Vargyas Lajos: Researches into the mediaeval history of folk ballad (Budapest, 1967)
RESEARCHES INTO THE MEDIAEVAL HISTORY OF FOLK BALLAD Based on thorough comparative studies in the history, and even prehistory, of the Hungarian folk ballad, the author reveals intricate interrelations concerning European balladry and proves that among the Hungarian types there exists a group with French origin. To support this point, he had to differentiate between German, English—American, Scandinavian, etc. versions, and so to define the French—Hungarian ones. The setting of East-European variants related to the Hungarian types in the focus of comparative study has considerably furthered the scope of ballad research. A study of the Siberian epics helped to disclose, through analysis of their archaic, mythic forms, interesting relics of thousand-year-old Hungarian heroic songs still surviving in some Hungarian ballads. The book provides new results concerning the theoretical aspects of European folk ballads in general. AKADÉMIAI KIADÓ Publishing House of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest L. VARGYAS