A Study of the Tales As Printed in Folk-Lore in 1891
2060302 INVESTIGATING THE LEGENDS OF THE CARRS: A STUDY OF THE TALES AS PRINTED IN FOLK-LORE IN 1891 Maureen James A submission presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Glamorgan/Prifysgol Morgannwg For the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Volume 1 April 2013 Abstract This study investigates the content, collection and dissemination of the Legends of the Cars, a group of tales published in Folk-Lore in 1891, as having been collected in North Lincolnshire from local people. The stories, have been criticised for their relatively unique content and the collector, Marie Clothilde Balfour has been accused of creating the tales. The stories are today used by artists, writers and storytellers, wishing to evoke the flatland and beliefs of the past, yet despite the questions raised regarding authenticity, neither the collector, the context or the contents have been thoroughly investigated. The tales have also, due to their inclusion in diverse collections, moved geographically south in the popular perception. This thesis documents the research into the historical, geographical and social context of the Legends of the Cars, and also validates the folkloric content and the dialect as being from North Lincolnshire. The situation within the early Folklore Society prior to, and after the publication of the stories, has also been investigated, to reveal a widespread desire to collect stories from the rural populations, particularly if they demonstrated a latent survival of paganism. Balfour followed the advice of the folklorists and, as well as submitting the tales in dialect, also acknowledged their pagan content within her introductions.
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