 

Legends]. St Petersburg: Evropeiskii dom, 2001, 606 pp. ISBN 5-8015-0114-2 

 

 

A new catalogue of Lithuanian etiological, mythological and historical legends, written in 

Russian and English, has recently been published in St Petersburg. Compiled by Bronislava 

Kerbelyte of the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore in Vilnius, it is based on a card 

index, which systematizes more than 85,000 variants of Lithuanian folk narratives. Included in 

this number are approximately 3,000 etiological, 24,000 mythological and 4,000 historical 

legends. In the card index folk legends are classified according to the recommendations of the 

International Commission as published in Fabula [1960: 3, 299]. However, these classificatory 

principles cause serious problems, given that different mythical characters in mythological 

legends may figure in the same plot, or else in etiological legends the origin of different objects 

may be explained by means of what is essentially one and the same plot. In her search for more 

objective criteria for classification, Bronislava Kerbelyte has come to develop an innovatory 

structural and semantic analysis of folk texts, based on the distinctive features of their structure 

and the underlying semantic features of folk narratives. What she demonstrates is that complex 

plots are made up out of elementary plots, transformed into a hierarchical system. An elementary 

plot is one in which two characters or two groups of characters collide in the course of the hero�s 

progress towards his goal. What results from this collision depends on how the hero behaves. 

Kerbelyte defines 152 different types of elementary plot in Lithuanian folk tales, legends and 

anecdotes, each of which has several versions. She has worked out a special semantic language 

for describing these elementary plots on three levels. The organization of folk legends in the 

catalogue is also based on this structural-semantic classification system, the main principles of 

which are thoroughly explained in the book�s introduction. 

Most folk legends consist of a single elementary plot. However, a proportion of legends 

possess a more complex structure. If we compare legends with differing levels of complexity, it is 

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possible to study the evolution of a given narrative. This kind of analysis also makes finding 

semantically similar narratives in different genres easier and more precise. On the other hand, it 

shows that outwardly similar elementary plots may in fact possess semantic differences. What is 

more, the principles of structural-semantic analysis help us to reconstruct the probable original 

forms of folk narratives. 

Bronislava Kerbelyte�s research reveals that the hero of the mythological legend is not 

the mythological figure itself but the human protagonist. This being so, the internationally 

accepted classification of legends according to the mythological characters that feature in them is 

inadequate. Consequent upon her discovery, she has grouped texts of this genre in the catalogue 

according to the hero�s behavior, which can be of three kinds: correct, incorrect, and neutral. This 

method of grouping mythological narratives, irrespective of which mythological characters they 

depict, helps reveal the general rules of conduct for dealing with the mythological world. It could 

be said that avoiding various mythological beings would normally be considered the correct 

course of action. However, maintaining good relations with the mythological world may also be 

considered the right way to behave. When neutral conduct is depicted, the hero by chance 

observes strange happenings and draws conclusions about their origin. It is evident that it is those 

elementary plots that present examples of neutral behavior, which preserve and furnish the most 

stable and reliable information about the world of mythological beings. 

Time and place in mythological legends are concrete. Time refers either to specific 

moments within a twenty four-hour period, or to the life cycle of an individual or to calendar 

festivities. Space is associated with the specific places where important rites are performed or 

terrifying locations where various mythological beings may appear. This permits comparisons 

between legends and folk customs or beliefs. Some legends aim to encourage the preservation of 

a given tradition, while others cast doubt upon antiquated beliefs. Elucidating a protagonist�s 

behavior and the consequences of that behavior brings out the distinctive features of the popular 

worldview and its evolution, as well as of the legends themselves. These propositions lead to the 

conclusion that the main function of mythological legends is pragmatic; they not only regulate 

relationships with the mythological in the surrounding environment, but also promote 

traditionally accepted interpersonal relationships among members of the community. 

It is to be hoped that the innovatory principles underlying the structural-semantic 

classification of folk narratives in the catalogue will attract the attention of scholars more widely, 

and that Folk Legend Types will, in its turn, both provide valuable information about the 



 

 

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Lithuanian world outlook and contribute to the comparative study of the folklore of different 

nations. 

 

Radvile Racenaite 

Vytautas Magnus University, 

Kaunas 

SEEFA Journal 2002, Vol. VII No. 2