It would have been well if the author had confined himself to the materials collected in India. His account of water cults throughout the world is based on the writings of Sir E. B. Tylor, Sir L. Gomme, and other works familiar to students, and his comments add little to our knowledge.
Another fault in this book, unfortunately too common in the case of Indian writers, is his absence of precise references. The references which he gives are not complete and will be of little use to students, and no index is provided. But, with these limitations the book possesses some value, and if the author, in a revised edition, would pursue his enquiries in India and provide a larger collection of local facts, he would do good service in the investigation of an interesting branch of folklore.
M. Èmile Nourry, who writes under the name of P. Saintyves, has furnished another proof of his untiring industry and of his genuine enthusiasm for folklore. This little book is devoted to an exposition of the importance of children’s round games and the songs which are sung in them. The theory, which he illustrates chiefly from France, but also to some extent from England and other neighbouring countries and even from as far away as India, is that these songs and dances or round games are the remains of very archaic liturgies, that is to say, magical incantations for the benefit of the crops and of fecundity in general, whether animal or vegetable. And the same thing is affirmed of the seasonal performances and collections of money, especially at Christmas.
It is a book intended for popular reading, and hence it is not encumbered with footnotes or references. To a student this is a drawback, because, unlike too many “popular” books, it is a work of real learning. To test the author’s authorities, therefore, is of the utmost value in considering his thesis; and his thesis is worth considering. True, the theory has been
