Micro-post #20: A pair of folklore indices [Basic Knowledge Stuff #4]

Originally planned as a Something Interesting, these two folklore indices are pretty cool but also self-explanatory. If you find folk songs or tales fascinating, you'd do well to acquaint yourself with these.

Photo of Neuschwanstein Castle in Gernmany by Anelale Nájera (Unsplash)

The Roud Folk Song Index

The primary function of the Roud Folk Song Index is as a research aid correlating versions of traditional English-language folk song lyrics independently documented over past centuries by many different collectors across (especially) the UK and North America. [from Wikipedia entry]

The Roud Indexes Database (English Folk Dance & Song Society)

"‘I’ve got to stop somewhere!’ How Steve Roud compiled his epic folk song archive" by Andrea Valentino (The Guardian)

The Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index of Folk Tales

A comprehensive folktale index that's been around since the early 1900s that's been updated and expanded to cover a wide variety of motifs and themes commonly found throughout the world.

Tale-Type and Motif Indices in the Library Research Guide for Folklore and Mythology (Harvard)

"The ATU Fable Index: Like the Dewey Decimal System, But With More Ogres" by Cara Giaimo (Atlas Obscura)